Functional & Stylish Inserts for the IKEA Kallax

In my mind, there is no better organizational system than the IKEA Kallax Line. The reasonable price tag paired with their super sleek design, modular options, and generous cubby size make them ideal for storing a wide variety of things. Although the cubbies themselves are an organization dream, there are now so many different bins, baskets, shelves and inserts for the IKEA Kallax, meaning you can make the shelves even more functional and stylish than ever before! Today, I’m rounding up my very favorite products that fit into the IKEA Kallax cubes (as well as other common cube systems such as the Threshold cubes from Target and the Better Homes & Garden series from Walmart). Let me show you!

Love for the IKEA Kallax

Years ago, I started investing in IKEA Kallax units because they have great storage space and incredible versatility. Not only does this shelving unit make the perfect addition to a living room wall or bench in the entryway, but it can also serve as a sideboard, room divider, or added closet/wardrobe storage.

We currently have 5 different units; and no matter the size of our home or its layout, I can always find places for them. To date, we’ve used IKEA Kallax units to hold kids games and toys in the playroom; fabric, yarn, and sewing supplies in the craft room; hats, shoes, and sunscreen in the foyer; and as console tables and media stands throughout the house.

Additionally, I have outfitted the 13x13x15″ cubbies with all sorts of shelves, baskets, bins, and other great additions in order to make them hold as much as possible in really stylish, usable ways. Here are just some sample pictures of the same units across our last 4 homes!

What Size Inserts Fit the IKEA Kallax?

One of my favorite aspects of the IKEA Kallax is that the cubby size is really generous, measuring 13″ wide x 13″ tall x 15″ deep. Obviously, anything IKEA releases specifically for the Kallax will fit perfectly, but I also find many of IKEA’s other baskets, containers, caddies, and totes are also compatible.

NOTE: The IKEA Kallax is the “newly” updated version of the IKEA Expedit. Although the frame of the unit on the Kallax is a bit smaller and has a sleeker appearance, the internal cubby size is the same as the Expedit. As such, any Expedit product will also fit inside the Kallax.

Further, the cubbies in both Threshold line (from Target) and the Better Homes & Gardens line (from Walmart) have the same 13″ wide x 13″ tall dimensions. So those brand inserts will also fit (although they may not take advantage of the full 15″ depth which is unique to the IKEA shelves).

IKEA Kallax Insert Ideas

Not only do these generous cubby dimensions give you a lot of space to work with, but it means they are sizable enough to be divided up and made even more functional. Here are a bunch of ideas I love!

Drawers. If you have smaller items that would get lost on big shelves or inside large baskets, using nice deep drawers are a great way to divide up the large cubby while still keeping things nicely concealed.

Wine Bottle Insert. If you are using an IKEA Kallax shelf unit as a console table or sideboard, this is a great option for bottles of wine. I also have it on good authority that each 1/9 square cubby perfectly fits four boxes/rolls of Cricut vinyl. 😉

Shelves. I was ecstatic when I discovered IKEA finally released shelves for the IKEA Kallax. Although I wish they weren’t glass, they are super affordable and a great solution for splitting up cubbies for shorter baskets. The wooden shelf below (although designed for the Better Homes & Gardens cube system) will fit nicely on the Kallax and divide it up without having to drill into your unit.

Paper Organization. There are lots of great options for paper storage inserts for the IKEA Kallax. Do your research though. While these products sure make organizing your rainbow of heavy weight cardstock a total dream, they can also be quite pricey. Etsy sellers seems to have the best selections for this particular IKEA Kallax hack.

1 – IKEA Kallax Drawers | 2 – IKEA Wine Bottle Insert | 3 – IKEA Glass Shelves | 4 – Letter Paper Tray | 5 – Adjustable Paper Sorter | 6 – 12×12 Paper Organizer, Brown | 7 – Cube Storage Shelf

Doors for the IKEA Kallax

You guys know I don’t love the look of visual clutter on shelves. Although I tend to prefer bins and baskets for catching all the unsightly stuff and use up every available inch, an added door is another really stylish option. And beyond just hiding the items on your shelves, these doors can become decor statements in and of themselves, allowing you to camouflage the particleboard finish and make the entire display look more custom or expensive! Etsy, again, has lots of neat custom (but still affordable) products!

Doors. IKEA makes a variety of door inserts especially for the Kallax, so you can be sure they’ll fit and can be customized any way you want.

Door Overlays. My Overlays is a company that specializes in wooden overlays that take your IKEA products to the next level. These door fronts can be painted or decorated to match your own style and color scheme.

Door Decals. Once you install plain white doors onto your IKEA Kallax cubbies, it might be too much white. One trick to consider is adding a (removable) splash of color with a wide variety of decals in fun florals, geometrics and more!

1 – IKEA Kallax Door | 2 – Arched Door Front | 3 – Overlays Door, Diamond | 4 – Overlays Door, Square | 5 –Door Decals, Yellow + Green | 6 – Door Decals, Pink + Orange | 7 –Door Decals, Wildflowers

Bins & Baskets that Fit the IKEA Kallax

Alright, you guys know I love a good basket in general. But when it comes to the IKEA Kallax Collection, I believe they really are the best way to make the most of every last inch. Not only can good-sized bins hold a wide variety of items, but now you can find them in so many stylish colors, textures and patterns! The IKEA Drona Bins are one of my all-time favorites (because they are so cheap!), as are the large round Y-weave baskets, and these black mesh baskets. Half-tall baskets (like the Medium Y-Weave Baskets and the shorter Sprout Crate) work great in Kallax cubbies split up by shelves. Here are a ton of other lovely ones!

1 – Gold Wire Basket | 2 –IKEA Drona Bin | 3 – Open Front Bin | 4 – Heather Bin | 5 – Tall Matte Plastic Bin | 6 – Handled Canvas Bin | 7 – Neutral Fabric Bin | 8 – Grey Woven Basket | 9 – Metal Wire Basket | 10 – Large Y-Weave Basket | 11 – Medium Y-Weave Basket | 12 – Two-Tone with Leather Handle | 13 – Nautical Stripe Bin | 14 – Rejsa Bin | 15 – Mesh Bin | 16 – See-Through Bins | 17 – Two-Tone Rope Basket | 18 – Rope Basket | 19 – Two-Tone Bin (With Lids) | 20 – Felt Storage Bins | 21 – Navy Stripe Low Bin

Other Insert Ideas for the IKEA Kallax

Items that perfectly measure 13″ in height and width aren’t the only things that can fit on IKEA Kallax Shelves. Keep your eye out for products that fit within the 13x13x15″ dimensions and allow you to use your shelves in really unique ways. I personally use the acrylic dividers to hold all my cardstock on my Kallax shelves. And I’ve actually been looking for a way to store files in the cubbies; this fabric file box might be just the ticket!

1 –Wine Bottle Holder | 2 – Fabric File Box | 3 – Lidded File Box Set | 4 – Acrylic Sorter | 5 – Wooden Wine Glass Holder

Finally, if you need to store paper on your IKEA Kallax shelves, I can’t recommend these document boxes enough! A single cubby can hold 9 boxes perfectly (below), and getting out the exact paper you need is quick and easy!

IRIS Slim Plastic Document Boxes

I had so much fun hunting around and finding various high quality inserts for the IKEA Kallax. I hope this roundup gives you some ideas for outfitting your shelves in different ways, and I’ll do my best to keep this post updated as new products become available!