Affordable Ikea Hacks to Save Money and Upgrade Any Space
Make a HEMNES Bookcase Into a Seating Bench for Your Bedroom
There are two types of people in this world: those who allow their dogs to snuggle in their beds, and those who do not, and then, there are those who want their dogs/ cats to be able to sleep in their bed, but they just cannot part with their space!!! To that end, if you fall into the latter camp, it’s safe to say that this IKEA hack is the ideal solution, as you really get the best of both worlds. Ideal for those who just want a space to sit as they are putting on their shoes in the morning or for anyone looking for a statement piece to add to their bedroom.
This person kind of flipped an IKEA HEMNES bookcase over and upholstered the top of it to make this sitting bench/dog bed that fits at the foot of a human bed. It really was that simple.
Turn the RUDSTA Cabinet Into a Gorgeous Indoor Greenhouse
It can look aesthetically pleasing, but at the same time, it is actually good for your mental health since plants can help provide oxygen and improve your air quality and more. So many people are getting into growing stuff these days, you know? However, who are we kidding? It is not very convenient to grow plants if you live in an apartment and only have limited room – or sometimes no room at all outside. However, this IKEA hack shows that you don’t need to be a back garden homeowner to cultivate this greenery. A cabinet from IKEA will do just fine.
With IKEA glass-door cabinet, he combined UV light to the mix and made ideal conditions for his plants. Plus, it looks awesome!
Transform a Standard IVAR Cabinet Into a Hidden Desk
Well, most people have started working from home, so it was only natural for them to opt for IKEA in order to be economically efficient. Desks are pricey, afterall. And whilst desks are indeed the most important part of any home office, that doesn’t mean that your desk should come from IKEA. Anything else can work too – and sometimes it works even better! And this is a fine example of it.
Clearly, this person didn’t want to show off their desk at the end of a workday, so they instead hid it behind this IKEA cabinet. Well, just close the doors and it’s as if the desk never even existed!
Turn Wall Brackets Upside Down for Handy Shelves With Bookends
Loads of people go to IKEA for a more affordable price tag and it’s actually quite possible to fetch these wall brackets for pennies from here. Although wall brackets typically provide support for heavy shelves and the tomes perched atop them, one genius saw the upside-down potential and the handiest IKEA hack was born. Yes, just look at this!
The downside however is that regular wall brackets don’t support your books so they just fall off or you have to go out and buy bookends to sit on your shelves separately. They make automatic bookends when you turn them over.
Turn Cabinet Doors Into Fancy Wall Paneling
We spend so much time in our bedrooms sleeping hopefully make this a comfortable cozy space that you will feel zen in even though you spend most of this time in this space with your eyes closed then when waking up. And the stripped-down room may do just that for you, but you may also want to sprinkle in a little bit of something more in there. Like, yeah, you can even DIY your own wall paneling in your room—just look at this IKEA hack!
Normally wall paneling is pricey but this IKEA cabinet doors without the cabinets for $50 and they attached it to the wall! This added an extra layer of luxury to their bedroom.
Save Money by Using Smaller Mirror Tiles to Make One Big Mirror
As anyone who’s ever shopped for a mirror knows, they’re not the cheapest. A large mirror will run you a few hundred bucks and that is cash some are not just going to have laying around. So now instead of doing this, if you would like to save money, try that. Instead of spending on one huge mirror, this individual went for a pack of 24 mirror tiles from IKEA.
Next, they just stabbed them all to a plank of wood and put it up to dry. Not only did this save them some cash, but to be honest, we can’t see how this wouldn’t look a lot cooler than one huge sheet of mirrored glass!
Turn the TARVA Dresser Into an Unrecognizable, One-Of-A-Kind Piece
That’s one of the things we love about IKEA is that most of their furniture is “raw”. That part means they come raw, ready to paint, but not finished, so the sky is the limit. Above: One of IKEA’s raw pieces of furniture (the TARVA dresser)Many people may see a raw piece of IKEA furniture as a downside, but some see it as a blank canvas!
This is precisely what this individual did. They took some wicker, a little black paint, and some gorgeous gold knobs to create a dresser with a million-dollar look. Which we would happily shell out a lot of dollars for.
Use a Pegboard to Create a Quirky Vertical Garden/Propagation Station
Not everyone has a ton of space and IKEA always has our back if you want to make your home the ultimate indoor greenhouse. There are countless IKEA hacks out there, and it can be difficult to choose between them all — but this one has certainly been a favorite of ours for a while now. In fact, a simple pegboard and some clip-on shelves will let you build the raddest vertical garden on the block.
