13 Alternative Uses For Some Of The Most Popular IKEA Products

If you're thinking of home decor companies whose products are innovative, IKEA instantly comes to mind. They have items for every need and every style, whether that is storage for kids' toys, organizers for your bathroom drawers, or kitchen staples to keep mealtime running beautifully. Another thing that IKEA is great for is repurposing and DIY initiatives, thanks to the open-ended design of many products. In fact, there are multiple ways to put IKEA's most highly rated, best-selling products to work in your home.

It's always fun to see how you can reuse or shake up the original design of something that isn't serving you into something far more useful, and IKEA has tons of potential for this type of thinking. Some of the company's best-selling products are great not only at what they were designed to do but also at completely different tasks, too. You can reuse the VARIERA pot lid organizer to hold baking sheets and muffin tins, put the STOLTHET cutting board to work as a plant stand, position books in the OSTBIT plate holder, or store your little one's socks in the VARIERA plastic bag dispenser. The RASKOG utility cart can easily become a rolling creation station for your kids, and the TOLKNING room divider transforms a plain bed into a boho-like designer headboard.

The VARIERA Pot Lid Organizer ($7.99) is a workhorse of an IKEA product, designed to keep your pot and pan lids from falling about in your cabinets and drawers. It has a 4.6-star average from more than 1,300 reviews. An alternate use that can prove especially handy is to position it in your cabinet to hold baking sheets and muffin tins vertically. This makes it easier to access them when needed.

The KOMPLEMENT Multi-Use Hanger ($9.99) has a 4.6-star average across more than 800 reviews. Customers love how helpful it is for holding scarves, sunglasses, and other hanging items. An alternate use that you may not have thought of yet is to use it for hair clip storage. If you have a baby girl or toddler who has an impressive number of hair clips and bows, keeping them organized and within easy reach can prevent unnecessarily losing them in the back of a drawer.

The STOLTHET Cutting Board ($16.99) has quickly become a fan favorite from IKEA, with its 4.8-star average serving as proof. While it cannot be denied that this cutting board makes a delightful little surface for charcuterie night, it also serves as an ideal place to position a potted plant. You can use the space underneath for functional storage of random items, while the top of the cutting board has ample room for a small watering can and a plant, or several petite plants.

The HÖNSNÄT Holder for Mobile Phone ($1.99) is highly affordable and a real crowd-pleaser, with its 4.5-star average. While it can be used for its purpose of holding a smartphone, you can also get a bit more creative and put it to work holding kitchen utensils that are in use. Pop your wooden pasta spoon into it to keep any sauce residue off your counters. Place a recipe card in between the small slots on the front for easy access to the list of ingredients for your culinary creation, too.

The OSTBIT Plate Holder ($5.99) is a highly beloved item from IKEA. It has a 4.7-star average from more than 900 reviews and can bring far more use into your home than just as a place to store plates. One great way to put it to work is by storing books between the bamboo supports. This creates a nice little book display to look at and can help to rid your desk or table of cluttered piles — it can be especially useful if you routinely are working on reading multiple books at once.

The KUNGSFORS Mesh Bags ($7.99/2-pack) are primarily known as produce bags that can be used when at the grocery store or your favorite weekend farmer's market. They have earned a 4.7-star average from more than 490 reviews, but their uses are actually incredibly versatile beyond holding lemons, apples, and avocados. You can use them for additional storage of extra toilet paper rolls, toys for the kids, winter gear like hats and mittens, or even to hold your other reusable shopping bags. With sturdy handles, they can also be simply hung from hooks or door handles.

Few items have the same level of versatility as the VARIERA Plastic Bag Dispenser ($4.99). This small but mighty organizing tool is used by many people for its designed purpose, but its 4.6-star average from 1,000 reviews is also made up of buyers who have used it for unique purposes. The IKEA VARIERA is a product that can help you to organize your socks without a dresser: just attach it to the inside of a wardrobe or closet, then fill it with your favorite pairs. It works especially well for baby and toddler socks.

The VIVALLA Tablet Stand ($14.99) has high ratings from customers who have given it a 4.8-star average. Reviews mention how helpful, sleek, and attractive it is for holding tablets, but the truth is, it can be used for far more than that. One excellent way to repurpose the VIVALLA is as a calendar holder and phone docking station — essentially creating a command center that is easy to outfit with whatever items you want on display, such as photos or sticky notes with reminders. You can also position it on your bedside table to keep everything in reach.

The ELLOVEN Monitor Stand ($29.99) has garnered a place for itself on the IKEA best-seller list, thanks to its nifty design and high quality. Over 4,100 reviews have made for a 4.7-star average, but beyond serving as a way to organize your computer monitor and desk, people have gotten creative. This easy IKEA ELLOVEN hack can help you to tidy up countertops for a clutter-free kitchen by giving you a large drawer to store teas and coffee pods, as well as a sturdy surface for a small coffee maker, mugs, and pour-over coffee systems.

The BEVARA Sealing Clips ($3.99/pack of 26) are highly rated for their ability to keep bags of food sealed and fresh, but an alternate use is as a tube squeezer. Getting the last bit of sauce or toothpaste out of a tube may be considered frugal by some, but with the costs of food and home items constantly increasing, it is also a wise practice. To use as a tube squeezer, just snap the clip on the tube, then slowly pull it down. Over 1,100 reviews have given the clips a 4.7-star average, praising their usefulness.

The highly rated TOLKNING Room Divider ($179.99) has a boho vibe that can truly elevate any space. It has a 4.5-star average, with customers commenting on its aesthetically appealing design. While it is sold as a room divider, a superb alternate use is to position it behind a bed as a makeshift headboard. This will give the appearance of completion to a bed in your master bedroom or even your guest room, without costing too much money. It's also easy to move if your style changes at any point.

The RÅSKOG Utility Cart ($39.99) is undoubtedly one of the IKEA favorites that customers keep coming back for. With over 600 reviews and an aggregate rating of 4.6 stars, it's renowned for its versatility. One of the best alternate uses of this cart is to create an art station for your children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews. Fill it with small organizers to keep their creative supplies in neat spaces, and wheel it out whenever the mood strikes. If visual clutter is distressing to your peace, you can always roll the cart away once it's no longer being used.

The HULTARP Rail ($7.99) is a highly rated item from IKEA, with a 4.7-star average out of nearly 600 reviews. It is marketed for its ability to hold storage essentials in the kitchen, such as coffee mugs suspended from hooks or utensils from hanging baskets. One creative and easy alternate use for this hanging rail, however, is to suspend photo frames from delicate chains, staggering the height for visual appeal and intrigue. You could also use a thin jute rope for a more rustic appearance. A benefit is that you can easily add more photos to the display.