This $1 Ikea Container Solves Small Kitchen Storage Problems In No Time

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

From single-use kitchen gadgets that will clog up your junk drawer to adorable miniature tools that may be useful but still take up space, it's easy to max out your kitchen storage and find yourself desperate for more. And even if you have a spare drawer available, surely there's a better solution than jumbling all your random odds and ends together in a single place. Enter Ikea's Sunnersta container, a plastic storage basket with a built-in hook that will set you back 99 cents.

The Sunnersta container is roughly 4 ¾ by 4 ⅜ inches and comes in four colors: beige, blue-gray, bright orange, and white. Photos on the Ikea website show the container being used to hold silverware, pencils and pens, scissors, and common kitchen utensils like a whisk or small ladle. You can also use it to to categorize and store all sorts of various items, like bottle openers, rubber bands, takeout sauce packets, and cleaning supplies like sponges and brushes.

The best thing about the Sunnersta container is its versatility. It's small and can be easily moved to wherever you need it, as long as you have something for it to hook over. The hook itself is about ½-inch wide, although one reviewer says it won't work over anything more than about a quarter inch. Ikea does, naturally, sell products with the Sunnersta container if you don't have somewhere to hang it, including an adjustable kitchen organizer that can be wedged between your countertop and cupboards. It features a couple of thin bars perfect for the containers, giving you vertical storage in a space that might otherwise go to waste. Several people mention pairing the storage container with a rolling cart as well; simply hook it over the edge. 

Overall, this container has fantastic reviews, enjoying a solid 4.7-star rating on the Ikea website. No doubt the friendly price point helps. Several reviewers mention using the storage container for plants, such as a kitchen herb garden, or even outdoor use in conjunction with a trellis. If you choose to go this route, however, be prepared to drill some drainage holes in the bottom. This would also be helpful if you wanted to use these for draining freshly cleaned silverware, sponges, or as someone else reported, shower storage. Generally, people are impressed with the number of ways these little containers come in handy, and with how much they are able to hold.

If you want to incorporate more of Ikea's Sunnersta line into your kitchen, it does have a number of other useful storage solutions that the containers can be clubbed with. These include a $4.99 rail that actually comes with hooks and two of the storage containers; a small stand with multiple hooks for the containers and a drainage shelf at the bottom; a slim storage unit with a shelf and a drawer; plus a few other items, all of which are designed to provide versatile storage solutions — for any room of the house. Pair these items with another of our favorite kitchen storage hacks to maximise space — cubbies — and you may be surprised at how spacious your kitchen suddenly seems.