IKEA's Modern $2.99 Countertop Organizer Makes Small Kitchens Feel Instantly More Organized – and It Looks Like a Designer Buy
For less than the price of a coffee, IKEA's HUNDHAJ spice rack keeps countertops tidy, adds a design-forward touch, and even doubles as a stand for your phone while you cook
I spend a surprising amount of time browsing IKEA. Partly because it's my job to keep up with the latest home launches, but also because it's one of the most reliable places to find affordable storage that genuinely makes life easier. In fact, most of my kitchen organization comes from IKEA. So when a new product catches my eye, it tends to be for a good reason – and the new HUNDHAJ spice rack is easily one of my favorite recent finds.
The HUNDHAJ is designed to keep spices, oils, and other cooking essentials together in one place. It might not sound like the most exciting purchase on paper, but if you've ever spent five minutes rummaging through a packed cabinet looking for your herbs and spices, or found yourself shuffling bottles of oil around the countertop just to make space to cook, you'll know how much of a difference good kitchen storage ideas can make.
What sets it apart, though, is its surprisingly cool design. Yes, really. Most spice racks are purely functional and not something you'd want to show off. The speckled green finish has a terrazzo-inspired look – a retro trend that's making a stylish comeback – and feels far more expensive than its $2.99 price tag suggests. The result is a practical organizer that doubles as a beautiful way of organizing a kitchen countertop.
A Modern Way to Store Spices
Spice storage ideas are one of the trickiest parts of kitchen organization. Jars have a habit of multiplying, disappearing into deep cupboards, or ending up scattered across every available surface. One of the simplest ways to improve your kitchen workflow is to keep the ingredients you reach for most often visible and within easy reach. Not only does that make cooking faster, but it also helps reduce countertop clutter by creating a dedicated home for everyday essentials.
Grouping spices, bottles, and seasonings together helps keep countertops and shelves feeling neater and more organized. It's particularly useful in small kitchens, where every inch of storage needs to work harder, and a streamlined setup can make the entire room feel more spacious.
That balance between practicality and style is something interior designer Irene Gunter, founder of Gunter & Co, believes is essential in any kitchen.
'If it's easy to find ingredients and equipment, cooking will be more enjoyable, while good storage can make the room feel less cluttered and more spacious. It is important to strike a balance between functionality and style,' she says.
The HUNDHAJ rack manages to do both. It keeps frequently used ingredients close at hand while also looking attractive enough to leave on display.
More Than Just a Spice Rack
What makes this organizer particularly clever is its versatility. It can be used in two different positions depending on your needs. With the raised edges facing upwards, it's perfect for securely storing spice jars, oils, and condiments. Flip it over, and it becomes more of a display shelf, making it easy to style kitchen essentials or decorative accessories.
There's also a thoughtful feature that many home cooks will appreciate: it doubles as a phone stand. If you've ever balanced your phone against a jar or propped it up against a cookbook while following a recipe, you'll know how useful that is. Being able to keep a recipe in view while you cook is one of those small details that makes everyday tasks feel much easier.
The rack is also designed to work with IKEA's CITRONHAJ containers, making it easy to create a coordinated storage setup if you're looking for a more streamlined, organized kitchen. The CITRONHAJ spice jars have already made their way into my shopping bag.
'The most successful kitchen storage solutions are the ones that make daily tasks easier while still looking good on display,' says Molly Malsom, Kitchen Editor at Homes & Gardens. 'This spice rack does exactly that. It keeps frequently used ingredients within easy reach, helps reduce countertop clutter, and has a design that feels much more expensive than its price tag suggests.'
There's another detail worth mentioning, too. The rack is made using waste material generated during IKEA's other production processes, with the lacquered finish highlighting the colorful speckled fragments left behind. It's a small touch, but one that gives the piece its distinctive appearance and makes it feel far more considered than your average countertop organizer.
It's hard to believe this chic little organizer costs just $2.99. Combining smart storage, thoughtful design, and surprising versatility, it's the kind of kitchen find that punches well above its price point. If you're searching for a better way to organize spices, particularly in a small kitchen, this is a simple upgrade with an outsized impact.
Shop Alternative Kitchen Organizer
This sleek counter riser is one of my favorite ways to add extra storage without making a kitchen feel crowded. By creating a second level on your countertop or inside a cabinet, it instantly makes better use of vertical space while keeping spices, mugs, jars, and coffee essentials easy to see and reach. The clean, modern design feels much more elevated than traditional organizers, and because it's stackable, you can easily expand it as your storage needs grow.
I love the modern, slightly architectural design of this spice rack. The natural bamboo frame and floating glass jars make it feel more like a piece of decor than a kitchen organizer, while the clever collapsible stand lets it sit neatly by the stove, lie flat in a drawer, or hang on the wall. Complete with 16 everyday herbs and seasonings, it's a stylish way to keep your most-used flavors within easy reach.
If your spice collection seems to grow by the week, this expandable bamboo rack is a simple way to keep everything organized and easy to see. I love that it can be adjusted to fit your space, whether you're working with a small cabinet or a wider shelf, and the natural bamboo finish gives it a warm, timeless look that works with almost any kitchen style. It's practical, tidy, and much more attractive than having spice jars scattered throughout your cabinets.
Love beautiful design ideas, expert shopping advice, and inspiring kitchen trends? Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox.
