Fashion
The 20 Best Ikea Hacks For Organizing Your Closet, Makeup, And The Rest Of Your Life In 2015
With the new year comes new resolutions, and naturally many of us put "Be more organized" near the top of the list. Having makeup brushes scattered all over every surface and tripping over piles of shoes in the hallway does not bode well for a productive, peaceful 2015.
So you've resolved to change your sloppy, disorganized ways, at least when it comes to makeup and clothes (unsorted mail can wait for 2016). That's great. But how to do that, exactly? It can seem overwhelming at first if you don't know where to start. The best thing you can do is remember that everything should have its own place.
If you can never find matching socks in the morning, if you keep losing your favorite jewelry, and if you've been keeping dozens of nail polish bottles on the kitchen table, you need an organization overhaul. That's right. This means a trip to Ikea. Whether you need to organize your underwear drawer or your makeup drawer (or both) Ikea has your back. Click through to see 20 life-saving organization tricks and ideas.
LED Light Strips (For Literally Everything)
Ikea has a variety of LED light strips available, and their usefulness is basically limitless. You can use them in a drawer or closet to help you find things faster on dark winter mornings. You can use them under the bed to help you see the shoes and winter clothes you’ve stored under there. You can even use them around the edge of a mirror to create a lighted makeup mirror (more on that in the next slide).
DIODER LED Light Strip, $34, Amazon
A Lighted Vanity DIY
Take the afore-mentioned LED light strips and encircle this vanity mirror to create the perfect spot to sit and do your makeup.
A Lighted Mirror For Makeup
If you’re not into the DIY route, this STORJORM Mirror is the perfect solution for dim-lighting makeup woes.
STORJORM Mirror, $90, ikea.com
Keep Expensive Cosmetics And Jewelry Locked Up
If you’re living with nosy family members or roommates with sticky fingers, you may want to keep your most valuable cosmetics and jewelry in this lockable cabinet. The mirror is an added bonus for putting makeup on.
Pretty Makeup Brush Storage
SKURAR candle holders and plant pots are extremely pretty, and can be used to hold much more than just candles and plants. Try keeping your makeup brushes organized in one (or several) of these.
Skurar Candle Holder, $10, Amazon
A Solution To Jars
It’s disappointing when a great lotion or cream comes in a jar, because the product becomes exposed to air, light, and germs every time you open it. Grab a dark soap dispenser to keep your beauty product safe from germs and sunlight (important if it has light-sensitive ingredients), and to make it easier to dispense the right amount. This also works well for liquid foundations that come in bottles without pumps.
SAVERN Soap Dispenser, $17, ikea
Makeup Storage On Wheels
If you’re constantly moving your toiletries from the bedroom to the bathroom, or if you’re always moving from one window to the next to catch the light while doing your makeup, this cart is a lifesaver. The compartments on top are perfect for organizing makeup and toiletries, and extra shelf space below could carry baskets full of larger items like hairbrushes, hair dryers, and lotion.
HJALMAREN Cart, $80, ikea
Clear Compartments For Makeup And Jewelry Storage
If you prefer to keep your makeup tucked away, this compartmented box is ideal for your makeup drawers. The clear acrylic ensures that you’ll be able to see everything at once (but only when you want to).
Pretty Things In Sight, Ugly Things Hidden
These attractive bamboo boxes are great for storing things in plain sight. Keep unsightly necessities like cotton balls inside the box, and store pretty jewelry or lipstick on top.
A Versatile Rack For Makeup, Shoes, And More
This picture ledge can be used to display so much more than just pictures and books. You can use it to store nail polish, clutches, shoes, and even install hooks underneath to hang necklaces, scarves, and handbags.
Insanely Versatile Rack, Part 2
This rack is the same idea as the RIBBA picture ledge, but it’s a little cheaper and comes with a bar to prevent taller items from falling off.
BEKVAM Spice Rack, $28, Amazon
Easily Grab The Shoes You Want Out Of Storage
These boxes are a great way to store individual pairs of shoes in a way that keeps them organized and out of the way, while still allowing you to see what’s in there.
HYFS Box with lid, $20, Amazon
Keep Drawer Knick-Knacks Organized
Also in the HYFS series is this handy drawer organizer, which has compartments of various sizes to keep everything from watches to scarves separate and tidy.
HYFS Box Combination, $12, ikea
More Drawer Organization!
The SKUBB Box is another great drawer organizer, and this one is compatible with the PAX Wardrobe and SKUBB Organizer.
The Best Way To Dry Clothes
How cute are these hangers? They look like mini chandeliers. Keep one of these for drying clothes, and you’ll never have to deal with your clothes-drying rack falling over again. You could also use them to hang up scarves and necklaces and so on. Best of all, you can adjust them for your space by flipping any of the arms up and out of the way.
The Best Solution For Scarves And Belts
Use the 28 rings on this hanger for storing scarves, belts, necklaces, and more.
Display Your Shoe Collection
If you have a gorgeous shoe collection that you’re proud of, it doesn’t make sense to keep it out of sight in a closet. Display them like art in a glass cabinet like this one.
BILLY/OXBERG Bookcase, $160, Ikea
Keep Dirty Sneakers Tucked Away
Then again, some shoes are best kept out of sight. TRONES can be used in narrow spaces like hallways, and stacked on top of each other or sideways.
Keep the Week's Outfits Out Of Sight
The KNAPPER floor mirror is excellent for making mornings go more smoothly. Hidden behind the mirror is a rack for your outfits that you want to wear that week, as well as hooks for jewelry and scarves.
KNAPPER Floor Mirror, $100, Amazon
Use Your Wardrobe As A Room Divider
If you’d rather display your clothes, the STOLMEN wardrobe can be used a room divider or even an apartment divider if you have a studio. This works best if your wardrobe is mostly monochromatic or has a cohesive, attractive color scheme.
