This Viral DIY Hack Creates Storage Out of Thin Air (It’s So Easy to Do!)

Written by

Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via…read more
published Dec 27, 2024
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Credit: Lula Poggi

The kitchen is the one room in your home where you can never have too much storage or counter space. So when you’re living in a small space, a lack of countertops and cabinets can really cause issues in your daily routine. But, with some smart thinking, you can maximize your kitchen’s potential with a few expertly-sourced items and creative tweaks, just as one TikTok user did when she DIYed her perfect kitchen island.

“If you have a small kitchen and cannot find a kitchen island to fit your space, here’s how I made my own,” Claudia Williams said in a recent TikTok video. Her New York City apartment has a kitchen the size of a walk-in closet, so she needed to expand her workspace without clogging up the floorplan.

By pairing a narrow hallway table from Amazon with a block of wood from the hardware store, she was able to make a custom island that doubled her counter space.

“Having this extra surface has been such a game changer, especially in my little NYC kitchen,” Claudia wrote in the caption. “The whole project cost me around $150.”

She picked up the International Concepts hall table from Amazon to act as the base for her island project; however, you may have luck finding something secondhand at the thrift store or from Facebook Marketplace. Take measurements of the area in your kitchen where the island will go to ensure that you get the right fit.

If you have a super small space, you may also have luck purchasing a large wooden cutting board to use as your tabletop. Leave it unstained and seal with beeswax so you can prep food right on it without having to worry about toxins.

Finally, add hooks to the side of your island to hang potholders, kitchen towels, tote bags, or cooking utensils, like Claudia did, to really maximize your storage. She also added wheels to the bottom of her island to make it easily moveable.

“This was so easy,” Claudia said of her DIY island. “It’s not perfect, but I love the way it looks and it was super affordable.” When you can’t find the right fit for your space, DIY is the way to go!