Thrifty Tips to Hide Your Addiction

Hi. My name is Kristen and I am a nail polish-aholic.

Hi Kristen.

It's true. I have an addiction to the glorious lacquer that is painted onto our fingernails. It is a quick fix to a bad day. It is happiness in a very small bottle. Pretty soon, however, one begins to accumulate a lot of 'happiness.'

Have a bad day at work? Swing by Target or the drugstore on your way home and pick up a new color. Instant lift. Tired of feeling like the only thing you do is work, cook, clean, do laundry and repeat? When the chores are done, brush on a coral, flaming red or even a glitter infused blue. You won't feel so bad leaving that last load in the dryer overnight because you don't want to mess up your manicure.

Nail polish-aholics have their brands of choice, just like any other addict. Essie, OPI, Butter, Sally Hansen, China Glaze-I could go on and on. And I probably own a bit of each. My favorite is the Julep brand. I am a Julep maven. Remember back in the 80s/90s when you got cassette tapes/cds in the mail each month form Columbia House? Well, Julep is a little like that. The mailman brings me happiness in a bottle. Awesomeness.

Julep nail polish is the Walter White Blue of the nail polish world. I am convinced it is the best.

But where does one put all these little bottles of happiness? You can't just leave the bottles laying around for the world to see your shameful addiction? As pretty as the colors are to your own eye, if your bedside table is completely covered in bottles, you have a problem. If you start to stash your bottles in random areas around your home, you have a problem.

I have found a solution.

I picked up this awesome train case the other day at Second Impressions Thrift Store. It is in excellent shape and does not smell or have any stains inside. Bonus! It is the perfect size to store my 'bottles.'

A beautiful blue Samsonite from days past. The mirror is still inside even. I carefully organized my bottles according to brand and color. I placed a layer on the bottom and then used a basket from the dollar store to keep the bottles in the second layer.

I love how there is a handle on the top of my hiding place. I keep it next to my bedside. You never know when you may have to make a quick emergency getaway in the middle of the night due to fire or some other horrifying reason. Grab your pants, your purse and by all means, your nail polish stash!!!!! Save the important things!!!! Do not let the firemen carry your stash-they will not understand and possibly toss it into the fire. 

Nothing comes between a woman and her nail polish collection. Nothing. 

So if you are having problems hiding your addiction like I was, go find yourself a pretty little train case.  On the outside it looks like you are simply carrying or storing your cosmetics, like any normal woman.  But stuff that sucker as full as you can with tiny bottles of happiness. And you will run out of room. This is inevitable. Just get on out there and get another case. Two hands, two handles to carry!

Happy thrifting my friends from your polished buddy in the north!