See How a Stager Would Transform a Cramped Kitchen with 9 IKEA Finds

Available in white, gray-green, and muted yellow, this handy cart has three tiers of basket-style vertical storage. It’s also on wheels, so you can roll it anywhere you need, which is especially useful in a dynamic space like a kitchen. Sarikhani notes it’s also “great for bathrooms [and] pantries” — another way those wheels can come in handy. (Don’t worry, they’re lockable.)

The average kitchen usually comes with at least a few drawers, but they’re not always the shape or size you might be hoping for. A drawer organizer, like this adjustable one Sarikhani has personally used, opens up all sorts of possibilities for a single drawer, especially since it’s made of polyester you can cut and rearrange to your liking. Plus, if you don’t love the noise of clattering silverware, IKEA’s website helpfully notes that “the soft material dampens sound.”

Even though a basket is nice for storage, it typically requires counter space, and not every kitchen has a lot to spare. This clip-on basket is a game-changer because “you just slide it on a shelf and it gives you additional storage,” Sarikhani notes. “I have used it in my pantry for smaller items, and it saves space.”

IKEA’s Nereby collection is centered around a rod-shaped rail and a wall shelf, plus accessories like S-shaped hooks and a fabric bag that snaps on and off the rod. Simply choose and install the shelf or rail (or both, if you have the wall space and ability to mount them) and customize them as you see fit. Since everything is sold separately, you could even get just the accessories — Sarikhani says “the bag with the snap is great for bathrooms, too, and all bathrooms should have bars” to hang them on.

This six-piece set of clear plastic food containers with airtight lids is a “great product to keep the cabinets organized and tidy,” Sarikhani says. “These are clear, so it’s easy to see what is inside, and they’re stackable.” You get four different sizes of container: wide and tall, narrow and tall, wide and short, and narrow and short, so you’ve got options.

Your fridge is already another form of storage, but there are ways to make it even more efficient. I’ve praised IKEA’s Klippkaktus line before for its many fridge storage gems, so I wasn’t surprised to see Sarikhani recommend this clever pull-out drawer that suctions to your fridge shelf, almost like the chilly version of the IKEA clip-on basket. “Using vertical storage always creates more space and organization,” Sarikhani says.

“When we stage homes, we use this product in garages, bigger closets, or sheds to show extra storage. Buyers and agents like these,” Sarikhani notes. They aren’t the only fans of this three-tier metal shelf: “I have these in my own heater/furnace room and use them for our bigger pots and pans,” she adds.

If you’re into more of a rustic aesthetic, this 18x12x9.75-inch wooden box is another kitchen storage option that’s both “stackable and easy to see inside.” If it’s not the right fit for your kitchen (or you move to a bigger one), it’s also “great for storage in closets” and “a great way to store kid's toys, too,” Sarikhani adds.

No matter who you are or how big your home is, it’s hard not to like a lazy Susan. However, they tend to be extra useful in smaller spaces (especially cluttered ones), and this clear rectangular one will be right at home in your kitchen. It could go in your cupboard or on your counter, but Sarikhani says it’s particularly “great for smaller fridges.”