What Professional Organizers Always Buy at IKEA
From stackable boxes to rolling carts.
Updated Oct 12, 2018 8:06 AM
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This time, you mean it. You have cleared your weekend schedule, prayed to Marie Kondo, and are finally ready to organize your home—or at least your living room. Your next step? A quick jaunt to IKEA: It has a professional-grade stamp of approval, after all.
That’s right. Pro organizers love the retailer as much as we do. With low prices and simple styles that are easy to hack, IKEA’s pieces are perfect for any endeavor to tidy up. And while it may seem counterintuitive to declutter by buying more, choosing one larger storage piece can help you tackle a problem space in one go. Identify yours, and then find out which of these expert-approved options fits best.
The Customizable System
My all-time favorite product is the Besta line. Not everything in your home needs to be attention grabbing! I love using the white cabinets along a white wall so they disappear. Make it yours with beautiful hardware, like knobs from Schoolhouse Electric, and don’t be afraid to add a custom wood or marble top. —Laura Cattano
The Rolling Trolley
What’s so great about this cart is that it has wheels, so it’s easily transportable when you need it to be—and you really can’t beat the price. In a bathroom where you are short on space, store your hair dryer and other lotions and potions in it; in a kitchen, cooking supplies. In a dining room, use it as a bar cart. I personally add in everything I need for arts and crafts and homework; it’s so easy to roll up to a table and take away when it’s dinnertime! —Rachel Rosenthal
The Woven Bins
These seagrass baskets with handles are both lovely to look at and functional storage for every room. They’re ideal for toys, stuffed animals, and diapers in a nursery; blankets and magazines in a living room; and knitting and crafting supplies or even cords and electronics. —Shira Gill
The Iconic Shelving Unit
Every organizer has been using this for years—it’s great for any area where you need to utilize vertical space. The best thing is that many other companies, like West Elm and Serena & Lily, make bins that fit inside the cubes. I bribed my daughter to donate her two Barbie houses to the Salvation Army near us and bought her the Kallax. She now has a fun Barbie apartment building, with lots of rooms to decorate. —Amy Suddleson
The Stackable Box
The Kuggis is sleek and durable, and the lid allows you to stack several, making them a great choice for organizing all over. Quick tip: Two medium ones stack perfectly in one Kallax cubby. —Chelsea Thomas, Neat Method
The Multifunctional Wardrobe
The Pax system can be configured in a variety of ways—we put it in the garage for tools and shoe storage. It’s a crisp setup, and I like that you can add cabinet doors to keep everything neat and tidy. —Samantha Pregenzer, Simply Organized
The Desktop Staple
I love, love, love this letter tray organizer! It’s the best paper sorter, because all the trays pull all the way out, so you can remove and reconfigure them based on your needs. My favorite IKEA hack is converting the Kvissle into a charging station: Drill a hole through the back (one hole for each tray) and pull cords through. Each category of electronics gets its own tray. —Laura Ellis, Organized by Ellis
The Mesh Baskets
These are a lifesaver. We have used them for clothing in a closet, tools in a garage, and even as gift-wrapping storage by sorting ribbons, papers, and bags into individual drawers. —Jessica Litman, The Organized Mama