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The 25 Coolest Hacks For All Your Favorite IKEA Products

We found the most creative ideas for the retailer's most iconic items (how many do you own?).

By Anna Zambelli and Lauren Smith
Furniture, Drawer, Chest of drawers, Chiffonier, Dresser, Product, Changing table, Filing cabinet, Table, Room,
IKEA/In My Own Style

Make the best use of IKEA's put-it-together-yourself furniture to create unique storage ideas and home decor.

1

Before: BEKVAM Step Stool

Furniture, Table, Stool, Step stool, Wood, Outdoor furniture, End table, Chair, Hardwood, Wood stain,
IKEA

This IKEA favorite might look like a typical step stool made of solid wood. But in reality, there are so many ways to use this versatile item

BUY NOW: $20, ikea.com

2

After: Play Kitchen

Furniture, Table, Shelf, Play, Room, Desk,
Courtesy of Mommo Design

Your kids are going to love playing "let's make dinner" alongside you — and you're going to love how affordable this set up is. It's as simple as painting the steps black, drawing on a stove top, and adding some knobs on the front to get the "burners" going.

See more at Mommo Design »

What you'll need: chalkboard paint ($4, amazon.com), chalk ($4, amazon.com)

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3

Before: INGO Table

Wood, Brown, Table, Line, Tan, Wood stain, Rectangle, Beige, Parallel, Plywood,
IKEA

Made of pine, this sturdy table has a plain, sleek design and comes unfinished. 

BUY NOW: $69, ikea.com

4

After: Farmhouse Fab

Furniture, Room, Table, Dining room, Kitchen & dining room table, Coffee table, Property, Interior design, Hardwood, Wood flooring,
Courtesy of East Coast Creative Blog

Believe it or not, this gorgeous dining room table was once the simple INGO. You'll have to get out the power tools for this hack, but the stunning result is well worth the effort.

See more at East Coast Creative »

What you'll need: wood stain ($5, amazon.com)

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5

Before: VARIERA Plastic Bag Dispenser

Pink, Magenta, Pattern,
IKEA

To manage all of the grocery bags you plan to reuse, IKEA sells a dispenser that hangs on the wall. 

BUY NOW: $2, ikea.com

6

After: Neat Wrapping Paper Container

Shelving, Shelf, Paint, Cylinder, Plastic, Collection, Box,
Courtesy of Interior Candy

Having a hard time keeping all of your gift wrapping gear organized? Repurposing the plastic bag dispenser into a holder for paper rolls is an easy solution.

See more at Interior Candy »

What you'll need: command strips ($3, amazon.com)

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7

Before: FINTORP Rail

Line, Grey, Metal, Iron, Steel, Black-and-white, Aluminium, Silver, Balance, Nickel,
IKEA

Hooks can be attached to this simple rail, which you can use to organize just about anything. 

BUY NOW: $9, ikea.com

8

After: Charging Station

Shelf, Flowerpot, Furniture, Table, Room, Plant, Balcony, Living room, Houseplant, Herb,
Courtesy of Polka Dots in the Country

To keep electronics from cluttering your counter, you can mount this bar near an outlet along with a basket to hold your gadgets. This blogger even added potted plants for decoration.

See more on Hometalk »

What you'll need: hanging basket ($6, amazon.com)

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9

Before: BORRBY Lantern

Lantern, Lighting, Candle holder, Italian food, Cuisine, Glass,
IKEA

For either indoor or outdoor use, this lantern cam hold a large candle inside. 

BUY NOW: $15, ikea.com

10

After: Modern Terrarium

Furniture, White, Room, Home, Interior design, Table, Houseplant, Window, Living room, House,
Courtesy of Thou Swell

Potting soil, charcoal, gravel, and plants fill the lantern with an earthy brightness. The result is both decorative and low maintenance.

See more at Thou Swell »

What you'll need: potting soil ($6, amazon.com), gravel ($8, amazon.com), fern ($4, amazon.com)

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11

Before: TARVA Chest

Drawer, Chest of drawers, Furniture, Dresser, Chiffonier, Hardwood, Chest, Wood, Nightstand, Table,
IKEA

Like most IKEA chests, this simple dresser has endless decorating possibilities. 

BUY NOW: similar for $179, ikea.com

12

After: Rolling Desk

Furniture, White, Blue, Room, Chest of drawers, Drawer, Table, Desk, Shelf, Interior design,
Courtesy of In My Own Style

This transformation requires some serious handy work. By making it fold out, the top drawer becomes the main surface for a desk. This blogger was even crafty enough to add her initials.

See more at In My Own Style »

What you'll need: white paint ($4, amazon.com), label pulls ($10, amazon.com)

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13

Before: MOSSLANDA Picture Ledge

Ceiling, Rectangle, Shelf,
IKEA

This skinny shelf may seem like it's only good for displaying pictures, but a little imagination can make this product the most useful item in your home

BUY NOW: $7, ikea.com

14

After: Bathroom Storage

Blue, Plumbing fixture, Bathroom sink, Property, Room, Wall, Interior design, Tile, Purple, Ceramic,
Courtesy of Yasam Stil

Nothing's more frustrating than a sink without any storage. But this narrow shelf fits above your faucet and below your mirror so you can add organization for soap, candles, and toothpaste where you need it most.

See more at Yasam Stil »

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15

Before: RASKOG Utility Cart

Shelf, Kitchen cart, Product, Furniture, Turquoise, Shelving, Cart, Vehicle, Table,
IKEA

This rolling, metal cart is a popular a IKEA product because it's useful in literally every room of the house

BUY NOW: $25, ikea.com

16

After: Vanity Station

Pink, Teal, Bottle, Turquoise, Aqua, Peach, Violet, Plastic, Shelving, Glass bottle,
Courtesy of Polka Dot Chair

This clever blogger used the cart to categorize her beauty routine — and even doctored the side with a bin for her hot tools.

See more at Polka Dot Chair »

What you'll need: white paint ($4, amazon.com)

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17

Before: Grundtal Magnetic Knife Rack

Handle, Door handle, Rectangle, Metal,
IKEA

This stainless steel strip is magnetized, making it easy to organize all of your knives — or anything metal — without taking up precious counter space. 

BUY NOW: $9, ikea.com

18

After: Train Parking

Shelf, Product, Furniture, Room, Drawer, Table, Shelving, Interior design, Bed, Infant bed,
Courtesy of Just a Girl and Her Blog

A blogger hung two Grundtal strips on the wall in her boys' bedroom to store their trucks and trains. In addition to being practical, the colorful toys add a fun decor element to the gray wall.

See more at Just a Girl and Her Blog »

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19

Before: KURA Bed

Furniture, Table, Desk, Shelf, Sofa tables, Rectangle, Writing desk, Hutch,
IKEA

This children's loft bed has inspired several DIY creations. Its simple design is both versatile and affordable. 

BUY NOW: $179, ikea.com

20

After: Ultimate Big-Kid Bed with a Slide

Furniture, Bed, Room, Bunk bed, Property, Product, Bed frame, Hostel, Bedroom, Dormitory,
YouTube / Eric Strong

Want the coolest parent of the year award? Try out this nifty DIY that's the ultimate sleeping set-up for a kid. It requires three pieces of IKEA furniture (the KURA Bed, TROFAST storage piece, and BESTA shelf) and, of course, a slide.

See more on Eric Strong's YouTube Channel »

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