Hide Your Ugly Litter Box With This Stylish IKEA Cabinet Hack

There are plenty of positive parts of having a cat at home. Cats add a level of companionship, joy, and excitement to the house, and are pretty easy to look after, for the most part. However, one clear downside of cat ownership is the dreaded litter box. Having a smelly plastic container somewhere indoors is never ideal, and the aesthetic of a litter box can often times detract from the rest of your decor. Thankfully, there's one IKEA hack that will help you disguise your unsightly litter box, keeping it conveniently tucked away. 

YouTube creator @Alexandra Gater used the IKEA IVAR Cabinet to create a subtle home for her cat's litter box by building the cabinet normally, painting it to match her style, and then cutting a small hole into the right side of the feature. She also created cutouts in the doors of the cabinets and added cane webbing for ventilation. She then placed the litter box inside, where she can access it easily by opening the hinged doors, while her cat can climb in through the side hole. 

The IKEA hidden litter box hack is possible with pretty much any cabinet that's big enough to hold a litter box and accommodate a cat-sized side door. So, you can make your own selection and simply cut a hole into the side. Not only can you choose the ideal size for your space, but you can also make it match your decor. For example, the BRIMNES cabinet in black can fit right into more modern spaces while the white SKRUVBY has a charming, country vibe.

There are plenty of tricks to make IKEA furniture more long-lasting, and that includes adding paint and sealant to the models. You can keep the inside of your cat furniture in good shape by using shelf liners or sealing the wood. Adding a litter mat can also help keep any from getting into the cracks and crevices inside. If you have space around the cabinet, add another rug below the entryway so that litter doesn't spread all over your floors when your cats leave the box.