Shelves & Storage

How to Build Floor-To-Ceiling Bookshelves (With a Window Seat)

November 22, 2016 by Ash 85 Comments

Learn how to make built-in bookshelves with a window seat and cabinets. The tutorial is simple-to-follow, and the bookshelves turn out beautiful.

Ever since building my first bookshelf in our first home, I’ve had a hankering ever since to do another one but on a much more grand scale.

My wish came true when Eileen came to me one day with some ideas for her office in our new home. An exciting project was brewing!

Since we didn’t have any large bookshelves in our present home, most of the books we packed up during our move were still in boxes. I’m talking cartons and cartons of books.

They were taking up a lot of valuable space in various locations around the house. So bookshelves were sorely needed.

Initially, we were leaning towards a large L-shaped bookshelf in the office. Then Eileen had a great idea of placing the bookshelf against the window wall and incorporating a window seat.

The office window wall was very bland and not very exciting to look at. It was almost begging for a renovation.

Although it would provide a little less shelf storage than our initial L-shaped shelf idea, it would still be more than enough for all our books.

Also, the window seat would provide a little extra underneath cabinet storage, which is a pretty cool feature.

This room is a little sitting room off of our bedroom.

We originally felt like we would have no need for this room, but after staying empty for a few months, Eileen moved her office/craft room in here.

Update: We actually did something pretty cool with the L-shaped space that we didn’t used for this built-in bookshelf project. We made a craft corner using pegboard, wall-mounted cubby shelves, and simple shelves.

Later on, we added swing-out shelves, which is perfect paint storage.

Planning the Built-In Bookshelves with a Window Seat

The project was essentially going to be two separate built-in bookshelves (on each side of the window) with a seat connecting the two in the middle. The seat would be sitting atop some wide kitchen cabinets for extra storage.

Above the window was just enough space for a single small shelf to store decorative items or horizontal books.

Even though it would be a small shelf, Eileen felt that it would add a lot aesthetically, and there are always creative ways to decorate.

Finally, some baseboard would run along the bottom, and some crown molding at the top.

Some designs I saw online used a standard shelf depth (around 12”) with the seat extending out further.

Eileen didn’t want a protruding edge, and she has the eye for design.

So to prevent this, the depth of the seat had to be the same as the bookshelves.

Due to a closet opening on a perpendicular wall, I was restricted to a maximum depth of 15.”

I was a little worried that this would not be enough depth to sit comfortably on, but a few trial sittings on 15” planks of wood proved to be acceptable.

This also meant deeper than normal shelves, but I wasn’t too concerned. I’m sure any extra space behind some books could be put to good use.

As with most of my projects, I started off in TinkerCad to sketch out a 3D design of what was floating around in my head. I came up with the following:

Determining Materials

With the design for built-in bookshelves flushed out, I was ready to begin.

I strongly considered using melamine covered particle board for the shelves, but instead opted for some good quality birch plywood.

Although the birch was a little more expensive, I wasn’t comfortable embarking on a project this size using melamine – a material I have never really worked with before.

Also I wanted to use a stronger material than melamine covered particleboard.

Next, I used a drawing program on my computer (Photoshop) to calculate the minimum number of 4 x 8 sheets of plywood needed to cut out all the required bookshelf pieces.

I then placed a Home Depot delivery order for all the bookshelf lumber (including some 2 x 4s and 2 x 6s for various segments in the design, baseboard, and crown molding for the trim and some miscellaneous hardware).

Ordering from the home improvement stores is so convenient, but you do have to be careful because you aren’t the one picking out your wood. Still, I do like to order this way for convenience.

Here is the diagram I made in Photoshop to calculate the number of 4 x 8 plywood sheets needed:

Constructing the Built-In Bookshelves

After I got the built-in bookshelf wood, I quickly cut the plywood sheets into 15” wide strips using my circular saw and stored them for use shortly. This helps me to prepare for the project.

With all the materials on hand, I embarked on building these bookcases with a window seat.

Removing Carpeting

The first step was to remove the carpeting where the bookshelf would rest.

For a flat platform to build on, it needed to sit directly on the floor plywood sheathing. I accomplished this with the help of my utility knife and a metal ruler to help guide the cuts.

Then I removed some existing baseboard trim so the bookshelf could sit flush against the wall.

The use of my oscillating multi tool helped out here to remove just enough baseboard, leaving the rest intact, so that the bookshelf would seamlessly blend in.

Here’s a picture showing me making progress on prepping the floor.

I had to be extra careful removing the carpet tacking strips at the edges, as they were riddled with rusty looking nails:

Building the Foundation

Once all the bare plywood flooring was exposed and baseboard removed, I started work on the foundation for the two end bookshelf segments.

They would rest directly on the bare floor. I assembled the frames from 2 x 6 wood.

Here’s a picture of the completed frames:

While constructing the frames in the garage, the corners needed to be very square.

I didn’t have a 90 degree clamp at the time to assist, so using a scrap piece of 2 x 4 and two handy bar clamps, I got creative.

As seen in the picture below, I was able to lock in place two perpendicular pieces of wood allowing me to fasten them accurately with screws:

Here’s a picture of one of the frames in position resting on the bare floor (notice how I carved some grooves underneath to allow a coaxial cable to run through):

Relocating the Air Vent

I left the middle foundation frame (that the seat would rest on) for last as it would be a little trickier than the others.

