Inside the library of my brain between the aisles of “on the edge of usefulness” and “never thought of it, wow such a great idea” lives IKEA. If I need it, in all probability they’ve thought of it. If they have it, perhaps I need it and have no idea as of yet.
While never having bought grand items such as bed frames of couches from IKEA, I have several, mostly practical sort of life saving items I wanted to share with you. I put links from various country websites where I could find them.
1. VARDAGEN Bowl- bigger one-15 cm
I have to admit, IKEA’s most ceramic items are not for me. I love this IKEA Vardagen bowl though. It is practical and I use it for all sorts of things such as soups, fruit bowls, morning granola, small salads, etc. It’s quite chic and has a complimentary function to my flatter Muji bowl, which is also a life saving multi-purpose daily use item. That being said, I love the off-white, calm, toned-down, vintage, demure design of it, while Muji one has a Japanese simplicity. Both are kitchen staples.
Vardagen has scratches from washing after a year already, but it is easy to transition them to my dog and buy newer ones.
Muji bowl on the other hand have nearly a decade on them and still look like Day One, such a superior quality- for a triple price tag, totally worth it.
2. HYLLIS shelving unit- tall wide one (60x27x140 cm)
I’ve had this Hyllis shelving unit for a very long time, but I use it inside home, kitchen to be exact. I’ve also used one in the pantry as well. It has this rugged, nonchalant, cool, sleek, industrial vibe that is not too pretentious. Very relaxed look, as if you just found it in your grandparents’ attic and threw it there.
I just love:
- the high metal narrow shelves that look elegant, airy and even invisible, considering it is a giant metal storage unit.
- the sturdy yet thin frame that can be a home to heavier kitchen appliances without looking too bulky or claustrophobic
- slightly higher design that makes good use of the space, balances out the lower items in the room, makes the ceilings look taller
- Small width doesn’t take up much space, yet holds a lot of items
- the pre-drilled holes making it easy to hang hooks
- easy installation
- the versatile indoor/outdoor use.
I love the price tag.
I love Hyllis.
3. SKUBB Storage Case – short wide one with zipper on top. (44x55x19 cm)
I can’t use the SKUBB series normally, apart from this Skubb case that I use for winter/summer clothes shift. I normally have an old timey wooden chest that I use for this purpose, but this storage case is useful for all sorts of items including sweaters, sweatpants, coats, duvets etc. Its size is ideal to put it inside the closet shelves or dressers. I’ve had it for years and it is so easy to fold it and put away when not in use.
4. KLIPSK tray
Klipsk tray is originally marketed as a bed tray. I use it as a dog table and put my dog’s bowls on top to elevate them. It has the perfect height and super easy to clean, both over and under. Have a care when buying online though, the packaging is rather weak; the first one arrived broken and I had to contact IKEA to replace it and they immediately re-sent it.
5. FLADIS basket
Soft and natural seagrass makes the texture of this Fladis basket much more preferable to me than regular hard rattan materials. I use it to put my dog’s cleaning items next to the balcony door where we come in and out and it is super practical and chic. It is versatile and its natural vibe and simplicity has a calming effect on me. I just love it.
6. KLUNKA + PLUMSA Foldable laundry baskets with moisture resistant inner linings
These Klunka and Plumsa sisters have super cute designs and quite useful plastic inner linings making them ideal for laundry use as well as anything that has an element of moisture involved. They can be folded when not in use. Another example of great design.
7. SANELA cushion covers
Velvet, super chic and lush. Sanela has that cozy autumn/winter vibe in all different colors + in a size a difficult to find, too. Come winter, I wrap my cushions in velvety goodness.
8. KLYKET hooks
Klyket hooks are slightly expensive yet incredibly useful and durable. I have them in my laundry area and hang the detergents on the walls inside cotton bags, because there is no surface area to put them next to the machines. They could also be useful in the hallway and folded when not in use. The sleek beige look fades away on neutral walls and has an expensive, stylish vibe. Package consists of three hooks.
