The Budget-Friendly IKEA Hack That Hides Kitchen Countertop Clutter In Style

It's incredible how quickly kitchen countertops can become overrun with clutter. Despite our best efforts and creation of systems that might seem effective in the moment, the many things that make their way to our countertops have a cumulative effect that ends up just looking like a mess. The solution to countertop chaos is to get things behind closed doors and drawers, but not everyone has the cabinet space to do so. Thankfully, the affordable and adorable storage solution for kitchen countertop clutter is a simple DIY hack from IKEA.

TikTok user kerry_villers shared how she used the $34.99 IKEA MOPPE mini storage chest to create her own vintage-inspired countertop tea chest. Instead of the visual clutter of clear containers full of tea bags on the counter, she took advantage of the closed MOPPE drawers to organize yet hide her tea supplies. By flipping the drawers backward, staining the birch plywood cabinet, and adding bin pulls with label holders, the MOPPE was transformed into a practical storage piece with apothecary-cabinet vibes.

You could use this for a tea station, or use it to organize coffee supplies and pods, office supplies, smaller miscellaneous junk drawer items, or any other small items that need wrangling in your kitchen. But why stop there? This lovely DIY works in any room of your home to clear up counter, vanity, or desk space by neatly containing objects in a beautiful way. Without further ado, let's break down the beginner-friendly steps of using a smart, attractive, and budget-friendly IKEA item to help you organize a cluttered kitchen.

To create your own mini countertop storage cabinet, begin by removing all drawers on the pre-assembled IKEA MOPPE, which have a finger pull cutout at the top. Since you'll be adding hardware to operate the drawers without the finger pull, flip them around so that the flat rear panel with no cutout will be the new drawer front. Then, stain the entire piece a medium wood stain to give it an aged appearance. You could also opt to leave it natural birch (with or without a clear top coat, depending on what you plan to use it for), add a different color wood stain, paint it to match your cabinets, or give it a fun, complementary hue. Alternatively, you could apply a wallpaper or stencil pattern to the drawer fronts for some texture and visual interest.

Once it's dry, install hardware on each of the MOPPE's six small drawers. You can use an antique-looking bin pull with a label holder to add to the vintage apothecary aesthetic, as well as to provide an easy way to see what was organized inside each drawer. However, if you prefer a more modern brass knob, colorful statement knob, or hardware to match your kitchen cabinets, then choose a style that suits your taste. Place the drawers back in the MOPPE cabinet, and you have a cute mini storage unit to dress up your kitchen counters. This IKEA hack is the key to keeping small kitchen clutter organized once and for all.