25 Genius IKEA Hacks to Give Your Closet a Makeover

Awkward Closet Space

Not everyone has a perfectly proportioned space to create a closet in. This closet has an awkward funnel-like shape with a wide front and a very narrow back.

The couple behind barcbybrettandali wanted to keep costs down while making use of the entire space and the best way was with lots of different IKEA pieces. They used the Malm and Kullen dresser, Billy bookcases in different heights as well as the Bekvam spice rack to create a closet that made great use of every inch of this challenging space.

Small Reach-In Closet

Space, or lack of it, is probably the number one complaint when it comes to closets. But with a little help from IKEA, even the tiniest closet can be turned into an organized space.

Heather from Our Barnes Yard opted for the IKEA Brimnes bookcase which has both open and closed storage and added some rails to the sides. It makes the most of the small space while still allowing access to everything easily.

Room for Accessories

If you’ve already got your clothes organized but have lots of accessories that don’t yet have a home, this hack by Amy from Chase Amie will house all your bags and shoes in style. She’s combined Billy bookcases and Pax frames to create a boutique-like display for her accessories.

Sweater Organization

When thinking of closet organization, the Kallax cube shelves don’t always come to mind.

But Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick used them to create much-needed storage for her bulky sweaters and sweatshirts.

You can have a combination of open and closed (drawer) storage making them very versatile while being budget-friendly too.

From Bookcase to Closet

When you don’t have enough depth to install a closet system, Billy bookcases could be the solution as they’re a lot less deep.

This was the answer Chrissy from Harlowe James came up with when she couldn’t fit a regular closet in her bedroom.

When used with doors, these bookcases aren't deep enough for hangers, but they do provide a lot of storage for folded clothes, shoes, and accessories.

Create a Closet Island

If you’re lucky enough to have a large walk-in wardrobe space, a closet island is a great addition for extra storage.

Here Alex from Alexx Coll has combined two Songesand dressers to create a vanity with storage for make-up, hair accessories, and more. Finishing it with a marble top adds that extra bit of luxury.

Budget-Friendly Custom Closet

If you've ever priced custom closets, you'll know that they cost a lot. But if your budget doesn't match your dream closet, you don't have to compromise.

Jackie from Finding Lovely found the perfect solution with a combination of Billy bookcases in different sizes and Songesand dressers. This solution was even more budget-friendly than opting for an IKEA closet system.

Reach-In Kids Closet

Kids closets should ideally be spaces that can adapt as the child grows. That’s exactly what blogger Tylnn had in mind when she created this flexible space for clothes, accessories, toys, and more.

Combining two upgraded Rast dressers with shelves, baskets and a clothes rail gave her plenty of flexible storage for two kids.

Create a Bespoke Wardrobe

The Pax closet system is a bestseller for many reasons and perhaps the biggest reason is that it can be transformed in so many ways.

Hannah from The Palm Residence has painted hers and added fabric to the glass panels to make this Pax unrecognisable and it's also a perfect match for her tropical decor.

Sloped Ceiling Closet Hack

Maximizing closet space in a bedroom with sloped ceilings can be challenging. Emma from Emma Courtney Home came up with a clever solution—using IKEA Sektion kitchen cabinets for a built-in look.

Being base kitchen cabinets they are ideal for sloped ceilings. While this hack will require some time and effort, it will give you lots of storage and a seamless look all for a fraction of the price of a custom-made closet.

Open Wardrobe Hack

Open wardrobes can save space in a small bedroom but can still give you plenty of storage. Louise from Louise Henry Home combined a couple of Malm dressers and added a clothes rail above them for hanging space, without taking any extra floor space.

Builder-Grade to Built-In

If you have a typical builder-grade closet, chances are there is a lot of wasted space.

When Corey from Sawdust 2 Stitches wanted to make the most of her closet she combined a Brimnes dresser with some Billy bookcases.

Adding some rails and baskets, the closet offers lots of easy-to-reach storage and really uses all the space in this small closet.

Easy Shoe Storage

Finding a place to house all your shoes can be difficult especially if you have a lot of them.

