The $12 IKEA Find Every Messy Person Needs to Know About

Written by

Taryn Williford
Taryn Williford
Taryn is a writer, editor, content strategist, and homebody from Atlanta. I might have helped you declutter your apartment through the magic of a well-paced email newsletter. Or maybe you know me from The Pickle Factory Loft on Instagram.
updated May 3, 2019
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(Image credit: Taryn Williford)

You’re here on Apartment Therapy, and that tells me one thing: You love looking to real people and real homes for inspiration on living well.

You also probably love IKEA. And you’re for sure going to love these books.

My usual IKEA M.O. involves skipping right past the showroom to get to the marketplace below, but on my last fateful trip, I found myself strolling by the book section (at the very end of the showroom right after the kids’ stuff, at least in my store). It was there that I found these three books that might as well just take over for your Pinterest board from here.

(Image credit: IKEA)

It’s a really simple idea. Each book centers on an organizing theme — clothes storage, kitchen and food storage, and small space storage — and showcases a number of real homes that get it right.

Each one, yes, features some IKEA solutions (like PAX wardrobes and GRUNDTAL rails). But these are real spaces, so the books don’t feel like a catalog or anything. Just a cover-to-cover inventory of really smart solutions. You learn about these families and their homes, and soak in their best tips for living smart without a lot of room or a lot of money.

(Image credit: Taryn Williford)
“The balcony is for both relaxing and working. It’s also a great place for taking care of her clothes — ideally with a glass of pink champagne in one hand. She steams wrinkled dresses and airs sequinned gowns that can’t be washed. The wardrobe isn’t really supposed to be outside, but Annie lives by her own rules.”

And, of course, these covers look great stacked on your coffee table, too, so definitely make room for them at home.

Each book is $11.99, but they’re sometimes offered at a discount with an IKEA Family card.

Re-edited from a post originally published 11.10.2017 – TW