I’ve purchased six Expedit storage units from IKEA for our three-child house, so you can imagine my shock when I discovered that they were no longer selling what I consider their most versatile, affordable, and useful storage solution for families. Turns out that the new IKEA Kallax storage system is actually the Expedit system, with a makeover and name change. Hooray!
The furniture looks very similar to Expedit, which is good news for those of us who want to add more coordinating pieces. But Kallax has some neat features for families, like slightly rounded edges to make it a bit safer around young kids, and a more durable finish that won’t scratch or ding easily. They’ve also made the dimensions a bit thinner and lighter for a sleeker look and to make the pieces more environmentally friendly to produce and ship. Plus they come in some fun new colors like red, turquoise, green, orange and pink to take it beyond neutrals.
I measured, and Kallax’s interior squares are identical in size to the Expedit system so any storage boxes or inserts you have for one will work in the other. We use slide-in boxes to keep everything from craft supplies to hair accessories to small toys organized and off the floor so for me that’s a big deal.
And then, you just can’t beat the price. No, these are not heirloom quality pieces of furniture that you’ll lovingly pass down for generations. But given how well my Expedit pieces still look after more than ten years of heavy use, I think IKEA Kallax will stand up to any family’s needs for a really long time too.
Check out the IKEA Kallax storage units which can actually be purchased online too.