9. SUNNERSTA adjustable rack
This is not for everyone. I like things where my hand reaches out in habit and dish cleaning items in the kitchen are used way too frequently at my home to keep them inside cabinets. They end up on the counter no matter what, because they spend too much time being used and it is not worthwhile to put them away. It is just not a realistic way of living for me. I’m at peace with that, I just don’t want the clutter and cheap look in my face.
Sunnersta rack contains those items that we normally do not wish to see, in a natural, useful and pleasant sort of way. I’ve mantled it on the wall behind the sink area and put the sponges, gloves, dish soap, toothbrush (to clean nooks and crannies) and dishcloth in the hooks and trays I’ve bought with it. Even though one can definitely see the items upon closer look, it corrals them in a neat and non-disturbing manner behind the faucet keeping them off counter, which is scarce as it is. Super easy to install. The rack pipes could definitely use a better placement design with the heights and sizes of regular items of kitchen use in mind, but still it is quite OK for me.
10. TISKEN anything.
Tisken series are the ultimate suction hooks with various bathroom accessories attached to them. I use the toilet roll holder, the towel rack (inside the shower to hang dripping items, or towels), the soap dish, the shower head hook, the regular hook… it is AMAZING. I love the design, the use, the cleaning, the suction power, the ease of installation, portability, I’m in love with everything about TISKEN.
11. FJADRANDE + SYRLIG curtain rod and RINGS
While there are too many alternatives depending on where you live, I don’t have much options around here and I’ve found the easy to install, no drill, Fjaedrande pressure rod to be incredibly useful. I hang a curtain inside my doorframe with it to block the draft which makes me very uncomfortable while sleeping. OK to hang lightweight items.
These are the hooks that could go with it.
12. GREJIG shoe rack
I tried many solutions to manage the muddy and wet shoes in the entryway. I don’t want to put them back inside the shoe cabinet, they need to dry and the air needs to circulate from below, the sides and above. I put a tray, but the tray gets dirty and bottom of the shoes remain muddy. I put a coconut mat that is turned up to be too difficult to clean. I put a towel to soak up the moisture, but washing it became a hustle.
This Grejig shoe rack is great, because A- the air circulation is great, B- doesn’t get dirty/keep dirt, C-the dried dirt drops below and super easy to brush or vacuum, D- lightweight, simple and foldable if you get bored and/or in summer, E-size is great, two shoes/boots can fit and it is narrow, which is ideal for my small entry. F- You can also stack them up apparently.
There are different colour options as well.
13. LEN cotton basket set and organizer
I love the natural texture and colors of both these items. Len series are normally baby room accessories, but both the hanging storage and the box set are super versatile, high quality and useful.
14. HAUGA bookcase with glass doors
I love the HAUGA series. Normally I don’t buy cheap furniture from IKEA because most of the cheaper ones tend to fall apart and look poor quality compared to the wooden options that can be used for many years. But this Hauga glass door cabinet (a.k.a. bookcase for me) looks more than what is paid for, is sturdy, plus has a moody dark vintage design that I love. I ditched open shelving units, because dusting is boring + dog and also I have a life: watching Youtube videos- don’t judge me. The glass doors are semi-see through, blocking the color/shape overload and providing just enough visibility for seeing the book titles without creating a cluttered look in my living area, which makes this is a great bookcase for me. The installation was easy. The dresser from the same series also looks very charming and definitely on my wishlist.
15. LANGFJALL Chair
OK, I don’t have this Langfjall desk chair (conference chair). But I’ve craved for it since forever, especially the mint green, I’ve also tried it at IKEA and the shorter back one is super comfortable, the taller one I did not like, but perhaps it’s because of my height.
This is not a complete list by any means.
IKEA has many wonderfully simple and useful items, so I hope I will be making more of these soon.
Hope it helps in your personal journey!
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