Innovative Ways To Use Storage Cube Organizers Around The House

If you've ever had to furnish a living space, you've likely been a proud owner of a storage cube organizer. There are multiple reasons why this piece of furniture is so perennially popular. For one, cube organizers are usually reasonably priced, making them accessible to own, for everyone from college students to established homeowners. Cube storage shelves also have a simple, paired-back look, making them suitable for a range of spaces and design styles.

You typically see these types of shelves being used as a bookcase or a catch-all area. However, with some creativity and a few tools, your cube organizer can become something even more amazing, like a stunning coffee table, a useful bar cart, or a delightful dollhouse. To help you figure out how you'd like to transform your storage cube organizer, we've compiled nine DIY ideas that prove you can repurpose these shelves in all kinds of innovative ways around the house.

By combining three cube storage organizers, you can have a chic coffee table. Besides the cube shelves, you'll need eight door hinges (like these Amazon Basics Black Hinges), screws, a drill, and a drill bit. Place the organizers together with the shelves facing out. Attach the door hinges to the sides of the shelving unit and then to the flat top that will act as the coffee table top. This exposed hardware adds an industrial touch. For neat results, create pilot holes for the screws. Here's a guide on how to choose which drill bit you should use. 

If you want something even more custom, you can spray paint your coffee table. The best way to spray paint wood furniture is to clean, sand, and prime first. For laminate MDF surfaces, you'll need a bonding primer. 

Fashionistas know the struggle of having an overly packed closet. If you want a more organized closet, consider utilizing all of the space in the area by placing cube storage organizers on the upper shelves. While not shown in the video, we advise securing the organizers with several brackets (one pack of the Hilitchi Black Brackets from Amazon should do the job) and a drill. Once the cubes are secured, you can use the area for sweater storage, displaying purses, housing acrylic shoe boxes, you name it.

If you love wine and would like an organized corner where you can collect your different wine bottles, glasses, openers, chillers, and books, then transform your KALLAX into a wine station. Simply attach things like stemware rails to the tops of the cube shelves, or add wine bottle racks into the individual compartments. You can get a stemware rail for under $10 on Amazon, such as the DecoBros Stemware Holder. As for a wine rack, IKEA actually sells a KALLAX insert for that, aptly named "KALLAX insert for bottles."

If you're having difficulty finding a desk with a significant amount of storage, consider making your own by attaching a worktop over two storage cube organizers. If you'd like the desk to be mobile, turn it into a rolling unit with caster wheels (like this sturdy set of Ashgoob Casters from Amazon). Peel-and-stick wallpaper or paint can also help make the desk uniquely yours. However, applying wallpaper is probably the easier option. While painting particleboard (which is what most cube storage organizers are made of) is perfectly possible, you will need a bonding primer, like the KILZ Adhesion Primer. 

If you have limited bedroom space and need an extra area to store belongings, a few cube organizers can be transformed into a bed frame with storage. But, be aware that cube storage organizers can be on the flimsier side. You'll want to check the weight restrictions to make sure the shelves can safely hold the weight of the individual(s) who will sleep on the bed plus the mattress. We'd recommend only using this idea for smaller mattress sizes. You'll also need to make the frame as sturdy as possible with steel brackets (such as these heavy-duty L-brackets from Amazon) and strong planks to support the mattress in the middle.

Those with children will appreciate this storage cube organizer hack. By simply removing a section of shelves from a cube organizer, adding hooks, and placing bins in the bottom section, you can create a backpack, jacket, and shoe storage station that's at the right level for little ones to access their belongings. If you'd like this storage solution in your home's foyer, consider also using it as a console table for the adults in your household. To do so, simply place décor items on top, like a flower vase and a chic key bowl, and consider mounting a mirror above. 

By adding a countertop and some drawers or cabinet doors, you can build a gorgeous kitchen island on the cheap. As this video shows, there's the possibility to create a waterfall countertop effect down the sides. Alternatively, go for a butcherblock countertop instead of stone. But before you commit to this, know there are things you should never do if you have a butcher block countertops, like being careless with water and knives. If you're working with an IKEA KALLAX shelf, you can shop the IKEA KALLAX drawer inserts. Alternatively, you might be able to retrofit them to fit other cube organizers with similar-sized shelves. 

Want to creatively add more storage space in your kids' room? Craft a mini closet out of a cube organizer by removing some of the shelves and attaching an adjustable rod that will fit the interior walls of the cube, such as this spring tension rod from Ivilon Store on Amazon. Utilize the remaining shelves as a place for kids' accessories and small essentials. You can use baskets for stylish storage on the shelves, and even install a couple of hooks on the outside for bags, headbands, hats, etc. For an extra decorative touch, cover the piece in a fun wallpaper or apply some decorative decals. 

If you have no idea what to give the child in your life, look no further than this storage cube organizer hack. With some creativity and wallpaper sheets, you can design an adorable dollhouse. What's wonderful about this dollhouse project, is that you can easily tailor it to fit the interests of the child receiving it. For instance, if the kid is absolutely obsessed with dogs, you can use something like this cute Modern Dogs Kingdom Peel and Stick Wallpaper. Or, look for very small-scale prints, such as this Tiny Gingham Peel & Stick Wallpaper Swatch from Amazon.