We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Solving storage problems seems relatively easy when you consider that there’s a bin, basket, or hanging organizer available for pretty much every room of the house. Whether you need stackable drawers for your makeup collection, a tiered shelf to hold all your spices, or a slim cabinet for extra toilet paper rolls, chances are that you can find your desired product with just a simple Google search. Sometimes, though, you need an organizer that’s not necessarily for a super-specific purpose. Something that’s easy to maneuver around tight spaces and holds miscellaneous items that otherwise wouldn’t have a home. A catch-all storage solution, if you will. Well, you’re in luck with this next find. Whether you require extra shelving in the kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom, this mobile organizer is ready to do the job.
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Not only is this slim rolling cart from Amazon incredibly useful, but it also has a stylish appearance. You can get it in navy or white, both of which look modern, cute, and suitable for a variety of decor motifs. The cart also comes with your choice of three or four plastic shelves, which are connected by strong metal tubes. Whereas some carts wobble under pressure, this one can withstand a bit of weight without wavering. Despite its sturdy foundation, the cart itself weighs less than 3 lbs., so it’s easy to transport around the house. “We are temporarily moving into a rental with absolutely no bathroom storage besides under the sink… ” one reviewer wrote. “This fits [nicely] and matches our bathroom perfectly.” The four-tiered cart will likely be level with most bathroom and kitchen counters, keeping your things within reach. Additionally, it comes with four round hooks, so you can hang towels, shower accessories, and a host of other knick-knacks, too.
Above all, though, customers seem to appreciate this product’s versatility. You can keep it in tight areas such as the closet or the office, as well as the larger rooms in your home. One customer described it as, “Perfect for between my washer and dryer!” Basically, if the cart fits, go for it. This find would even be perfect for dorm living, where finding storage space is a daily struggle. For less than $30, you’ll be able to find a need for this cart, even if you don’t think you have one yet.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Every couple of years or so, there’s a hot new kitchen accessory on everyone’s radar. From air fryers to SMEG toasters, your countertops just can’t catch a break. But even amid the sea of electric appliances and cooking gadgets, there’s always one constant: paper towels. Whether you spilled some OJ or some cooking oil splashed onto the burner, you need a roll within reach at all times. But this cleaning essential can be an obstruction in itself, especially if you have a small kitchen with limited counter space. If you find that your pots and pans all have a home, larger utensils aren’t in the way, and the dish rack isn’t taking up more room than it needs to, and yet you still have a lack of space, this next find is likely for you. It’ll help keep paper towels handy while also reducing some of the clutter in your cooking station. Adding to its utility, the bar on which your paper towels rest also swivels, according to some reviewers. It’ll be easier for you to grab a lot of paper towels when an unexpected mess occurs.
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This stainless steel paper towel holder from Amazon mounts directly onto the wall or underneath cabinets. You can slide your paper towel roll on and get it off your counters for good. You technically can drill it in, but the holder comes with adhesive tape on its base. You just have to peel off the film, stick the holder onto your surface, and wait 24 hours before using it. This feature makes the holder great for rented apartments, as it won’t damage any walls. Plus, once it’s in, it’s there to stay. “NASA needs to study the adhesive they give you to mount this thing because it’s crazy strong,” one reviewer wrote. “I haven’t had to use the screws.”
Plus, it’s easy on the eyes. “If you are a fan of farmhouse or industrial-style decor, this is an excellent addition to any kitchen!” one reviewer shared. You’re not just limited to the silver color; it also comes in black, gray, gold, and rose gold finishes. The stainless steel also won’t rust or sustain any water damage.
Essentially, customers appear to agree that this product works exactly as advertised and is super easy to install. And how could we not mention that it’s only $10?! For clutter-free counters, it’s a small price to pay. Your paper towels will no longer have to battle for real estate with the cutting boards and spice rack.
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Many apartment kitchens are already small by nature, but to make matters worse, they require so many different cooking and cleaning accoutrements. From paper towels to stirring utensils, the number of accessories you need to complete even the simplest of food-related tasks is astronomical compared to the severe lack of counter space available. And that doesn’t even cover any decor you might want to include, like plants or a cute cookie jar. The good thing is that there are organizers and storage savers for virtually every need out there, including those pertaining to the kitchen. Whether you’re looking for a compact dish rack, baskets that can be attached underneath flat surfaces, or a tiered rack for spices, we’re here to guide you toward a clutter-free environment. With all that said, today’s find is one you definitely don’t want to skip out on.
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These steel undershelf hangers by editor-favorite brand Yamazaki are going to be your kitchen’s new best friend. Truth be told, they can be placed in any room. Use them for hand towels in the bathroom, jackets in the front entryway, or scarves and hats in your bedroom — the possibilities are endless. “The hook is deeper than expected, and the hardware is made really well,” one reviewer shared. “We use one to hold studio headphones under the desk, and we use one for all our masks before we leave the house.” The kitchen, however, is where these hangers truly shine.
