Ikea Hack: Mod Storage + Litter Closet

When you live in a very small apartment, it can be difficult to find a place for everything, including the cat’s litter box. I used to hide it in a small closet with a forward-facing entry hole, but ever since we got Hudson, it just proved to be non dog-proof. And when a dog gets into the cat litter box, the repercussions can be very ugly. If you are both a cat and dog owner, you know what I mean.

I was inspired by the Catteux cabinet by London-based Elips Design, and went on a mission to find an inexpensive piece of Ikea furniture that we could modify. The Besta seemed to be the perfect solution. It has a nice minimal design, customizable modules and different veneers to choose from. We bought three modules, 2 singles and 1 pair. The first cabinet is used for storing our serveware, the middle cabinet stores our living room crap, and the third has Sumo’s litter box in it. Since the cabinets are 3 separate pieces, the litter closet can easily be removed or replaced if it gets damaged by his cat paws.

Using a jig saw I cut a hole at the side of the cabinet (tip: do this before you put the cabinet together!). I had also purchased a thin sheet of wood veneer at an art store and used it to trim the rough opening with industrial-grade glue. Wait til it gets tacky before gluing it down, otherwise it won’t stick!

Having the entry at the side of the cabinet allows me to conceal the litter closet. It also allows me to put an obstruction (in this case, a guitar), to prevent Hudson from sticking her head in the hole. For some reason, she is super terrified of the guitar, which works well in our favor.

There even is ample room to store all of Sumo’s supplies!

And there you have it. The living room is back in order and everyone is happy!

What pet-inspired solutions have you done around your house? Do share!