And yes, the Skådis pegboard works great for more than just office supplies. You’re not going to grow a big monsteras on this pegboard of course but smaller plants do the trick.
Turn a Cabinet Into a Private Bathroom for Your Cat
An IKEA cabinet is literally foolproof. I mean, this is the ultimate use-it-everywhere type of furniture piece. While the majority of people utilize it for storage, we are guessing this cat woman got her thinking cap on and thought up a creative DIY fix for her feline that refused to use the litter box. Yes, this hack transforms any cabinet into a sort of private bathroom for your feline friend!
It wasn’t even a complicated IKEA hack, either. She just carved a hole into her BESTÅ cabinet, then plops the litter tray and the cat litter in there as well.
Use a Bathroom Vanity Unit as a Sophisticated Floating Cabinet for Any Room
But when you find a house full of furniture — you kinda wanna pop your head outta the box, see? For example, if you want a type of bedroom furniture, they shoo you toward the bedroom area. But who says you need to remain in that piece? Not able to track down the precise kind of dresser he desired for his bedroom form, this person went in search of another. Then he wandered through IKEA, into the bathroom section.
Turns out, two GODMORGON sink cabinets from the Swedish store makes for a super chic floating dresser. He just needed to add a layer of plywood on top of them and it was good to go,
Transform Toilet Roll Holders Into Nifty Storage Solutions
One of the things we adore about IKEA is the customers. Those who shop at IKEA aren’t afraid to flex their DIY fingers, and genius IKEA hack after genius IKEA hack comes to mind — in many cases it’s really so simple yet so effective. Yes, just look at this guy! A humble toilet roll holder, in his hands, became a nifty under-desk storage solution. And it’s genius.
Who says you just have to put toilet roll on a toilet roll holder? He clinched a chance to fortuitously cut coffers, and he went for it. And looking at it you wouldn’t even realise this is a toilet roll holder.
Combine Your Plants and Your Tables to Save Space Without Sacrificing Aesthetic
You probably have a lot of plants in your house, if you love plants as much as the next guy (who loves plants a lot on), right? Chances are, you own them all, from small pots on your window sill to large pots in your living room. However, anyone who keeps a large potted plant in their living has learned that the pots themselves are often unsightly. But, you know, you could fix all that on your next trip to IKEA, right?
If you have a dreaded plant vase or pot to hide, simply purchase an end table and cut a keyhole shaped hole underneath to slide the plant underneath.
Make a Desk With a View Using a Simple Bed Tray
Working from home has become the new norm for many. Now working from home is good for all gas savings, but oftentimes harmful to human health. I mean, how many people stay indoors all day, not stepping foot outside or even peeking out the blinds? Clearly why this person opted to create a desk with a view to have some semblance of gazing out onto the city they have to keep working through.
They simply purchased an IKEA bed tray, some hanging strips, and some plate holders to do it. Once they stuck the plate holders to the wall with the hanging strips, they had a height-adjustable window desk.
Build a Gorgeous Shelving Unit by Mixing up BILLY and HEMNES Bookcases
A bookcase is a good idea because whether you love books, have a massive DVD collection, or just want somewhere to keep all your most prized possessions, you need somewhere to put them. But if you ever tried to get this furniture, you’ll know it costs a bunch of money. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We love this IKEA hack showing how you can combine the BILLY and HEMNES components from IKEA but still make a copy of the real thing.
To illustrate this, the woman who did this DIY bought pairs of each bookcase and then stacked them however it made sense for her and her life. And it’s pretty awesome.
Make an IKEA Mirror Unrecognizable by Adding Wallpaper to Its Frame
While IKEA is the home of some of the cheapest mirrors there are out there, this low price always comes at the price of a somewhat boring design. Yet this person chose to double down on these basic frames when they decided to purchase a small number of these mirrors for their place. Each of these mirrors needed some pizzazz and a designated design, and the frame provided a pretty basic frame-icution for their wallpaper IKEA hack.
Different types of wallpaper was used on the frame to create an unique and one in its on kind mirror. This allowed them to incorporate the mirrors within the overall design of the house.
Use the KVISTBRO Table to Make a Stylish, Space-Saving Bed for Your Pet
You may not want to hear this from us but cats are incredibly fickle creatures. Their personality is unique – a trait that usually signifies an outright refusal to sleep in the ridiculously expensive bed you purchased for them. So, why not get some IKEA furniture and DIY cat bed to keep your costs down? Turn IKEA’s KVISTBRO storage table into the best pet house ever — it’s a cinch.
