Getting organized makes the shortlist when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, and one look at the top IKEA product searches in 2024 proves it. The three most-searched items all have one big thing in common and that’s storage.
It makes sense since consumers today desire functional, calm, and aesthetically pleasing homes more than ever. According to the IKEA Life at Home Report 2023, 40% of people feel most at peace when their homes are organized.
Plus, as living spaces gradually shrink, the demand for smart storage solutions rises, and IKEA has always been a go-to for home organization ideas. Furthermore, with so many people coming up with clever hacks, the demand for these storage superstars is expected to grow.
As Parag Parekh, CDO for IKEA retail (Ingka Group), points out in this release, “As digital ecosystems continue to evolve, we can expect these trends to expand further—especially in storage and organization solutions, driven by the popularity of social media hacks and creative ideas for optimizing living spaces.”
An Organized Home Can Change Your Life
I can’t function when my house is a mess. Life is hectic enough without spending an hour looking for my keys or trying to deduce where my husband stashed the remote.
Good storage solutions give individuals a sense of control over their living environment and a feeling of accomplishment. In other words, when your home is at peace, so are you.
IKEA’s Top Product Searches Reveal an Increased Desire for Storage and Organization
Personally, I adore the space-saving solutions IKEA offers and enjoy several of them throughout my home. Unfortunately, I don’t live near one of the big blue organization dreamlands (if I did, it’s safe to say I’d spend way more time there than where I should be).
But every time I travel to a city with an IKEA, I always make a pit stop and typically come out with several FRAKTAs full of joy. In fact, one of my favorite purchases of all time made the list of the top three IKEA product searches.
#1: IKEA KALLAX Shelving Unit
IKEA introduced the KALLAX series in 2014 to replace its popular EXPEDIT shelving. The goal was to keep the highly-coveted cube design but improve on durability and sustainability, all while making the unit more affordable. This transition wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, since IKEA frequently uses current products as inspiration for new beginnings.
The KALLAX unit provides ample storage and a modern design that blends easily with a variety of spaces. These qualities, paired with all of the possibilities for amazing IKEA KALLAX hacks, make this series the perfect pick for multiple projects. Whether you need clever bedroom storage, a sleek filing cabinet, a cozy window seat, or a sophisticated room divider, the KALLAX delivers, making it number one on the list.
Mirroring IKEA’s top three most-searched products, we delved into our own analytics to uncover the most popular KALLAX hack searches on IKEAhackers. Our findings reveal that users are particularly interested in the following creative modifications:
1. Creating More Storage With KALLAX Shelf Inserts
Double up the storage in your KALLAX using the door inserts and IKEA’s VARIERA shelf inserts. One large shelf insert or two small ones fit the depth of the KALLAX unit.
2. Making A Queen Storage Bed With KALLAX
Need more room for clothes, blankets, shoes, or other odds and ends? Add a creative space-saving solution to your bedroom by turning KALLAX shelf units, drawer kits, and fabric boxes into a queen-size storage bed.
3. Making a KALLAX Filing Cabinet
Bid farewell to piles of paper covering your desk and spilling onto the floor. The KALLAX shelves make stylish filing cabinets when you add the DRÖNA boxes and Elba Go-Fix 84408SW Suspension Filing Baskets.
4. Covering the Back of the KALLAX
The open-back design of the KALLAX is perfect when you’re using it as a room divider but want to maintain a sense of openness. But what if you need to close it in? These ideas, from acrylic sheets to cardboard and fabric, offer clever and beautiful ways to add a back panel to the KALLAX.
#2: IKEA BILLY Bookshelves
Coming in at #2 is the iconic BILLY bookcase, undeniably one of IKEA’s top-selling products since its introduction in 1979. Gillis Lundgren designed the unit with a focus on a simple, functional design that blends practicality with style. Over the years, IKEA has made adjustments that have amplified the unit’s sustainability and durability, leading to it becoming a staple in homes across the globe.
Customers love the timeless design that integrates so well into any style, from traditional to modern. Plus, there are countless customization options, including glass doors, adjustable shelves, and height extensions that add to the unit’s versatility and adaptability.
The BILLY delivers plenty of storage in a compact design, making it an excellent fit for any size home. The affordable storage solution is perfect for books, collectibles, office supplies, toys, and showing off your favorite decor. There’s no denying that with over 140 million units sold worldwide, and numerous impressive IKEA BILLY hacks, this legendary bookcase is one of IKEA’s shining stars.
Here are a few that are most popular around here:
1. Elevating Your BILLY Bookcase
Take your BILLY bookcase to new heights by adding legs to the base. The NANNARP legs give the timeless bookcase an elegant touch. Elevate the look even further by adding the OXBERG glass doors to the front.
2. Hacking a Built-In BILLY Bookcase
Built-ins are a great way to give your room a high-end look, but they can be pricey. This IKEA hack gives you an affordable way to create built-in bookcases and storage units without draining your wallet.
3. Hiding A Desk In A BILLY Bookcase
A regular BILLY shelf gets reimagined into a fold-down desk in this secret bureau. Multi-purpose furniture is in high demand with the growing need for flex spaces in homes, so this hack delivers a big win.
4. Turning A Corner With BILLY
Want a corner unit but not the one IKEA offers? Here’s how. Place two BILLY units in an L-formation and leave off one side to maximize storage with this custom corner bookshelf. This clever BILLY bookcase hack eliminates the wasted space that usually forms when you put two shelving units in a corner.
#3: PAX Wardrobe System
The PAX system wins the #3 spot thanks to its unmatched versatility and ability to adapt to numerous spaces, whether as a bedroom closet or sophisticated home office storage. It’s come a long way since its debut in the 1970s, incorporating many new features, materials, and finishes.
I certainly understand why the PAX is such a best-seller. I dream about having the ultimate closet. I’ve always wanted a walk-in, but alas, my homes haven’t had the space. However, I found the perfect storage solution for my clothes, shoes, and accessories with a PAX wardrobe system.
I customized the unit with various drawers, baskets, a slide-out shoe rack, a pants hanger, and adjustable shelves. I added frosted glass doors and pull-out trays and trimmed the PAX out to look like a custom piece that had always been there. I loved it, and so did the person who bought my house, so I left it behind (a small tear rolls down my cheek). I’m currently trying to devise how I can try out one of the many IKEA PAX hacks in my current home.
1. PAX Built-In Closet for Sloped Ceiling
Trying to work storage into a room with sloped ceilings gets tricky, especially when you want to utilize every inch of space. This smart IKEA hack shows you how to custom-fit several PAX wardrobe units into one carefully crafted sloped closet.
2. Add Vertical Storage to Your PAX
There’s no rule that says you have to use storage solutions in their intended rooms. For example, this ingenious hack shows how to take your PAX wardrobe to new heights using the METOD kitchen series.
3. PAX With a Home Office Fold-Out Desk
More and more people today work from home, increasing the demand for comfortable, practical workstations. This project adds a fold-out desk to a PAX wardrobe for a stylish home office hack that blends form and function beautifully.
4. PAX Corner Wardrobe
I’m all about squeezing storage into tight spaces, but I don’t want my house to feel crowded. It’s important to balance the scales by finding savvy space-saving solutions, which is why this thinner PAX corner wardrobe is the perfect fit, literally.
Get Organized With IKEA in 2025
Getting organized is always at the top of my New Year’s resolution list. I’m always excited to discover new ways to make my home a tidier, calmer place to live, so these top searches are right up my alley.
Do you have any of these popular IKEA products in your home? Or maybe you’re planning to try out some of these hacks in 2025? If so, share it with us! We’d love to see how your project turns out, and your hack might be featured on the site.