There was a central air vent on the floor where this middle frame was going to sit, and so I had to redirect the airflow.

After brainstorming various ideas on accomplishing this task,

I settled on a very simple yet effective method. I was just going to build a wooden duct into the foundation frame, and seal the inside edges with caulk to make it air tight.

Here is a picture of the end result (a louvred vent would be inserted into the front hole, which I cut out with my trusty jigsaw):

Here’s a picture after I caulked the wooden duct:

Securing the Foundation Frames to the Wall

Once the foundation frames were complete, I secured them in place. I used some lag bolts to attach the rear of the frames to some wall studs.

Then I used some L brackets to secure the front to the plywood flooring.

Here is a picture showing some L brackets in action:

You might have noticed a number of pocket holes in my construction. They are very convenient for attaching wood perpendicular to another one, especially in tight or not easily accessible areas.

With the help of a jig (I use the Kreg Pocket Hole Jig), they are very easy to make.

Here is a picture of one of the pocket holes up close:

Above the middle foundation frame, I also started building up the seat supports and cabinet housing, as seen in the picture below:

Helpful Tip: Here’s a useful trick I used while making the foundation frames.

I had made a few alignment errors on the first frame, and so I had to unscrew a few pieces and adjust.

Some wooden toothpicks came in very handy to plug the existing screw holes so that I could re-screw very near to those holes.

I simply stuck the toothpicks in the holes and broke off the protruding pieces. Here’s a picture of me ‘toothpicking’ the holes (all we had were party toothpicks, hence the bright colors):

Constructing the Shelves

With the foundation frames in place, I decided to start work on the shelves. It was getting exciting!

Making Dado Grooves

I used the same technique as my first bookshelf I built in our old home – dado grooves to support the shelves, cut with a standard plunge router.

To start, I placed 2 of the bookshelf vertical end supports side by side, clamped them together tightly, and marked with a pencil where all the dados were to be cut.

Then using some scrap wood, I built a simple jig for my router to speed up the cutting and make all the dados identical.

Here are some pictures showing the the jig and the router in action.

With the help of the jig, cutting the dados was pretty effortless. Eileen even lent me a hand and cut some of them for me, while I did some other tasks.

Here are what the dados look like after routing:

Attaching the Individual Shelves

After the dados were all cut, I started attaching the individual shelves. To do this, I first applied some construction adhesive to the side of a shelf.

Then I inserted it into one of the dado grooves.

Then while using some right angled clamps to hold the shelf in place (I decided to buy some to assist with this project), I fastened 3 deck screws from the other side to complete the task.

Here is a picture showing a shelf being attached:

Only the inner shelves used dado grooves. The top and bottom shelves were attached with just adhesive and screws.

Here is what it looked like with all the inner shelves attached:

Next, I applied more adhesive to the attached shelves, and dropped on the remaining dado-ed vertical support.

Each shelf had to be adjusted so they fit perfectly into the dado grooves. Screws were also inserted to secure the connections.

Finally, I ran a 2×4 wood by the top shelf to serve as a mounting point for securing the bookshelf to the wall.

Priming and Painting the Bookshelves

To complete this bookshelf, I put on 2 coats of primer, and then 2 coats of a special urethane acrylic cabinet paint.

I was worried about regular paint sticking to the books after sitting for some time, so I opted for this hard protective cabinet paint.

You also could use milk paint, which is a more natural paint and it turns out beautiful on furniture. We found this out with our mudroom makeover.

Eileen, who usually does all the painting, prefers milk paint on raw wood, which we learned after we did this built-in bookshelf. More details on this are at the end of the post – in the update section.

Then, with the help of Eileen, we carried the bookshelf upstairs and set it in place. Getting the shelf upstairs was no easy task, by the way.

I knew ahead of time that it was going to be a tight fit, but not impossible.

Here’s a picture of the shelf leaning, while we figured out just how to get it through the doorway. It was an extremely tight fit, but we made it.

The other bookshelf on the opposite side is actually slightly longer than this first one (due to the window not being perfectly centered on the wall).

So we knew ahead of time that the second bookshelf would definitely not fit in our stairway and would have to be constructed upstairs in the bedroom.

Attaching the Shelf to the Foundation Frame

Using some deck screws, I attached the bottom shelf directly to the foundation frame. The left side of the shelf (touching the wall) was secured directly to some wall studs.

Finally, I secured the 2×4 cross piece at the top to some wall studs using some lag bolts.

Aside from the 2×4, I had used a countersinking drill bit to make the screw holes in the shelf. This made a clean hole for the screw to be countersunk without damaging the expensive birch plywood.

I planned on filling in these holes with wood putty later to hide the screw head completely.

Here’s a picture showing the shelf secured in place. It was really cool seeing Eileen’s vision start to take fruition.

Building the Second Bookshelf

Now it was time to start work on the second bookshelf that would sit on the right hand side.

As mentioned earlier, it was a few inches longer than the first one and would have to be constructed in the bedroom, rather than in the garage.

I did as much as I could in the garage though.

First, I cut all the wood to the required sizes, and routed the dados using my jig. I also painted the individual pieces in the garage as well.

Also, I had to be careful not to get too close to the edges of the shelves with the paint though.

