The Affordable IKEA Bookcase That Brings Order & Storage To Cluttered Spaces

It seems that one of the biggest challenges in modern life is maintaining order in the house. While getting rid of some of your possessions could help chip away at the problem, another issue that may be keeping you from achieving a peaceful and more organized home is the fact that you simply don't have enough storage space for your plethora of items. If this is the case, you've probably tried searching for some simple solutions. However, while some storage units might solve your issues, the reality is that many of these items are far too expensive for the average person.

That's why IKEA's BAGGEBO bookcase is an ideal option for wannabe-organized individuals who are also on a budget. Priced at only $36.99, this four-shelf narrow white bookcase has a flat top that allows for even more storage, making it great for small cluttered spaces. Further, the shelves have some varying heights that offer plenty of space for both small and large items alike. Customers love the bookcase for its low price point as well as for the ease of installation. However, given the composition of the bookcase — which is mostly particle board — you may want to consider the BAGGEBO to be a temporary storage option rather than an extremely long-term solution. At the same time, some reviewers say it's sturdy and looks more pricey than it really is.

The BAGGEBO is highly versatile, making it perfect for many different applications within your home. An obvious use of it is in a library, home office, or reading room, where it can store your books, photos, and trinkets. However, it can just as easily be placed in your baby's organized nursery and filled with baskets containing diapers, wipes, and storybooks. Remember to always anchor the BAGGEBO to the wall using the included hardware to ensure it doesn't fall over and become a safety hazard.

If your walk-in (or reach-in) closet lacks functional storage, the BAGGEBO can be a dream-come-true for storing jeans, sweaters, purses, and shoes. It could also be installed in a pantry that doesn't have sufficient storage, as the shelves could easily hold organizing bins, small appliances, and kitchen staples. With the right approach, the BAGGEBO could also be placed in your foyer and adorned with aesthetically-pleasing decor, such as a vase of flowers or a family photo. Bonus points if you leave a shelf empty for guests to put their purses or keys on.

The BAGGEBO is delightfully simple: made from solid white boards with sharp, clean angles, it should fit well with many decor preferences. That being said, if you find it to be too simplistic for your tastes, there are always easy ways to make it feel more like your own. If the BAGGEBO's location in your home has free space on one or both sides of it, you can purchase decorative hooks to install on the sides, from which you can hang calendars, photos, or macrame wall hangings. If used in the entryway, these hooks could be used to hang keys or purses on. Further, if you need lots of storage, you could place multiple bookcases next to one another to create the look of a larger piece in a library or living room.

This bookcase can also be personalized with the use of paint (remembering, of course, the trick to painting IKEA's difficult furniture surfaces). A solid color can make it a bold accent piece or a neutral and unimposing storage unit. You can also get adventurous and try your hand at stenciling a unique pattern on the sides. One fun approach to take would be stenciling the sides and painting the shelves in solid colors to lend an element of complexity to its appearance. And yet another direction to take the BAGGEBO in is to cover the shelves and sides in adhesive contact paper or wallpaper.