Available in a set of two for just $16, they can hold anything from oven mitts, utensils, dish towels, or even a disposable bag for waste while you prepare meals. Arguably their most enticing feature is that they attach under cabinets without any drilling required, so they’re also renter-friendly. “I needed a REAL solution to hold my headsets for work,” one Yamazaki customer wrote. “Stick-on hooks don’t cut it, and I don’t want to have something that sticks out too far. THIS IS THE SOLUTION. … Absolutely a DREAM to put on, and doesn’t mar the desk.” All you have to do to install a hanger is slide it under your surface, then manually twist the bolt to tighten. Because the hangers are made out of steel, they won’t bend or break from the weight you place onto them.
We’re certain that once you purchase a two-pack, you’ll want to go back for more. Your clean counters will speak for themselves. And if you ever decide to remove these non-permanent fixtures, it’s totally no biggie.
Those Swedes sure do love to organize. Flip through any edition of the IKEA catalog, and the first impression you’ll likely get is: a place for everything, and everything in its place. But don’t our cluttered, modern, go-go-go lifestyles make it seem impossible to live up to this standard? Most especially in that most dreaded place in our homes — the closet. Chances are, if you’re a Curbly reader, you love organization just as much as we do. And you may need a little help figuring out how to make your closet system work for you. That’s why today we are talking all about how to design the closet of your dreams using IKEA closets.
We’ll go over the entire range of IKEA closets, plus real-life examples of how they are used, hacks, tips for installing an IKEA closet, organizers, and more.
Let’s whip those IKEA closets in shape!
Closet Systems from IKEA
IKEA makes it easy to stay organized with their large range of closets. From wardrobes; to children’s closets; to totally customizable, open clothes storage systems; and more organizing accessories than you can count, they’ve got everything you need to turn your closet into your favorite part of your home.
Let’s start with their simplest system first: wardrobes.
IKEA Wardrobes
Possibly the biggest conundrum a renter or homeowner can face when struggling with storage is: no built-in closets. The worst! Thankfully, IKEA has lots of options if you’re looking to buy an inexpensive, fuss-free wardrobe to create, or add to, your clothes storage.
White and classic with a traditional build, this wardrobe features two mirrored doors, a clothes rail, shelf, and one drawer. The ledge on top prevents items from being pushed off when you’re grabbing things in a hurry.
Best bang for your buck: BRIMNES, $129
With two doors for hanging clothes, a full-height section for shelves, and a mirror, the BRIMNES provides the most clothing storage space in its budget. And it comes in black, too.
If you need something temporary, or to store off-season clothes in a spare room, the BREIM is super affordable at only 30 bucks!
Freestanding IKEA Closets
Sometimes a wardrobe is just too bulky for your room. Enter the freestanding closet system! A mix of open and closed storage is the key to keeping this type of closet organized and beautiful. That way you can display the pretty things, and hide the clutter.
Naturally, there is a wide range of modular IKEA closets to choose from:
Forgive the upcoming gushing, it’s just that I’m a little in love with IKEA’s ELVARLI line. Those clean, minimal lines all in white just make my organization-loving heart race.
The ELVARLI was designed to be completely customizable, so while you can choose one of the pre-made options from the website, you can also build your own using the ELVARLI planning tool. I’ll go into more detail on IKEA’s handy planners below. For now, just know that the sky is the limit! (Or your budget. Your budget is the limit).
Think you’re too messy to make open storage work for you? Take a look at how much clothing Igor from Happy Interior Blog stuffed onto his ELVARLI:
The ALGOT series is one of IKEA’s most modular storage systems. Think of it as the ELVARLI’s more affordable, and more flexible, predecessor. Once you’ve attached the upright brackets to the wall, the shelves can be easily rearranged using the pop-in brackets, without tools. It’s very inexpensive, too; the configuration below costs only $152.50, and look how much clothing you can store!
IKEA’s ALGOT closet is a fabulous solution for small closets because of how much you can store in just a simple setup.
The ALGOT system is great for children’s closets, too!
Related to the ALGOT system, the ANTONIUS wire frames and baskets can be used in addition to an ALGOT closet, or as an entirely separate closet organizer, as in this storage idea from Personally Andrea.
Those homemade chalkboard labels started out as wall plate covers!
If you’ve never heard of PAX…you are in for a treat.
The PAX is IKEA’s luxury closet line that starts at budget prices. And as always, it’s completely modular and customizable. We are talking OPTIONS. So many, in fact, that it can be a bit overwhelming to shop for a PAX system. So let’s break it down!
What are IKEA PAX wardrobes?
The PAX is a customizable closet system that can be used to organize an existing closet, as a stand-alone closed wardrobe, or as an open clothes storage solution (like in that stunning example above).
How do you design and install a PAX closet?
