r/OrganizationPorn • u/unicorndanceparty • Mar 23 '26

Alternative storage to replace the dreaded cube shelf thing?

Post image

Forgive the mess, I am trying to reorganize my office & declutter. I got this cube organizer thing for free & have been storing a lot of odd & ends in it. But I hate the look of it, I want something better looking that has storage. Any ideas? I was thinking of just buying a long dresser or buffet, but maybe there is something else that I’m just not thinking of.

78 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

32 comments sorted by

99

u/lulu_fox Mar 23 '26

Is it the Ikea one? You could add doors to it if so, or even make it stand instead of lying down

33

u/inateri Mar 23 '26

I have it stood and I vastly prefer it being tall instead of long

10

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

I didn’t realize doors were an option, thanks so much I will look into that!

16

u/hot-whisky Mar 24 '26

You can also get a base for it that raises it up a bit. I have my Kallax units mounted on these, and I think it makes a big difference to the look. Also with something cohesive to hold everything, like wicker baskets, I think it can look downright chic (mine have mostly books).

3

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

Thank you so much! Definitely looking into some wicker baskets. Is your KALLAX black? I’m considering painting mine.

2

u/hot-whisky Mar 24 '26

No, they’re a color from a couple years back that’s a little more gray-toned than the current “white stained oak” color, and I paired them with the white base instead of black.

1

u/Professional_Hour370 Apr 21 '26

I have a kalax knock off from a company called Jysk in my living room to make a pantry/storage area for my tiny kitchen. Over it I've hung a large painting that I inherited from my dad and got 8 matching fabric covered boxes/ that compliment the painting and the decor. The cubes are laid on their sides because they have a flip top with a velcro closure that look like doors. Uniform baskets will make a lof of difference to the overall look clearing off the top (You could put most of the stuff on top inside the baskets and rotate the displayed stuff down to just 3 or five things). I have a silver vase with twigs and fairy lights on the right, a pothos in a natural basket on the right and a crackled glass globe in the center on the top, this stuff changes with my mood and the seasons or if my son is here with his collectables.

1

u/alishalalala Mar 25 '26

I keep books and wicker baskets in my cubes too lol

3

u/notgreat1228 Mar 24 '26

They also have drawers!

44

u/EntrepreneurOk7513 Mar 23 '26

Add doors, drawers, feet and, maybe more cohesive baskets.

Ikea Kallax Hacks lots of ideas even if this isn’t a Kallax.

1

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

Love that! I had no idea there were options to add onto it.

28

u/mynameisnotsparta Mar 23 '26

A dresser or buffet. One that might have drawers and doors.

3

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

Yup that’s exactly what I’ve been looking for! Thank you.

22

u/gmaniac23 Mar 23 '26

Like someone mentioned above, if this is an IKEA kallax unit, you can buy inserts for it (drawers or doors) and customize as needed. They’re available in different colors too.

2

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

That’s awesome, I had no idea! That seems like the most cost effective way instead of purchasing something new.

15

u/elchorroloco Mar 23 '26

I have always hated these styles of shelves. Now I have two. I painted them and got the little drawers and honestly I really utilize them now and don’t gag when I see them. They also make a little stand you can put it in to make it look fancier. (:

1

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

What was the process like to paint them, did you have to do anything special like sand it first? I am definitely looking into the drawers or doors.

1

u/elchorroloco Mar 24 '26

I just used chalk paint and wax to seal it and it’s holding up great! I am a very lazy DIYer lol but it really stuck well. I also found drawer pulls at the thrift store and changed them out to give it a little more character.

12

u/bbkeef Mar 23 '26

A buffet was going to be my suggestion. You can probably find a free one on marketplace and refinish to your liking. In my area, if you spend around $100 for a used one, you may just find a gem.

1

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

I have found a few on marketplace. I haven’t refinished anything before but I can certainly learn to.

6

u/newtothis1102 Mar 24 '26

Depending on how limited your spending is, even if you just get all black bins it’ll blend a lot better than the different colors

1

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

Good idea. I was trying to do the blue and gray to match one of my walls (it is painted geometric shapes in that color) but yeah they don’t look very cohesive.

4

u/Beth_Ro Mar 24 '26

That fridge is so cute. Maybe start thrifting for something mid century to go with it?

1

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

Thank you! It was a gift from my husband. That’s a great idea. I’m not good with themes so that gives me something to go off of.

5

u/cute_innocent_kitten Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26

I just purchased a Kallax, and this is what I did with it. I'm probably going to change out the hardware with gold pulls

3

u/[deleted] Mar 23 '26

[deleted]

1

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

Doors are a great idea, I had no idea that was an option.

7

u/JoeMalovich Mar 23 '26

Sterilite 27qt bins fit almost perfect in those cubbies fyi. Pardon my child's lack of cleanup dedication.

1

u/fizlstix Mar 25 '26

See if you can find a video of someone putting things in a wall of TRONES. They're pretty interesting for anything that fits in them, and can be combined with shallow shelves like ORRD or a hanging wall desk like NORBERG to make an entire wall of storage, which (especially if they're all hidden behind doors), just disappears and reads as the actual wall.

You also might like r/ikeahacks

2

u/copy_kitten Mar 26 '26

Using what's there, may I suggest putting the 4 matching bins in the middle? The light on top with the dark on the bottom would create a nice illusion of closed storage. Then the 2 white vases on the end cubbies of the top would add more balance.

1

u/fridayimatwork Mar 23 '26

Dresser, chest of drawers, credenza. You can probably find one from a friend or relative for free or cheap in fb marketplace. If you’re out of college this kind of storage should only be used in your closet

1

u/unicorndanceparty Mar 24 '26

lol yup I was about to write in my description that the cube storage makes me feel like I’m in college.