When dreaming about built-in storage, you’re probably thinking costly custom or a DIY project that’ll take you foreeeeever.
Enter Ikea.
Despite the pervasive Swedish retailer’s reputation for, shall we say, semi-permanent furnishings, you can easily hack Ikea stuff so it looks like it was always there. Here are five super clever Ikea hacks we found on Instagram:
#1 Ikea Closet Hack
Ah, the charm of pre-war architecture — and the agony of closet-less rooms. Besides being a day-to-day pain, they can hurt resale value because most buyers expect built-in closets.
Hack away that pain with some Ikea Pax Wardrobes ($159 each).
When secured together and to the wall, then jazzed up with trim and hardware, no one would ever believe you hex-keyed them together.
Tip: Hit Ikea on a weekday, when sales are slower, and an associate might have extra time to help measure and plan.
#2 Kitchen Island From Ikea Bookcases
Ooo. A stunning, custom-built kitchen island. Wipe your drool, look closely, and you might make out Ikea’s famed Billy bookcases ($29-$39) under all that fancy beadboard.
The trim and butcher-block countertop add gravitas to the lightweight shelving.
For longevity’s sake, consider solid wood versus wood-covered particleboard so you can refinish it when needed.
#3 Window Seat
If you’re adding built-in storage, why not build yourself a seat, too? Some painted MDF turns Ikea’s Kallax shelving ($46) into a dreamy built-in window seat.
While Kallax is among Ikea’s most flexible storage systems (want baskets in those squares? A box? More, smaller shelves?), it only comes in one length.
So before committing to this Ikea hack, make sure your window bay is 58 inches or less — and not so much wider that MDF can’t fill in the gaps.
#4 Entertainment Center
This hack brings the versatility and simplicity of Ikea kitchen cabinets into the living room. And a little quartzite countertop and MDF make these cabinets look like they were born in that cove.
Tip: There’s just one Ikea cabinet box: Sektion ($111). But it comes in a bajillion options. Dive into the website as well as your local store before settling on the first door and hardware pairing that fits your space.
#5 Efficient Entryway Storage
Mount a bunch of Ikea Trones ($39.99) in a row, top them off with a slim shelf, and you can leave your days of tripping over shoes (and leashes and mail and hats) in the past.
While this built-in trick works especially well in foyers, any slim spot desperate for storage will get a functionality boost from this hack.
Related: 7 Genius Entryway Hacks to Get You Out the Door Faster