The edges would slide in the dado grooves, and any paint (particularly the urethane acrylic paint) would increase the thickness of the shelves and make this step difficult.

Working between the garage and the upstairs bedroom meant frequent trips up and down the stairs. Many times I would have a handful of tools to juggle.

Then during one of my frequent google search sessions for tool organizing ideas, I came across bucket organizers for tools. I didn’t even know they existed.

What a great way to repurpose the standard bucket. So I purchased one and made my garage/bedroom commute a lot easier.

Here’s a picture of mine:

Next, I transported all the individual shelf pieces upstairs, and started assembly with the help of some saw horses.

It was a little more difficult to work in the bedroom due to the limited space, but it was manageable.

After the pieces were put together to assemble the bookshelf, I set it in place using the same steps I went through for the first bookshelf (securing to the wall and to the foundation frame).

Here is a picture of the right bookshelf partially assembled in the bedroom:

Here is a close-up showing the other vertical shelf support prepped with construction adhesive in the dados, ready to be attached to the rest of the shelf:

Both the left and right bookshelves were up at the point, and they were looking great.

Making the Window Seat

So next I started working on the middle portion – the seat and cabinets.

The cabinets were pre-fabricated ones I purchased online from Lowes. I got two of them to mount side-by-side. I just had to assemble them when they arrived.

You can also build the cabinets yourself – I later built these DIY cabinets for our mudroom.

Here is a picture of one of the cabinets after I assembled it:

To get the cabinets ready for installation, I built a framed housing for each. The I slid the cabinets into the housing, and screwed them in.

The top of the housing would also serve as the supports for the seat.

Here is a picture showing the cabinet housing completed:

Here is a picture showing the installed cabinets, as well as the seat attached with some countersunk screws. The bookshelves were looking more complete with the window seat now in.

Building the Top Shelf

With the seat and cabinets in place, it was time to install the final shelf above the window and get ready for the trim work.

To start, I ran three 2 x 4’s across the top of the bookshelves (in between the top front of the bookshelves and the ceiling).

Their primary purpose was to provide a nailing surface for the crown molding.

In addition, the middle 2 x 4 (that bridged the two bookshelves at the top) was going to help support the middle shelf that ran above the window.

I didn’t use dado grooves for this window shelf. I just used construction adhesive and screws to attach two plywood shelf pieces in between the two end bookshelves.

The top shelf piece also attached to the bridging 2 x 4 above.

This window shelf was really long though (the same length as the seat), so to prevent it from drooping in the middle, I added a divider in the center to hold up the bottom shelf to the firmer top shelf.

Installing Crown Molding and Baseboard

Now it was time to install the crown molding and baseboard.

This was a relatively straight forward step that adds a lot of pack for its punch.

I had installed crown molding in the kitchen of our previous home, so I was familiar with the procedure.

This time around though, I had a table saw, so the install went even easier than before.

For an easy crown molding install, having an angled surface to nail the trim into place is key.

So I measured the angle of the crown molding (the angle it would make with the wall), and ripped some 2 x 4s with my table saw to match this angle.

I attached them directly to the 2 x 4s already mounted on top of the bookshelves. Then, I used my finishing nail gun to attach the crown molding.

Here is a close-up of the crown molding. It really added such a finished touch to the built-ins:

The baseboard installed even easier. I just cut the pieces to length and secured them in with the nailgun.

The vent opening on the floor just needed a small top and bottom piece of the baseboard to blend in.

Here is what the baseboard looked like. The whole bookshelf project was really coming together:

Attaching Trim

With the crown molding and baseboard installed, it was time to attach trim to cover the exposed edges of the plywood.

I couldn’t leave the bookshelves as they were because the plywood edges were very rough to the touch (easily leaving splinters) and were not very nice looking.

To save on costs, I decided to cut my own ¼” thick trim from 2 x 4s using my table saw.

I collected all the measurements I needed to cover all the exposed areas and got to work in the garage cutting the trim.

It worked out fairly well – although there were a number of knots in the wood causing several of the trim to break because they were so thin.

Also, other imperfections in the wood caused a few gouges in the cut trim.

So it definitely wasn’t perfect trim, but considering how cheap it was to make from 2 x 4s, it was worth it.

Besides, after the trim gets installed, I planned on patching up any flaws with wood putty. Then, once painted, the trim would look flawless.

Here is a picture showing the installed trim (I use construction adhesive and my finishing nailer to attach them):

Finishing Touches on Construction

Construction of the window bookshelf was pretty much complete at this point. I was really pleased with how it was turning out, and Eileen was absolutely thrilled.

I did attach some beadboard paneling above the seat with construction adhesive and the finishing nailer.

All that remained now was to fill all the countersunk holes with wood putty, patch and smooth any imperfections in the trim, caulk any small gaps (mostly with the crown molding and baseboard) and then apply paint where necessary.

Painting the Built-In Bookshelves & Wall

Eileen hopped in at this point to take over the painting. She painted all remaining wood – going over the edges, getting the trim, and touching up areas here and here.

She also painted the areas to the right and left of the window (which were currently still the color of the walls). That really made the bookshelf pop.

Here is Eileen hard at work finishing off the project. The paint we used is linked above, but be sure to read our Update below on paint.

Using our New Floor-To-Ceiling Bookshelf with a Window Seat

The built-in bookshelf project was now finished. Eileen immediately filled up the shelves with all the books we had, freeing up much needed space around the house.

