Four IKEA Apartment Decoration Hacks

IKEA has become the go-to furniture and decoration brand for anyone operating on a modest budget. The Swedish company’s items look thoroughly modern, with simple designs and eye-catching but not overwhelming colors defining its idiosyncratic aesthetic. It’s just not the brand’s agreeable design approach that’s made it so beloved – it’s their prices, which are super accessible for those furnishing their first apartment.

College students and young professionals are especially likely to source their furniture and decorations from IKEA. Of course, its products are affordable, but just as importantly, they tend to make homes appear more welcoming and more organized. An IKEA shelf can both give life to a boring corner in your living room and help you arrange your possessions – and space-saving, categorized organization methods can themselves be decoration hacks.

Here are four IKEA apartment decoration hacks that you can rely on to cheaply spruce up your apartment and keep your belongings organized.

MOSJÖ TV unit ($39.99)

A less expensive version of the BRUSALI TV unit, the wood-inspired MOSJÖ has two wide shelves that let you organize your TV-related possessions right below the flatscreen. Try storing remotes, video game consoles, cable boxes, and the like in the smaller top shelf. Keep blankets and extra pillows on the bottom shelf so you can easily get super comfortable when you throw on your favorite movie. Your living room will look sleeker and more organized for a super reasonable price.

TYSSEDAL storage stool ($59.00)

Think of the bright white TYSSEDAL storage stool as a bigger, improved version of IKEA’s old GLOTTEN storage stool. It fits neatly and looks classy in an unused living room corner or as a tiny room divider that can seat two people. Opening the top of the TYSSEDAL reveals a compartment with three sections, the biggest of which is great for a folded blanket or a bigger board game. Use the smaller compartments for TV remotes, smaller board games, or video game controllers.

KVISTBRO storage table ($59.99)

Though not a replacement for a full-sized coffee table around which to center your living room, the KVISTBRO combines storage and end tables with a net-like design and a piercing white color that’s certain to draw eyes from all the way across the room. Bring the table from a corner or wall to the center of your living room when you need an extra surface for a six-pack or bowl of popcorn. Just take out anything you’re storing in it first – drinks and crumbs can slip through the slit on the table’s cover.

KALLAX shelf unit ($39.99)

Available in five colors (though two colors run for the higher price tag of $49.99), the KALLAX shelf unit’s array of squares is hard to ignore. These squares, which are each exactly one cubic foot, allow you to organize records, books, and storage boxes such as IKEA’s super-affordable DRONA model. You can even rearrange these items within the KALLAX’s cubes to change up your decor scheme every once in a while. Top the KALLAX with a record player to turn a pocket of your room into a gorgeous, utilitarian music corner.

Need IKEA inspiration? Read through My First Apartment’s IKEA hacks: