The Kallax looked perfect in the showroom, all clean lines and neat cubes. Then you filled it, and now every cable, snack box, and random charger is on permanent display behind you on every video call. Open cube storage is honest to a fault: it shows exactly how organized you are, which in a small apartment is not always the look you want.
The Kallax alternatives closed storage apartment dwellers actually want share one trait: doors or drawers that hide the clutter open cubes leave on display, in a footprint that still fits a tight room. You can keep the cube look and add fronts, or switch to a true closed cabinet, or go cheap with concealing bins. Here are six ways to get the storage without the visual noise, with the trade-offs for a small space.
Quick Picks
- Keep the Kallax look: add door and drawer inserts to close off the cubes you already have.
- Cleanest closed system: IKEA Besta, low and modular with full doors and drawers.
- Tiny and flexible: IKEA Eket with doors, for odd corners and wall mounting.
- Along a wall: a sideboard or credenza hides a lot behind two or three doors.
- Cheapest fix: a cube shelf with fabric drawer bins to conceal the contents.
Table of Contents
How We Chose These
We focused on storage that hides its contents, fits a small apartment’s footprint, and does not demand a permanent, drilled-in installation renters cannot undo. Each pick notes how it closes, whether it stands on the floor or mounts to a wall, and who it suits, since a studio has different constraints than a one-bedroom. We favored options with a low or compact profile so they do not swallow a room, and flexibility to fit an alcove or a wall run. Confirm current sizes and prices before buying, as ranges change.
1. Kallax With Door and Drawer Inserts
The simplest fix keeps the unit you like. IKEA’s Kallax range accepts insert modules with a door or with two drawers, so you can close off some or all of the cubes while leaving a few open for display. This turns the open bookshelf into part-cabinet at a low cost and without replacing anything. For someone who already owns a Kallax, or loves its proportions, adding fronts is the fastest way to hide the mess while keeping the footprint identical.
2. IKEA Besta
If you want closed storage designed as closed storage, IKEA Besta is the go-to. It is a modular cabinet system with full doors and drawers, a low media-console height that suits apartments, and the option to stand on legs or mount to the wall. You configure the width and the fronts to the room, and everything disappears behind flat panels. It reads as intentional furniture rather than a shelf you covered up, which is why it is the cleanest way to get a wall of hidden storage in a small space.
3. IKEA Eket With Doors
For tight or awkward spaces, Eket is a set of small modular cabinets you can buy with doors, stack, or hang on the wall to free up the floor. Because the units are compact, they slot into corners, gaps beside a desk, or a narrow run where a full cabinet would not fit. Wall-mounting them is especially useful in a studio, keeping the floor clear and the storage closed. It is more of a build-your-own approach, which is the appeal when your space is an unusual shape.
4. A Sideboard or Credenza
Sometimes the best closed storage is not a cube at all. A low sideboard or credenza runs along a wall and hides a surprising amount behind two or three doors, doubling as a surface for a lamp or a television. IKEA’s Havsta and countless non-IKEA sideboards fill this role, and the horizontal shape keeps sight lines open in a small room. If your clutter is media, dishes, or paperwork you want out of view, a single well-placed sideboard often beats a grid of cubes for both looks and capacity.
5. Non-IKEA Cube Cabinets
Plenty of flat-pack brands beyond IKEA make cube-style units with built-in doors, from storage cabinets to closed cube organizers, often at competitive prices and in finishes IKEA does not offer. These give you the familiar modular cube format with fronts already included, so there is no separate insert to buy. Availability and quality vary more than with a single known range, so check dimensions, weight ratings, and reviews. For a renter who wants closed cubes without a trip to IKEA, they are a practical and often cheaper route.
6. A Cube Shelf With Fabric Bins
The cheapest way to hide clutter is not to close the shelf but to fill it with containers that do. A standard open cube organizer paired with fabric drawer bins conceals whatever sits inside while staying light, inexpensive, and easy to move, which suits a first apartment or a tight budget. It is not as polished as real doors, and the bins are the look, so choose a color you like. But for hiding odds and ends fast, without tools or a big spend, it is hard to beat.
How the Options Compare
| Option | How it closes | Placement | Effort | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kallax with inserts | Door or drawer inserts | Floor | Low, add-on | Keeping a Kallax you own |
| IKEA Besta | Full doors and drawers | Floor or wall | Medium build | Cleanest hidden wall |
| IKEA Eket with doors | Small cabinet doors | Floor, stack, or wall | Medium, modular | Corners and studios |
| Sideboard / credenza | Cabinet doors | Floor, along a wall | Low, single piece | Media and dishes |
| Non-IKEA cube cabinet | Built-in doors | Floor | Low to medium | Cheaper closed cubes |
| Cube shelf with bins | Fabric drawer bins | Floor | Very low | Budget and renters |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add doors to a Kallax I already own?
Yes. The Kallax system is designed to take insert modules, including ones with a hinged door or two drawers, that fit into the cube openings. You can close off as many cubes as you like and leave others open for books or decor, which lets you convert an open shelf into partly hidden storage without buying a new unit. It is the lowest-effort way to solve the clutter-on-display problem if you are otherwise happy with your Kallax.
What is the most space-efficient closed storage for a studio?
Wall-mounted modular cabinets, like Eket hung off the floor, or a low Besta run, tend to win in a studio because they keep the floor clear and the contents hidden. Vertical wall storage frees up the limited floor area a studio cannot spare, and closed fronts keep the single room from feeling cluttered. A low sideboard also works well if you have a spare wall, since its horizontal shape preserves open sight lines that make a small space feel larger.
Is Besta or Kallax better for hiding clutter?
Besta, if hiding clutter is the priority, because it is built as a closed cabinet system with doors and drawers standard, and it looks like finished furniture. Kallax is an open shelf that you can partly close with inserts, which is cheaper and keeps the cube look but rarely hides as completely or as cleanly. Choose Kallax with inserts to keep a unit you own or want the cube aesthetic, and Besta when you want everything fully out of sight.
Are these renter-friendly?
Most are, since freestanding cabinets, sideboards, and cube units need no wall damage at all. The main caution is wall-mounting, used by systems like Eket and optionally Besta, which involves anchors and a few holes to patch when you leave. If you cannot drill, stick to floor-standing versions, and secure taller units to the wall only with a removable anti-tip strap where possible. For zero holes, a sideboard or a cube shelf with bins is the safest renter choice.
Hide the Clutter, Keep the Floor Space
Open cubes are honest about your mess, so the fix is to put a front on it. Add door or drawer inserts to a Kallax you already like, step up to Besta for a fully closed and finished wall, use Eket or a sideboard to work with an odd or narrow space, or hide everything cheaply behind fabric bins in a cube shelf. Match the option to your room’s shape and your willingness to mount to the wall, and your storage does its job without broadcasting the contents. For more on making a small space work, browse Wayodd’s Interior Design section.