This IKEA Storage Hack Is A Game-Changer For Small Kitchens

In order to ensure a kitchen runs efficiently, it's essential to have proper storage solutions to keep your food and cooking supplies organized. Nothing ruins the flow of dinner prep faster than a countertop cluttered and overrun with excess small appliances or pantry items overflowing out of a stuffed cabinet. When you're working with a small space with limited square footage, the issue is exacerbated, as every inch needs to work extra hard to maximize kitchen organization and storage.

Thankfully, coming up with ways to pack extra smart storage into your kitchen, big or small, doesn't necessarily have to break the bank or be an invasive upgrade. In fact, Cindy (@cindy.varma) shared on TikTok how she simply mounted a pair of inexpensive wall-mounted IKEA TRONES bins to the side of her kitchen cabinets to optimize unused inches for extra storage for grab-and-go snacks. Once again, IKEA to the rescue!

While the TikToker utilized the TRONES bins for extra snacks, this versatile bin could also store various pantry items, extra kitchen utensils, oven mitts, dish towels, pet food or supplies, mail, reusable or recycled shopping bags, recyclables (as a standalone bin or with several grouped as a sorting station), and even, as one TikTok video shares, 35 cans of soda (though please be aware that while IKEA does not have a specific weight recommendation listed on their website as it is dependent on how it is fastened to the wall, the 28 or so pounds of soda cans would likely exceed this weight limit). No matter what you choose to store, this clever IKEA kitchen hack changes the organization game by using floating TRONES bins to capture those extra few inches of kitchen space for storage.

What makes the IKEA TRONES the perfect size for sneaking in extra kitchen storage are its compact size and wall-mounted installation. At 20.5 inches wide, 15.375 inches tall, and only 7.125 inches deep, the small floating bin is the perfect size for installing on the side of a standard 24-inch-deep base cabinet, on a narrow strip of wall, in the small space behind a door, or as a floating horizontal row under a large window. Sold in a two-pack for $39.99, these stackable, modular bins can be mounted in any configuration in any available spot in your kitchen to create storage where there once was not. IKEA recommends using fasteners appropriate to the substrate (wall or cabinet material) to install the bins. While the TikToker commented that she used screws to attach the bins to the cabinet, you could also use heavy-duty Command strips if you plan to store lightweight items and don't want to drill into the cabinet panel, making this a damage-free option for renters.

From an aesthetics perspective, IKEA TRONES bins are available in white or black to blend them into your cabinet color or walls. You can also highlight them as a focal point by adding beautiful decorative handles and/or a wood top for a more refined look or even wrapping them in peel-and-stick wallpaper or flexible wood veneer sheets for a more customized approach. You could also use a plastic-friendly spray paint to seamlessly camouflage the TRONES with your custom kitchen surfaces.

However you tailor them to suit your layout and style needs, adding IKEA TRONES bins to even the smallest area in your kitchen is a fantastic, affordable way to gain crucial storage space.