She even made a really nice cushion for the seat from scratch. She used a cushion material she found and a piece of outdoor fabric that she had leftover.

She’ll tell you that she’s awful with the sewing machine, but I don’t believe it. Look how nice it looks (below):

Here are a few more of the completed built-in bookshelves with a window seat.

The total cost of the built-in bookshelves project was around $600 and took me a few weeks to complete. It was a lot of fun to work on, and the payoff was huge.

It’s such a great addition to our home. It definitely upped the value of our home, not to mention our enjoyment of it.

Eileen has a place that she loves for all of her books – it’s definitely her dream room now.

Who wouldn’t want an entire wall of with floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves?!

To complete Eileen’s office, which is a sitting room off our bedroom, it needs some kind of doors. We are thinking about French doors or barn doors. What do you think would look best?!

And, if you’re trying to figure out how to style your built-in bookshelf and you’re a book hoarder like me, check out Emily’s post on how to style your bookcase if you’re a bookworm.

Three Year Built-In Bookshelf Update

Three years later, the bookshelf still looks amazing.

The paint has held up great. It’s a smooth surface and easy to keep clean.

There is one shelf that has too many heavy textbooks on it and needs a little support, but that it an easy fix.

The trim needed to be recaulked/wood puttied because the ceiling was very uneven. Some of the original caulked loosened up, and it needed another run.

Also, we would have chosen milk paint over the paint we used. Not at because of quality – but because we didn’t realize that a natural paint would hold up just as well and not expose us to any chemicals.

Milk paint is beautiful on natural wood, and it’s so amazing to work with natural paint! Definitely check out our post on using milk paint on raw wood.

And, we still haven’t put up any doors!

Eileen would love to add French doors this year to make it feel like a separate room. That’s definitely on the project list.

Not only was this sitting room wall completely transformed, but be sure to check out what we did to the other side of the room – the craft corner!

This room has certainly come leaps and bounds from the desolate yellow sitting room. It’s absolutely Eileen’s dream room.

If you are wondering whether or not you have the skills to create this built-in bookshelf yourselves, definitely give our DIY instructions a thorough read.

The only thing I had built before I got into DIY was a blanket fort.

Just kidding.

But seriously, you never know what you are capable of until you go for it.

And, if you have questions, ask away!

More DIY Projects You’ll Love

Love shelves just as much as we do?! Make these sliding storage shelves which are perfect for the garage or basement. They hold a TON!
This entryway and mudroom makeover is my wife’s second favorite room in the house! This is another drastic makeover that she just adores.
Want to start with an easy shelf? Make these simple picture ledges for less than $10.

Make These Picture Ledges for Under $10

October 29, 2016 by Ash 59 Comments

Do you have a bunch of picture frames lying around and a couple hours of time on your hands? Make a DIY picture frame ledge. It’s simple to make, easy to arrange, and looks quite elegant.

Since our move, we still have boxes of pictures frames taking up way too much of our closet space. However, we are one ample box lighter, due to the awesome picture ledge that Ash made.

As I was digging through the box that held the white, cream, and grayish frames, I thought about a gallery. However, I already had one on a neighboring wall, so I wanted something different for this collection of pictures.

That being said, one of Ash’s least favorite chores is hanging pictures up on our walls. You should hear how he tries to procrastinate the task, let alone see his expression when he languidly follows me around the house with a hammer and nails.

And, he definitely does not enjoy when I ask him to hold the picture up to the wall, as I direct from across the room saying, “A little bit left, nope too much….” With my indecisiveness, that goes on for a little too long before I usually end up putting the picture somewhere else.

For these reasons, I knew Ash would love the idea of not having to hang any of the picture frames in this hefty box and instead have the pictures rest on a DIY picture frame ledge.

Would you know he had both photo ledges built in a couple hours?

He used all scrap wood, and then I painted with furniture paint for a nice finish.

The best part?

You can make them too for under $10!

How to Make DIY Picture Frame Ledges

Here are Ash’s instructions on how he built these simple photo ledges.

I came up with a very simple design for the DIY picture frame ledge. Here is an exploded 3D diagram that I created in TinkerCAD to show how the pieces came together:

I was able to use all scrap wood left over from previous projects. I cut the long pieces to the appropriate length. Eileen used the length of the love seat as a basis for how long she wanted the shelves.

Then, I formed the triangle support ends with my miter saw (this is one of my favorite tools – check out my other favorites).

After that, using some wood glue, clamps, and finishing nails, I attached the pieces to each other. Once the wood glue dried, I used the orbital sander to smooth down all the surfaces to make the different wood segments blend into each other seamlessly.

Since it was scrap wood, there were a few gouges here and there that I patched with wood filler and sanded down to a smooth surface.

Finally, my painter, aka Eileen, gave the shelves two coats of paint, and then it was ready to be mounted to the wall.

In mounting, I secured the shelves to the wall using two lag bolts, directly into two wall studs. The heads of the bolts stood out slightly, so to help blend them in, I covered them with some white paint to match the shelves.

Looking back, if I had some Forstner bits at the time, I would have countersunk the lag bolt heads to make them flush with the wood surface.

The cost of the project was free, as we had all of the material in our garage; however, I estimate the project costing $10 for the wood plus a quart of paint.

