What if your towel bar is almost only serving to pile up damp laundry, while your washcloths keep piling up in a drawer? In small bathrooms, every inch counts and any stray bath linen quickly creates a sense of chaos. Many households immediately think of buying a new towel rack, bigger and more stylish. Yet a smarter and far cheaper solution hides in an IKEA kitchen aisle.
A hack seen on TikTok and detailed by the site HouseDigest proposes repurposing the spice shelf BEKVÄM to create a bathroom storage solution. By combining two of these small wooden shelves, sold for $9.99 each (about €9), you obtain a double-level tray capable of holding gloves, small towels and other textiles. The promise is simple: no more rummaging under the sink, and a finally organized bath linen corner.
Why swap the towel bar for the BEKVÄM IKEA DIY
HouseDigest describes those moments when we rummage through drawers or under the vanity to find a simple washcloth or a small towel. This reality resonates with many families: the standard towel bar remains useful for large bath towels, but it doesn’t manage all the little daily bits of laundry. As a result, surfaces get covered with unstable stacks, hard to keep clean and dry. A compact support, placed or mounted, responds much better to this precise need.
In a viral video, the TikTok creator @micklemaks shows how two BEKVÄM shelves are enough to form a mini piece of furniture. Each element is first assembled separately, as instructed by IKEA. Then, HouseDigest explains, you simply screw one screw into each of the two back supports in the keyhole slots at the rear of a shelf, before sliding the second shelf over to lock it. HouseDigest sums it up: “This IKEA DIY, which lets you say goodbye to tedious towel bars, takes only a few minutes to complete.”
Making the IKEA bathroom storage step by step
To reproduce this IKEA DIY at home, the material list remains short. According to HouseDigest, you need two BEKVÄM spice shelves, a few screws, and possibly something to sturdily secure the whole unit.
- 2 BEKVÄM spice shelves (9.99 dollars each, about €9)
- a screwdriver or a drill
- 2 screws for the back supports in the keyhole slots
- waterproof wood glue for a permanent bond, sold at $3.98 according to HouseDigest (about €4)
- a bit of twine or cord if you prefer a decorative hold
- wall anchors and standard wall screws if you choose a wall-mounted installation
Once the two shelves are bonded together, you obtain a tray about 15 ¾ inches long. It can simply rest on the bathroom counter or stand vertically, like a small laundry cubby.
Mount, use, and personalize the BEKVÄM IKEA hack
When placed vertically, you can roll the small towels and slip them through the side openings to keep them in place. HouseDigest notes that a washcloth measures about 12 to 13 inches on one side, a size perfectly suited to this format.
To fix it in place, HouseDigest mentions either screws into wall anchors, or a string threaded through the top openings to hang it. A touch of paint or varnish is all that’s needed to coordinate it with your bathroom.