Although you’ll want a little bit of DIY skills to carve an opening for your cats, otherwise the rest is rather easy. Simply place a cozy cushion at the bottom for your cat to nap.
Add Some Fun to Your Children’s Storage With Giant Googly Eyes
This Is the Absolute Key if you have Child, you Know the Right Kind of Storage Your House Must Have! Otherwise, you’ll find yourself stepping on more LEGOs than you can say “Ow!” However, if you’d like to spice your home storage up a notch, why not look to this jokey IKEA hack for a little inspiration? This was quite simple and is not going to break the bank for sure. Unfortunately, it’ll likely going to be a few bucks at most.
Sure, if you already have a few storage boxes from DRONA, then you just need to purchase a few googly eyes and stick them on the top of the box. Your kids will love it, we promise.
Hang Your Plants From a FINTORP Rail for Extra Floor Space
Incorporating greenery into your home is unbelievably good for your health. They are not only air purifying, but also just brighten up your mood and room with a pop of color. But when you are working with tighter or smaller spaces, plants sometimes are simply not an option – especially if you are limited in floor space. However, this person figured out an IKEA hack for that problem.
They were also able to suspend their plants using a FINTORP rail from the ceiling to prevent them from taking up any floor space, allowing for furniture that really matters. Genius, right?
Turn a DUTKIG Doll Bed Into the Cutest Pet Bed Around
Bur: You know when you have a pet, it is easy to get carried away. You spend way out of your means because you want to give them and spoil them rotten and give them the world and give them the perfect life. However, you won’t need to bankrupt your self in an effort to pamper your pets. Note: If you want a low budget option, you can just go to IKEA and buy some IKEA hack kind of furniture! As in the DUTKIG doll bed.
This bed was actually supposed to be for a doll’s house, but just so happens to be the right size for a tiny kitty cat. And it actually doesn’t look uncomfortable at all.
Combine a Variety of IKEA Furniture to Create the Ultimate Office Setup
IKEA will have everything you ever need to furnish your house, you can be sure of that. There are a whole lot of furniture that will make sure you are ready, from beds to couches, and a lot more! But what if you are looking to build the most badass home office? Now, this individual has shown that you can achieve some savings in this process, purchasing all items of this office at IKEA.
They literally did the entire look, from the storage drawers under the desk to the storage boxes on the wall, even the office chair, for a bargain.
Save Money by Turning Two LACK Side Tables Into a Customizable Cabinet
IKEA has been known to have budget prices, but it never hurts to look up a few IKEA hacks before pulling your credit cards out. Sometimes it can actually be cheaper to skip buying a pricer piece of furniture and buy two cheaper pieces and construct an alternate. If you don’t believe us, check out this dude who spent a total of two LACK side tables on a cabinet.
Then he added a door, some hinges, and a couple of handles and made the best 3D printer cabinet ever. This has made it possible for you to pack everything from books to clothes yourself!
Use TROFAST Storage Units to Make a Toolshed for Your Apartment
If you have an apartment residency, then you are most likely short on space. And if you’ve packed that flat with your personal belongings, you may not have much room for tools. However, if you want an IKEA hack that can provide you with a place that can give you just that, then look no further. This little tool organization den is what laborers dreams are made of.
They achieved this with plenty of TROFAST storage units which stack on top of each other into a spare cabinet. They had even labeled the boxes for maximum efficiency
Buy Items Separately to Create a Eclectic Feel
When it comes to flat-pack furniture there is somewhat of a limitation. Unlike furniture where you would have a full set, they usually have to buy the items separately. However, this meaning can be seen in a positive aspect in few cases. The option to purchase things individually allows you to piece together custom furniture and décor that truly shares your vibe. Such as this rustic sink vanity!
They must have done this when they purchased their sink instead of buying a vanity that matched with it. However, they chose a metal vanity instead and stopped playing good, and we think it was a great choice!
Add Legs to Your Furniture to Match Things in Height
If you love organization and have a love area for symmetrical things there is no way you would not love this image. Needless to say, this office is the stuff of organizational dreams. Not only is it stylish to look at, but we can only imagine the additional productivity earned by whoever the heck works here. Everything has its place with the main worktop spanning the full width of the space. But I mean have you guys spotted this little hack in this first photo of the two?