Our New DIY Picture Frame Ledge

I loved the way the picture shelves turned out. Ash built them so quickly, and without any trips to the store for additional materials, which is always a plus!

I think it took me longer to arrange the pictures than it did for Ash to construct them. (I’m super slow at arranging things…)

Everyone who visits has been commenting on how much they like them. A few people have said, “Have these always been here?” That is one of my favorite comments because it goes to show how great they look where they are.

Not to mention, Ash was so pleased that we didn’t have to hang all those frames. I haven’t told him we still have two more boxes of pictures in the closet. I’m not quite sure where they are going either. Maybe another picture ledge will be forthcoming.

Here’s another angle of our new DIY picture frame ledge. The more I look at it, the more I love it – and it was a lot easier than creating a gallery, and unlike the gallery, I can easily rearrange the picture frames too.

Shelving projects are one of my favorites – I just love different ways you can display pictures, books, and other items. I’m sure we will have more shelving projects coming soon.

Converting a CD Tower into a Pantry Shelf

October 15, 2016 by Ash 46 Comments

When we moved into our new home, we found an old, tall tower style CD holder shelf that the previous owners had left.

It was supposed to be screwed into the wall, but the screws were loose.

Seeing it as a hazard, Eileen wanted to remove it and toss it, but I had a feeling that we could repurpose it one day into something more useful.

So off it went into the corner of the garage where it sat for almost a year.

As the months went by, I was starting to regret my decision of keeping the tower because it was always getting in my way when working in the garage.

Then, one day as I was looking for some cashews in the pantry, I noticed something very interesting.

One side of the pantry had an extra thick wall. It was actually twice the thickness of a regular wall. How unusual, I thought.

My mind immediate jumped to storage.

If there was empty space in that wall, it could open up the doors for all sorts of pantry storage ideas.

Ever since I built a sliding spice shelf in our previous home (in between the fridge and the wall), I had been eager to come up with something similar for our new home.

The pantry was getting difficult to navigate with all our spices, and we could never find anything we needed. Unfortunately, there was no decent space to build the equivalent, so I needed other options for spice storage.

This thick wall was the perfect solution to our pantry storage shortage.

Planning for Extra Pantry Storage

First, I needed to assess the wall situation better.

I needed to know how much space was available inside this wall. For all I knew, it could have been thick to accommodate a central air duct.

I did some knocking on the wall and it sounded very hollow.

Still, I needed to know what was inside before unnecessarily ripping off a large chunk of drywall just to find the area impractical for use.

Using an Endoscope Camera

I took to the Internet and purchased a very cheap endoscope camera for my computer.

The endoscope would provide eyes into the wall and allow me peer around without causing too much damage.

When it arrived, I hooked it up to my laptop, tested it out a bit to get a feel for it.

Pictured below is the endoscope camera, which plugs into the computer via USB.

To give you an example of the detail it gives, I placed the camera inside my son’s fire engine, and displayed on the computer screen is a very detailed profile of the driver.

After testing it out, I then stuck it into a very small hole I drilled into the wall.

The camera had an adjustable light, so I could see inside the dark wall.

I looked up and down, and all around, and the endoscope revealed what I suspected all along – a lot of empty space!

Determining How to Use the Space

Now that I knew what type of space I was dealing with, I had to brainstorm the best way to make use of it.

It was a tall vertical space, so I was thinking along the lines of a vertical shelf to hold spices. That would certainly help with storage.

I went off into the garage to plan out designs for a custom-built shelf to fit the area.

In the garage, I saw some scrap wood resting in the corner that could be turned into shelf pieces, but once again, that tall tower style CD shelf was in the way.

The CD shelf was really starting to test my patience.

I was about to finally toss it out when I had a eureka moment. You know, that CD shelf looked very similar in size to the space that I discovered lurking in the pantry walls.

I anxiously took out my tape measure and did an exact comparison.

The shelf would indeed fit into the wall!

Good thing we did not throw out the CD shelf (more reason for Eileen to start accepting my hoard-ish ways).

It seemed like the perfect solution for spice storage.

It was not very deep, so it wouldn’t hold large cans or boxes, but would easily hold spices and baking materials, which was exactly what we needed.

Installing the CD Tower

Excited about repurposing the CD tower into a pantry shelf, I couldn’t wait to get started. I love being able to repurpose some of the junk I keep around. It’s my justification for keeping everything. And, we really needed the pantry storage. I was tired of rooting through baskets of spices.

Preparing the CD Tower

I could have used the shelf unaltered, but I decided to make it a little shorter for the pantry.

The full height would have sent it nearly to the ceiling, which would made it a little impractical for pantry storage that high.

Cutting into the Drywall

After the shelf was shortened, I needed to cut the hole in the drywall.

I first used a pencil and ruler to outline the exact cutout on the wall. Then I used a special drywall handsaw (commonly called a jab saw) to cut out the hole.

It was a little messy working with the drywall, so I kept my shop vac close by.

After the hole was made, I inserted the shelf into the wall to get a feel for how it would look.

It looked amazing! I couldn’t wait for Eileen to see.

Affixing the Shelf

Now I needed to permanently affix the shelf.

The shelf was not resting directly on the floor inside the wall (it was a few inches above the baseboard), so first I had to attach a 2 x 4 cross piece to rest the shelf on.

