In many kitchens, the worktop disappears under grocery bags, peels, loose onions, and the small appliances you can’t seem to place anywhere. We dream of a new tall cabinet, a large service trolley, or even a full renovation, but neither the budget nor the available square meters keep up. The result: we cook amid clutter, juggling a trash bin that’s out of reach and cupboards that are overflowing.
Yet IKEA offers a straightforward path, spotted by House Digest on August 22, 2026: repurposing a utility cart into a complete storage station using the bacs HÅLLBAR, originally designed for waste sorting. A clever combination that turns a forgotten corner into a genuine mobile kitchen storage module. The secret lies in two elements.
Why the kitchen overflows and how IKEA HÅLLBAR helps you see clearly
The problem often boils down to the same issue: fixed storage can’t keep pace with the prep. We cut, peel, unpack, and everything stays on the work surface for lack of a trash bin within reach or of a free drawer. Dried legumes end up jammed at the back of a cabinet, onion slices trail across the floor. In short, nothing very pleasant.
In an article titled “No more messy kitchen: IKEA’s elegant solution to create more storage,” House Digest examines IKEA’s HÅLLBAR range. These plastic bins come in several sizes, from about 101 ounces (3 liters) to 9 gallons (about 34 liters), with prices ranging from $3.99 (about €3.70) to $19.99 (about €18.50) at the time of publication. Officially designed for waste and recycling, they are stackable, equipped with handles and a removable lid, and IKEA notes that they can also serve as storage for various everyday items.
An IKEA HÅLLBAR kitchen storage cart, the winning combination
The idea seen on Instagram, echoed by House Digest, is very practical: place a HÅLLBAR bin on the top shelf of a utility cart, with the lid slightly ajar. While cooking, you simply drop packaging and peels directly into it, without running back and forth to the bin under the sink. The lower levels hold onions, eggplants, potatoes, or packets of pasta and rice, neatly organized in other bins.
A major advantage is that this IKEA HÅLLBAR kitchen storage cart is fully mobile. You pull it close to the work surface when preparing the evening meal, then tuck it away in the pantry or against a wall once everything is clean. House Digest notes that IKEA sells several carts starting at around $20 (about €18), but you can also reuse a model you already have at home. Then simply choose two or three HÅLLBAR bins whose sizes match the cart’s shelves, mixing small volumes for compost with a larger bin for foods or packaging.
Tips to customize this cart and free up even more space
In the highlighted video, the creator also adds a small compost bin on the side of the cart. The shelves thus retain their full surface for storage, while organic waste remains isolated. Another clever detail noted by House Digest: the addition of KUNGSFORS S hooks, sold in packs of five at IKEA for $4.99 (about €4.60). Hung on the rim, they’re used to hang dish towels, oven mitts, kitchen scissors, or even a small wicker basket.
This repurposing isn’t limited to waste. The HÅLLBAR bins can also hold flour, sugar, yeast, and decorations if you bake a lot, or rather grocery bags, paper towels, and napkins if you’re short on cabinet space. A large bin even allows you to hide a blender or a rice cooker that you use infrequently. The smaller, stackable models can be placed on a shelf if you don’t have a cart. In just a few minutes, you achieve a compact storage station, ready to be rolled out of view when guests arrive.
