This IKEA Hack Can Help You Add Storage Behind Your Couch

IKEA is a furniture juggernaut these days. Statista reports that IKEA's brand value lies at $21 billion, and it is now the world's largest furniture company. Without a doubt, the primary draw for IKEA furniture is the savings that consumers can achieve by bringing home flat-packed furniture rather than spending a premium on fully assembled pieces for the home.

Transforming a BESTÅ storage unit only takes a few steps beyond the typical construction process that IKEA furniture requires. IKEA Hackers outlines a fast and effective means of transforming a simple cabinet piece and amplifying its utility in the home. Rather than building the cabinet with typical doors that force the user to approach the storage space from the long side, you can cut down the doors and create a deep storage space that fits behind other essentials within your home's living area. Placing the unit behind the couch still provides plenty of close-off storage space but won't force you to situate it in a prominent location that eats up valuable floor space. This hack is invaluable in freeing up your room while bringing in new and essential storage solutions.

An individual BESTÅ unit costs a little more than $100 (via IKEA) and comes with all the hardware you'll need to create a hacked IKEA cabinet that supports storage space behind the couch. To start off any new furniture addition, it's best to measure the space you're trying to fill in order to understand the constraints and requirements of your individual circumstances. Every home is different, and each couch will support a unique converted cabinet dimension as a result.

IKEA Hackers reports that this cabinet is easy to transform because it provides a simple square framework, and the individual cabinet doors are a similar size to the end pieces. Once you've measured the length and have decided on the number of cabinets you want to add to the space, sourcing your materials is as easy as making a trip to IKEA (or ordering the pieces online for delivery direct to your doorstep).

IKEA Hackers also make use of a wooden butcher block top to elevate the look of the piece of furniture. This finishing touch can make the installation look like a more luxurious custom addition. While there's certainly nothing wrong with IKEA furniture, adding a special flourish will really make the element stand out as a prominent feature of your home's living space.

These storage cabinets are long and thin, making for a great insert that can hide behind the length of a couch. However, accessing each of the paneled cabinet doors is problematic if you build the furniture based on the included instructions booklet. Instead, IKEA Hackers reports that a simple alteration to the doors of the unit is all that it will take to create the access you need to hide the piece behind other furniture in the room.

IKEA Hackers details the build of their transformed cabinets, reporting that you should start by following the directions when it comes to framing the overall body of the unit. The builders use double-sided tape to hold the side pieces in place, and then measure the end's dimensions to strategically cut down one of the access doors to fit across the end rather than its intended side location.

Attaching the door to the end with the included hardware is just as easy as placing it where the instructions detail, and with this minor alteration, you can access the interior storage space from the end of the unit rather than the front face. This allows you to push the piece of furniture behind a couch and still retain storage use within the cabinet. Additionally, you can use the butcher block topper to make the item look its best while adding decorations or lights behind the couch for a luxurious flourish.