I used my Kreg pockethole jig and some pockethole screws to attach both ends of a short 2 x 4 to the wall studs.

I repeated the process to attach another cross piece above the shelf to secure the top.

Then I slid the shelf in between the upper and lower 2 x 4 supports and attached the shelf permanently using some screws.

Applying the Trim

All that was left now was to apply some trim.

I actually had a lot of extra trim left over from redoing some kitchen baseboard a few months prior.

The trim I had originally purchased was too tall for the kitchen, so I had cut it shorter using my table saw. Good thing I held onto the cutoffs.

They were the perfect size to use as trim for the new pantry shelf.

It was already painted too. I secured the trim directly to the shelf using some finishing nails.

Finishing Touches

I adjusted the heights of the individual shelves to accommodate a variety of spice configurations, and then the pantry shelf project was complete.

I loaded it up with all my spices and our baking materials, which freed up so much space in the pantry. It truly was such a perfect pantry storage solution.

This was one of the more simple projects I’ve done recently for such a big reward. I completed the project in a few hours, and best of all, it was free! If you are looking for pantry storage ideas, think outside of the box. You never know what you’ll come up with:)

I’m hoping to repurpose more of my stashed finds in the near future.

Six DIY Weekend Projects That You Will Love

September 19, 2016 by Eileen Leave a Comment

With the cooler weather coming in, it’s the perfect time for weekend DIY projects. There’s something about the crisp, clean air that motivates me to accomplish more.

If you are anything like us, you are probably looking to get a few fall projects under your belt too.

The best projects are weekend ones, as I also love a project that only spans two days!

Plus, you can start and finish something amazing before the Monday morning blues set in.

From garage storage to backyard updates to kitchen upgrades, we are sharing quite a few home projects that only span a couple of days.

My personal favorite is the outdoor picnic table – it turned out so beautiful and we saved hundreds!

So, without further ado, here are six projects that you can complete over the course of the weekend.

1. Outdoor Picnic Table

Ash built this picnic table in just one day!

Imagine my surprise and delight:)

It was simple to make, and the results were beautiful. We especially love the composite decking on the tabletop and the seats, as it involved no staining or sealing – and provides a nice safe material to have meals on.

As for cost, this was a steal ($160!) compared to the cost of this type of outdoor furniture at the landscaping and home improvement stores, and it looks just as wonderful. It was definitely one of our favorite weekend DIY projects.

For a step-by-step tutorial, read Building a Picnic Table in One Day.

2. French Door Pantry

In our old house, we had an eyesore of a pantry.

It was nothing more than a nook of shelves with drawn curtains. It was nothing short of awful.

In sprucing up our house for our move, I was looking for ways to make our kitchen look less dated, without updating the counters and cabinets.

The idea of putting French doors then hit me. Ash agreed – he loves my design decisions…:)

We found a reasonable pair, installed them, and painted them white.

I couldn’t have been happier to see those awful curtains go – it was definitely a rags to riches moment!

It took a mere weekend of work, and I’m sure the nice folks who bought our house are enjoying them.

Check out the before and after along, with all the nitty gritty details in From Rags to Riches: Updating the Pantry.

3. Folding Workbench

This project was one of Ash’s favorite weekend DIY projects because he checked an item off his bucket list, as he finally built his own functional workbench.

It’s definitely a fan favorite, as it’s been featured on quite a few sites, including Life Hacker and Make.

In his post Constructing a Folding Workbench with Storage, Ash shares his plans (it’s an Ash original!) and explains not only this thought process, but all the necessary steps for you to build your own.

It only took two days, and Ash has been reaping its benefits ever since!

4. Sliding Garage Shelves

Ash and I are a little storage-obsessed. I’ll admit that I have a little Christmas stuff addiction, although I won’t even admit how many trees I have.

And, Ash, well he never throws anything away.

In his defense, he creates some really cool things from his hoard collection – including a built-in pantry shelf made from a CD shelf.

Thus, we could never have too much storage.

In our garage, we had a 20-foot corner of space between the wall and the fridge, and Ash turned this into 70 feet of space with stacked, slide-out storage shelves.

These shelves are awesome, storing some of our holiday decorations.

The slide-out feature provides easy access to boxes in the back, along with easy steps up to the top.

Not to mention, Ash created bonus shelving with the leftover wood.

If you love storage space as much as we do, check out Creating More Garage Storage.

In just a weekend, you could have yourself your very sliding storage shelves, just in time for the holidays.

5. Wooden Mower Wagon

Inspired by a trip to the strawberry fields, Ash had his mind set on building a trailer for his riding mower.

He figured he could haul yard waste to the curb more easily and even take the family on a few tractor rides.

His vision became a reality with this custom-built wagon.

When he finished the wagon, no one but Zeus was around – so he got the first ride. 🙂

Ash gives all the details, from basic construction to assembling the axles to hooking up the hitch connection in his post How to Build a Wagon for a Riding Mower.

After using it all summer, Ash found it more helpful than he originally thought, and he’ll continue to use it this fall bagging up all of the leaves.

6. Boardwalk Pathway for the Backyard

Thinking about tackling a wooden pathway project? It’s easier than you think. With just a few hours of work, Ash created a perfect path from our patio into the backyard.

Prior to this boardwalk, there was a narrow pathway with a few uneven rocks, so this was quite an upgrade. It took a little digging, but it was completed in a just a weekend – making it a perfect weekend DIY project.