Okay, so you’ve decided you want to organize your life with a PAX closet system. Now what? Here are some key things you need to know to get started:
Now that we’ve covered the very basic basics, let’s design an IKEA PAX closet!
IKEA loves making things easy for us. That’s why the brilliant minds behind the home furnishing giant created online planning tools for its storage systems. So we, too, could have a place for everything, and everything in its place.
You can access IKEA’s PAX planner two ways: click “Customize this combination” on any PAX product page, or navigate to “Planning Tools” in IKEA’s footer.
You can find the ALGOT and ELVARLI Planning Tools on the main tool page, too!
Once you’ve launched the planner, you can choose an existing combination to customize, or “Create Pax from scratch” to design your own custom PAX closet.
Image: IKEA
Don’t forget to create an account so you can save your design!
The most fun part about designing your own closet is choosing interior closet organizers. These are the nitty-gritty organizing details that make me drool (yeah, I’m an organizing freak. You know you are too).
IKEA’s KOMPLEMENT series has every kind of closet organizer you can imagine to maximize storage space in your PAX.
But, my absolute favorite thing about IKEA’s planners is that once you are finished with your design, the tool will generate a shopping list and sort all the items by where they are located in the store. PURE. GENIUS.
Image: IKEA
Assembling and Installing IKEA Closets
So how hard is it to assemble your own IKEA closet system? Well, that depends a little on your level of patience. If there’s one negative association IKEA has, it’s that putting together furniture can be a pain in the [insert your favorite expletive here].
But remember, IKEA designs their furniture so that it can be assembled by absolute beginners, with a bare minimum of tools. So it’s really not THAT hard! In general, if you can follow directions, and know how to hang a picture with a nail and hammer, you can assemble an IKEA closet or wardrobe.
From my experience as a life-long IKEA fan, and frequent assembler of IKEA furniture, here is my advice on how to install all types of IKEA closets as painlessly as possible:
Don’t go it alone! Large items, like the PAX, ALGOT, or ELVARLI systems, require two people.
Triple check your shopping list before you leave the store to make sure you have ALL the parts.
When you get home, organize the boxes in the order that you will need them, with the first items (usually, the largest) easily accessible.
FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LETTER. I know that seems redundant to say, but often when something goes wrong, it’s because a step was missed.
We love IKEA hacks around here! Here are some gorgeous PAX closet hacks to inspire your own closet makeover.
How to make a PAX wardrobe look built-in:
Image: Braun + Adams
This hack is not for the faint-hearted — a custom PAX installed under roof eaves!
This PAX wardrobe was raised onto a custom wooden platform and finished with floating shelves. The chunky knobs add a stunning touch!
A wallpapered back, plus framing added to the doors, make this PAX look like a totally different piece.
Or simplify this idea with squares of paper added to one of IKEA’s PAX door options:
This idea works for drawers, too!
Alternative IKEA Closet Hacks
So you’ve seen how to use an ELVARLI, ALGOT, or PAX system to organize your bedroom closet. But if you are really out to DIY, check out these other ways you can use IKEA products to build a custom closet.
KALLAX closet hack:
BILLY bookcase closet:
IKEA RAST wardrobe hack:
Are you ready to make your own IKEA closets? Which system do you think you would pick? And which closet in your house is the biggest disaster zone right now? We’d love to hear what you think of our IKEA closet design guide!
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Plates — especially if you have them in a range of sizes — can be one of the more curiously difficult things to store in the kitchen. Plate racks tend be bulky while rarely seeming to fit enough and stacking dishes is a short road to accidents and damaging your beautiful dishware. When I ran into this low-profile wood version from WhiteRiverWoodworks on Etsy, I knew it was a game-changer. Hand crafted from maple wood, the rack has a hue that matches a vast majority of wood cabinet interior finishes and a height of only 3/4 if an inch, so it blends right in.
While nearly invisible, this rack can hold up to 16 plates vertically which is not only far more than the average cabinet plate rack, but it makes the dishes both easy to grab and replace (without harming the dishes either). Of course, that’s if you go with the default size, which you totally don’t have to. WhiteRiverWoodworks will cut your wooden plate rack to a custom length without any extra charge. So, you can choose to match your rack to your cabinet’s exact measurements or even customize your dish display.
“Wow,” said one recent customer. WhiteRiverWoodworks‘s owner “Gary made my order exactly to fit my cabinet and now it is one of my favorite pieces in my kitchen. I show everyone who comes over. I’m so happy I get to keep my large plates now, and they look so nice sitting upright in my cabinet. Such a clean look with the sleek wooden rack…thank you, Gary — great craftsmanship!”
And because the racks are made in Kansas City, MO, shipping is fast no matter where you’re located, and the brand offers free returns for 30 days after your rack is delivered. I don’t know about you, but my first impression overall is brilliance all around. Go, Gary.
