Ikea's $25 Kitchen Countertop Organizer Is A Sleek Space-Saver

Cooking in a compact kitchen that's low on counter space forces you into being creative with storage ideas. Perhaps you've stacked your bowls on open shelving, installed hooks underneath the cabinets to hang mugs, or fixed a magnetic strip on an empty wall to house your kitchen knives. Still, there can be several items, like tall bottles of vinegars and oils, that you simply can't find a neat home for that clutter the worktop. Enter the Nålbecka countertop organizer, a sleek, space-saving unit from IKEA that costs only $25.

Made of bamboo, this slimline unit consists of two narrow shelves that are connected together with four steel, powder-coated legs. Providing two levels of storage, the shelves have a depth of just 5 ⅛ inches, which means the entire unit can be neatly stowed against a tiled kitchen backsplash with room to spare. The lower shelf is ideal for storing spices, tea and coffee canisters, and seasonings, while the top shelf is perfect for taller items, like fancy vinegars and oil dispensers. Stocking this unit with ingredients that you use daily and setting it beside your stove top will make cooking faster. However, you could even use it to display trinkets and dinky houseplants, or use it as a cute coffee station. With a total height of 11 inches and a width of 15 inches, the entire unit easily fits underneath standard cabinets and creates a pretty, considered area that won't distract from the existing aesthetic of your kitchen.

The shelving on the Nålbecka organizer is made of bamboo, which lends it a grounding, natural warmth and color. This material is also environmentally-friendly, absorbs carbon dioxide as it grows, and doesn't require chemical pesticides and fertilizers. As it's the fastest-growing plant in the world, bamboo is an incredible renewable resource, but aside from that, it's super-easy to keep clean; just give your shelving a quick wipe down with a wet cloth to keep it looking immaculate. Moreover, this useful item is a doddle to assemble. While some IKEA products come with a confusing manual that leaves you scratching your head, this one is a breeze to put together. You need only eight screws (two for each of the four steel legs that connect the bamboo shelves) and a screwdriver to get the job done.

Another affordable IKEA find that cuts clutter down to size is the $4.99 Sunnersta rail. Consisting of a rail, four hooks, and two baskets, this item can be fixed to the wall to house kitchen utensils, such as measuring cups, wooden spoons, and micrograters. Better yet, it's just one of several IKEA finds that will instantly update your kitchen cheaply and lend it a touch of character.