After a year, it gets used each and every day and is holding up great. Looking for a boardwalk solution, read A Wooden Pathway for the Backyard.

All of these weekend DIY projects were tackled in just one weekend.

Make your Monday a little happier next week, knowing you created something awesome during your two day break.

Creative Garage DIYs to Increase Storage Space

September 6, 2016 by Ash 82 Comments

With our garage being my workshop and our primary storage area, it was filled to the brim with tools of all sizes, boxes and boxes of holiday decorations, yard tools and toys, and so much more.

We already did a lot of DIY projects that saved space and created more garage storage. I constructed a folding workbench, which was such an efficient workstation.

In a corner that formerly was a dumping ground of yard tools, I built a sliding shelf tower, which housed all of our holiday decorations. I also had a lot of creative shelves scattered around.

With so many things in our garage, any empty area was prime real estate, no matter how small.

A Hidden Gem

The other day, some wall space caught my eye – the gap between the two garage doors.

Right away I thought that it would be an excellent place for some narrow shelves. Strange that it took me a year to spot the little gem between my garage doors that could provide more garage storage.

Coincidentally, the project I was working on at the time (the built-in bookcase with window seat) produced a lot of scrap birch plywood.

This was expensive stuff – 4×8 sheets sell for $50 at Home Depot. So I wasn’t wasting any cut offs (I was quite inventive in the different ways I reused those scraps).

My shelving idea between the garage doors would be a perfect little project for some of the plywood scraps to get more garage storage.

Planning the Garage Storage Boxes

Simple flat shelves wouldn’t suffice though. With so little space, the shelves would be small, and things could fall off easily.

So instead of shelves, I started visualizing little boxes on the wall. How nice would it be to walk in wearing yard gloves, and have a box to toss them into as soon as I enter the garage?

I took the box idea a step further and considered using French cleats for them.

This would allow each box shelf to be removed by simply lifting it. It would lead to a very modular design where the boxes could be swapped with other ones on the fly.

Rather than digging through a box on the wall to find what I need, or make repeated trips to the wall, why not just take the box shelf with me? Not only would it create more garage storage – but it also would be very efficient.

Now that’s some clever thinking, if I do say so myself.

I came up with this simple box design below:

Here’s another view of the box design, resting on the wall via the French cleats:

Building the French Cleat Storage Boxes

I was excited to get more garage storage from this wasted space – I couldn’t wait to start building. Here’s a TinkerCAD exploded diagram showing in detail how it was constructed:

Constructing the First Garage Storage Box

In the diagram above, the orange piece on the far right is mounted to the wall (to allow the box shelf to drop into and secure to the wall). The rest of the pieces form the box itself.

The wall mounted piece and the other angled cut directly above it (attached to the box) form the French cleat system. I used scrap ¾” birch plywood for the box and French cleats.

For the floor of the box, I used ⅛” thick scrap plywood. I cut all the pieces to size quickly using my table saw, and then miter cut the side pieces for that nice angled profile.

For the French cleat 45 degree lengthwise cuts, I used the table saw again.

Then I used construction adhesive, some bar clamps and my 16 gauge finishing nail gun to assemble the wood pieces into a functional French cleat box shelf.

Technically, I built the first shelf without the nail gun. I just used regular finishing nails and a hammer.

Finishing Nail Gun for the Win

With these types of shelves, the strength comes mostly from the construction adhesive (that stuff is really strong when completely dry). The nails really just hold the pieces in place for the glue to set. So that’s why I used finishing nails.

Also, I didn’t want to risk splitting the plywood scraps, so finishing nails were a good choice due to their thin profile.

As I mentioned earlier, I was in the middle of a bookcase/window seat project at the time. Part of this project involved installing crown molding and baseboard.

I remembered installing crown molding in my previous home, and having an incredibly hard time doing it with finishing nails and a hammer. So, I ended up borrowing my neighbor’s cordless finishing nail gun, and the installation was such a breeze. I just held the crown molding in place, then tap tap tap, and the nails (technically brads) were countersunk, securing the molding to the wall.

So purchasing my own finishing nail gun had long been on my wish list.

I finally bit the bullet and purchased one for my birthday to use on the bookcase project. I also got some angled finishing nails to go along with it.

They arrived in the middle of these French cleat shelves. So the shelves were the perfect opportunity to hone my skills with the gun.

Here’s a picture of me using the finishing nail gun for one of the box shelves:

I originally purchased an 18-gauge finishing nail gun (keep reading to see why I returned it).

Sidenote on Nail Guns

For those not familiar with finishing nail gun terminology, the gauge represents the thickness of the nail. I’m using the word ‘nail’ loosely because these nail guns actually fire brads, which are strips of thick wire with a very fine head.

They are great for finishing applications (like securing trim) because the heads make a very small hole and require little work to conceal. The thinness of the brads also reduce the likelihood of splitting the wood when they are driven in.

Finishing nail guns are not to be confused with framing nail guns, which fire actual nails and use substantially more power to drive them (hence also more dangerous). I used a gas powered framing nail gun in my shed project if you are interested.

Anyway, I was saying earlier how I purchased an 18-gauge finishing nail gun. Unfortunately, I was not having a good experience using it with the birch plywood. Most of the nails would fire in straight, but then bend half way and stick out the side of the wood. It was very annoying.