Why, as it happens, not all IKEA furniture is the same height. Although this person knew they wanted these three storage bins, the middle one was slightly smaller. So, they added legs!
Slot Some IKEA Carpet Into Your Desk for Your Cat
As the old adage goes about cats: if they fit, they sit! And although you’ve surely given your kitties dozens of designated sleeping locations throughout your house, you can bet your bottom dollar they’ve barely slept in them. Instead, they appear to revel in snoozing in cardboard boxes, on windowsills, or in the centre of your keyboard. And we suppose this kitty really needed to be next to the humans while they were gaming.
This dude got himself some IKEA rug and slotted it into his IKEA desk to fix this. Yes, he lost a bit of storage there, but the kitty seems to be enjoying herself.
Showcase Your Artistic Skills on an IKEA Cabinet
Sure, IKEA has practical furniture that serves its purpose for budget savers or for people with no proper space, but the items are always so bare and bland. Well, have you ever wanted to personalize your furniture? For those of you who would prefer to DIY your own custom cabinet, IKEA is your best bet. Each furniture is a canvas, you only need to bring your creativity — and all the paints!
This individual did a killer job recreating an at-home version of their version of a ‘starry night,’ but your custom furniture can be as complex or simple as you’d like it to be. Released into a flat-pack world
Create an Office That Looks Custom-Made
Some have small space for their house, but some have extra space. Instead of having a spare room that never gets used, the couple decided to convert their empty room into the ultimate office space. Head over to IKEA, fork out for hundreds of furniture items, and then painstakingly realise this IKEA hack. And we must say, we wouldn’t mind working from there!
Between the double desks, and the ample storage, the folks that work here have the ability to more than enough space to get their work done. And they even have some separation from each other, too.
Transform Your BILLY Bookcase Into a Book Lover’s Dream
If you are a bibliophile, then there is no doubt you have been dreaming of this bookcase for years. From the literal shelves upon shelves of space for your beloved books to the ladder that looks like it came straight out of Beauty and the Beast, this really is every book lover’s dream. But what if we said that they were all derived from the IKEA pieces? It’s really not hard to prepare at home, either.
Fortunately for us bookworms, IKEA sells plenty of different sizes of the BILLY bookcase, so you can make it fit into your room — even if your room is short on extra square feet. They also offer the ladder alone as well.
Build Your Own Dream Craft Den
This is a crazy world that we are living in so you must always try and have some time for the things you love to do. And for some of them, that is crafting! Well of course if you love working with fabric and a sewing machine, they may as well set up a nice little craft den to let their creations come to life. To achieve this, they turned up at IKEA and balling hard.
Although this is merely a desk, some shelves and a wardrobe split in half, they hacked the system and built the ultimate cupboard craft den. We know they like being there.
Get Creative With BILLY Bookcases and Make a Built-In Bookshelf
We might not need to remind you that IKEA’s BILLY bookcases are a classic. They are not just a money saver for those who wanted a cheap book storage plan but look extremely beautiful in their simplicity. And somehow, this person made the BILLY bookcase even more gorgeous with this IKEA hack. Doing those do-it-yourself skills into good use, and well, this is the outcome.
Yes, they used the bookcases for the built-in bookshelf base and then used plywood for the surround. Finally, they added some lights to complete the whole look.
Empty a Closet and Turn It Into a Cozy Office Space
It’s not gonna surprise you to learn that having a separate space for doing your homework, or finishing your day of work, is going to make you more productive, but what do you do when you don’t have a separate room to do this? Or you can clear out a closet to make it a little workspace instead. Because this person’s closet was practically empty, adding that they wanted to take this opportunity to remove everything and fill it with office equipment instead.
Right here they purchased if infinite furnishings for this desk space (e.g. a desk, cabinets, pegboard, a desk chair, and all of the rad equipment). And the best part? It doesn’t intrude into the space.
Make the Most of Your Laundry Room
Real talk, if your laundry room is like mine than it isn’t the loveliest room in the house. There’s really no way to prettify this room, since it fulfills an entirely utilitarian function. But that does not mean you can’t give it a go and it does not mean you can’t and you won’t have a little play with some IKEA hacks and take your utility room to the next level. So the first got a little more storage with an IKEA cabinet.
They fit this cabinet in the gap between there washer and where there dryer is, which now holds detergent bottles and cleaning supplies and even a space for kitty litter!