Ashley from AshleyKeiKollections came up with the idea of investing in the Regissör glass display cabinet from IKEA.

It can hold a lot of shoes and creates a feature while keeping your shoes organized and visible. Sometimes it's the simplest ideas that are the best.

Tiny Closet Organization

The tinier the closet, the more important it is to get the most out of the space. Kelin from Hydrangea Treehouse opted for the IKEA Trofast drawers for her tiny guest closet.

The Trofast is not only ideal for small spaces but it’s very budget-friendly and comes in different sizes so you can customize it for your space, no matter how small.

Small and Sloped Closet

When you have a very small closet with sloped ceilings, your closet organization choices can be limited.

Rachel from DIY in PDX came up with a simple solution of combining a clothes rail with Komplement drawers.

She built the frame for the Kompliment drawers as the Pax frames they pair with were too tall for her awkward space.

Easy-Reach Cart Storage

When you need a little extra storage that’s very easy to get to, nothing beats a cart. 

Here, the blogger behind Alex Hood has used IKEA’s Raskog cart in the nursery to store baby clothes that are within arm’s reach.

But if not for a nursery, the cart is equally useful for storing anything that can’t fit in your closet, especially accessories like purses, scarves, belts, and more.

Statement Closet

The Billy bookcase is a popular alternative to closet systems but it means having all your things on display.

When you don’t want the pressure to be tidy, make some custom doors like Lara from Lara Bezzina did.

The arched finish and the bright coral color make this a statement closet while hiding away everything inside.

Flexible Shoe Storage

This may be the most budget-friendly and flexible shoe storage idea. Verena from Who is Mocca used a bunch of Lack shelves in different sizes to house over 50 pairs of shoes.

The best part of this hack is that you can hang the shelves on any wall that you have available and use as many shelves as you need for your shoe collection.

Built-In Luxury Wardrobe

Recessed bedroom corners are ideal for built-in wardrobes but it can be tricky to find the right size. That is unless you’re willing to put in a little effort like Ciara from number_twentyseven who customized the Pax closets to create a built-in look. And the color drenching creates an even more luxurious look.

Free-Standing Nursery Closet

Kids clothes are tiny so they don't need large closet spaces. Sanne from Inspiratie Voor Je Babykamer created a free-standing closet in her kids' room by combining an Ivar cabinet with drawers and adding legs. As these are two pieces, they can be separated and used elsewhere in the house when this closet is outgrown.

Quick Closet Organization

When you want to organize a small closet without a lot of DIY'ing, the Kallax cube shelves are the answer.

They come in different sizes so it’s about picking the combination that works best for your space.

The blogger behind Angela Rose Home did just that with two Kallax shelves combined with a clothes rail and some storage baskets.

Stacked Dresser Closet

When you have a small amount of space to create a closet in, stacking two dressers on top of each other is a great way to maximize storage without taking up much square footage.

That’s exactly what Ursula from Home Made by Carmona did when she stacked two Rast dressers and added a few shelves to create a small closet with maximum storage.

Tiny but Chic Closet Hack

Even if you only have a sliver of space to create a closet, you can still make it practical and stylish.

Moli from Moliart upgraded this Besta cabinet to create a chic, French-style closet. She added small rods to the inside of each of the doors and then strung some curtain fabric on the rods.

Each piece of fabric was double the width of the door to create the pleated effect. Finally, she added some new hardware and legs to create this small yet chic closet.

Renter-Friendly Closet Hack

The Pax may be IKEA’s most popular closet system but it's not always within budget especially when you need a lot of storage. Here lots of Billy bookcases have been used to create an entire closet system.

Kezia from IAmKayAP used Billy bookcases in different sizes to store clothes, bags, shoes, and more. This closet works so well because everything is visible and the bookcases are removable, making this a renter-friendly closet hack.

Built-In Dresser Hack

Having dressers inside your closet saves floorspace in the bedroom and provides much-needed storage in the closet.

Amanda from Amanda Brooke Home used two upgraded Tarva dressers to create this built-in closet that looks custom-made.

Using IKEA dressers is also more budget-friendly than opting for closet drawer systems.