My Mom Can’t Stop Buying This $10 IKEA Gem (She Uses It Everywhere!)

There’s a certain magic to IKEA. You might walk in for one thing (Swedish meatballs, say) and leave with a cart full of surprises. That’s exactly what happened to my mom on a recent trip. Somewhere between the showroom maze and the cafeteria, she found herself holding a $10 cutlery basket she didn’t need — until she did. The item in question? The VIMPELFISK cutlery holder.

The VIMPELFISK cutlery holder is part of IKEA’s kitchen accessories line. It measures 9 inches wide and 4 inches deep, with a lightweight powder-coated steel body and removable bamboo handle. The vented base promotes air circulation, making it ideal for damp environments. Reviewers frequently note that it’s sturdy and stylish. “This is exactly what I’ve been looking everywhere for. It’s a very sturdy holder. And I love the color,” one reviewer said. “It’s an amazing product, super compact, portable, handy, and can hold multiple items,” another reviewer said.

Originally meant for utensils, it has become a do-it-all organizing hero. My mom now has several of them scattered around her home — including the garden. Here’s how she uses them.

She skipped the kitchen entirely and started in the bathroom. The VIMPELFISK is sleek enough to sit on the counter without screaming “utility bin,” and its perforated design makes it perfect for damp environments. She uses it to corral toothbrushes, skincare, makeup — plus her morning medications, all neatly lined up and easy to grab. It’s a small switch, but one that made her morning routine instantly calmer.

My mom’s home office used to be known as “The Craft Room,” and she’s still very much into her creative projects. One VIMPELFISK lives on her desk now, keeping all her craft supplies perfectly organized and within reach without overwhelming her workspace.

She also brings one to her weekly card-making class. It’s lightweight enough for her to carry on her own (which matters more than ever now), and it holds just the essentials so she can keep her shared workspace tidy and contained. 

A green thumb with a creative streak, my mom repurposed another VIMPELFISK for the patio. One basket holds mini herb pots, with extra drainage holes she drilled into the cork bottom. Another is filled with slim glass jars she uses to propagate cuttings — all tucked together in a portable caddy she can move with the sun. Her plant babies have never looked so chic (or so organized).

And yes — she does use one for its intended purpose. On camping trips, it’s the perfect place for drying and storing cutlery. The steel build makes it sturdy and easy to clean, and the compartments keep everything in its place. It’s simple, it works, and it travels well.

For just $10, this little organizer pulls more than its weight. The removable bamboo handle lets you tweak the look depending on the setting, and the divided compartments turn it into a flexible storage powerhouse. My mom may have gone to IKEA for the meatballs — but she walked out with a multiroom organizing solution.

Can’t make it to IKEA (or find it out of stock because, well, my mom)? This cutlery caddy on Amazon offers a similar combination of portability and structure. It has divided compartments and a sleek metal frame, making it just as easy to tote from room to room or set out on a countertop. The biggest difference? It comes in different colors, and it’s a bit wider than the IKEA version, giving you more room to customize how you use it. Reviewers say it’s especially helpful for picnics, RV life, and even organizing skincare.