Use HAVSTA Cabinets to Create a Beautiful Built-In Entertainment Center
IKEA offers a plethora of cabinets that can serve various functions, but one of the most popular IKEA cabinets has to be the HAVSTA. And if you want the cool entertainment center in your home, well, then you should probably get to know these cabinets a little better. You could use this sick IKEA hack and make a wonderful home for your books, your tv, your knickknacks and your liquor.
Instead of using these HAVSTA cabinets as floor storage, they worked those into a much bigger build-up on the wall. And this entire ordeal appears awfully spendy, no?
Use IKEA Furniture to Make the Ultimate Children’s Play Bed
When you have kids, it’s all that matters to you in the world to create a happy environment for them. Every kid wants a play bed sized for a gang of lumberjacks, right? While you could get a full-on set with all sorts of awesome furniture for a small fortune, this individual created one out of various IKEA products. To begin with it used a standard KURA bed. He was then able to construct the structure around the mattresses.
However, what we are most taken by is his genius staircase. Those steps look purpose-built for this structure, but they’re a TROFAST storage unit! He only added a hand rail for added safety ██████
Remodel Your Kitchen by Replacing the Cabinet Doors
Kitchen is the heart of your home, they say, but kitchen is also one of the costliest area of your home with high remodelling costs. Purchasing brand new cabinets and worktops can be expensive, and some individuals cannot afford to do so. But take heart, you need not sell the children into slavery to scrape together half a dozen pennies for a new kitchen. And as it turns out, IKEA cabinet doors can be purchased sans the cabinets!
If the inner skeleton of the cabinets is still compatible with your kitchen, swapping out the doors, giving it a fresh coat of paint, and replacing the hardware can completely revitalize your space.
Make Use of Limited Space With a Vertical Indoor Greenhouse
This IKEA hack is so good, we had to have a second go. So much that we simply cannot stop ourselves, and we have to share an amazing effort of someone to bring outdoor into the indoor. Yep, this individual made a decision that they would not be idling their plantless apartment — and plantless life, at that. Instead, they made a trip to IKEA to purchase a FABRIKOR cabinet and let the creative juices flow!
With very little floor space to work with for plants, they simply went with a vertical cabinet instead. We could all set this up and all that was required was a UV lamp.
Turn BESTA Storage Cabinets Into an Epic Entertainment Wall
If you are a gaming person, movie attendee, or a binge-watching Netflix personality, you probably have dreamed of the ultimate entertainment wall at least once. However, if you’ve ever asked a carpenter to cost this up, you’ll know it doesn’t come cheap. Which is why we’re here to let you in on a little secret: there’s an amazing IKEA hack that will provide you with this entertainment wall all while keeping you deep in savings. And it’s pretty easy, too.
Here, he used four BESTA storage and set them in a configuration that suited his room. They propped themselves all up against the wall and he didn’t even have to stick them down (but we wouldn’t advise pushing it).
Turn Empty Boxes Into Temporary Furniture During Your Move
We don’t have to tell you that IKEA furniture can be rather helpful for house-moving purposes, right? Considering how expensive moving is, using IKEA furniture will save you a lot of money. But that’s not all. So empty IKEA boxes can double as short-term furniture while you wait to get yourself sorted. And we had no clue that was even a thing!
This dude hacked the system by taking a pair of IKEA boxes and butterflying them to create the ideal dining room chair, and damn if we even think we’ve ever been more wowed by an IKEA hack.
Transform Old IKEA Bags Into an Eco-Friendly Backpack
It doesn’t matter if your catharsis comes from the need to save money or from the desire to save the planet; the likelihood is you’ve decreased how much you’re spending on things you really don’t need. And although this lad knew that he was in sore need for some new packa-ware he also knew that he didn’t need to purchase one new at a store. Well he recently went to IKEA and decided to get crafty.
Somehow, he transferred the iconic blue and yellow bags into a backpack. And we have literally zero doubt that it is so, so strong. Those bags can carry quite a bit, after all!
Turn Ikea Bags Into an Awesome Outfit
There are two types of people in this world; the ones who enjoy dressing up in costumes for a party, and the ones who hate it. If you’re on the latter end of the spectrum, you’re likely always searching for an entertaining and original costume that can also double as a functional outfit. So we come to you today with this stellar outfit made of the iconic blue and yellow IKEA bags.
All the same, even if this dude slapped this attire together for a function, take a moment to just appreciate how well-made it is, also! We certainly would not have realised that it was made from bags if we didn’t know!