I did some research online and found out that 18-gauge nails don’t work well in hardwoods (like birch) and will do exactly what they were doing with me (changing direction as they are driven into the hardwood).

So I decided to return the nail gun and get a 16-gauge version instead.

The new nails were noticeablely thicker and worked perfectly for me. The gun is now a permanent addition to my top 12 list of must-have tools.

What’s the best nail gun for a DIYer?

Depending on the type of woodworking project you’re doing, sometimes you’ll need a thinner nail (higher gauge) and sometimes you’ll need a thicker nail (lower gauge).

Unfortunately finishing nail guns can only fire a single gauge, so you’d need multiple guns to accommodate different nail gauges. This is obviously very expensive, and may not make financial sense for you unless you’re a dedicated contractor.

So, 16-gauge is a good compromise because a majority of the projects a typical DIYer works on can be satisfied with that sized nail gauge.

This has held true for me ever since purchasing the nail gun too. I’ve used it for everything from crown molding to shelves to quickly tacking on temporary supports for concreting wooden posts. It’s also my favorite tool, and well-worth the investment.

Finishing Up the Boxes

With the finishing nail gun, construction of 5 box shelves went by very quickly. I only made 5 because I ran out of scrap wood large enough for box shelves. The remaining smaller scraps had another destiny.

Five French cleat boxes were perfectly adequate for the space allocated though and would definitely create more garage storage and organization.

Here’s a picture of the completed French cleat boxes resting on the wall (they are empty below, but filled today will all sorts of goodies):

After this was completed, some of the remaining birch plywood scraps got used for another project.

Get More Garage Storage with These Ideas

I was going finishing nail gun crazy and just wanted to keep tap-tap-tapping brads. So, I ended up making an incredibly useful battery charging station for my cordless tool batteries.

The garage storage station consisted of four L shaped shelves fixed to the wall, with two triangular supports each.

Here’s a picture of the empty shelves on the walls so you can get an idea of the design:

Here’s what the shelves look like actually being used. This little nook helped get more garage storage and organization.

The shelves created more garage storage – enough space for 4+ battery chargers, extra batteries and a host of accessories.

I got creative and tacked on an empty plastic nail box to store stationary-like pencils, markers and scissors.

I’m most proud of my measuring tape holder though. I was always looking for my measuring tape and needed a dedicated location for it, so I mounted a metal strip to one of the shelves, and the measuring tape just clips onto it.

It’s in the perfect location too. Whenever I need a measuring tape, I just open the garage door and grab the tape off the holder. When done, I just snap it back on the holder and it’s there for future use.

Here’s a picture showing my measuring tape holder:

A Lot of Storage for a Little Effort

So that’s it for this round of more garage storage shelving. I constructed five French cleat boxes in the lost space between the double garage doors and added some bonus shelving too. Not only did I create more garage storage but this storage added another level of efficiency to our garage.

I completed everything on a Saturday with no additional cost to me because I used all scrap wood. Although I benefited a great deal from the finishing nail gun I purchased around the same time, it could have been done with just regular finishing nails and a hammer.

Stay tuned for future shelving ideas as inspiration strikes. I hope this article brought you some inspiration to get more garage storage too.

A Space-Saving Kitchen Spice Rack

March 29, 2016 by Ash 42 Comments

I love to cook, and I use a lot of spices – from sweet Hungarian paprika to spicy Jamaican jerk seasoning.

You name it, I most likely have it.

Eileen, on the other hand, loves to bake – so on any given day, we have all the ingredients to make anything chocolate chip bundt cake to spicy Bahamian chicken.

Unfortunately, with such a large spice and baking collection, it was getting very difficult to find something when we needed it.

We were storing all the spices in a corner cabinet, and they took up the entire cabinet. We tried everything for organization – a spinning rack, a mini spice organizer – nothing seemed to save us space or time.

When making a meal, I would have to dig through everything to find what I needed. And Eileen wasn’t happy when she was looking for cinnamon or baking powder, and it was shoved behind the seven spices I used the night before for taco seasoning.

Planning the Spice Rack

Shortly thereafter, we were having dinner at a friend’s house and saw their spice solution.

They were utilizing a 6-inch gap between their fridge and the wall to fit a movable spice shelf, mounted on wheels.

I thought it was such a brilliant idea. I googled the idea later that night and saw it was a very popular spice storage solution.

There were lots of incarnations on Pinterest. I was set on incorporating a similar design into my kitchen, but I wanted to take it up a notch.

I didn’t like the wheeled shelf design. It would limit you to one massive shelf. Also, without some type of track system, I thought the shelf would be wobbly.

After some thought, I settled on 2 independent spice shelves mounted to the wall on drawer slides.

Aside from the drawer slides, I had enough scrap wood in the garage to build my design.

I didn’t really plan this project out much (aside from basic measurements of available space), mostly winging it as I went along. Nonetheless, the sliding spice rack turned out well.

How to Build a Sliding Spice Rack

I started off building one of the shelves. First, I fabricated a box with ¾” thick boards and nailed a hardboard composite backing. I then made some compartments for organization.

I averaged the sizes of my spice jars to determine a good depth and height for the shelves.

Here’s an early picture of the shelf unit:

Determined to re-use scraps from the garage, I attached some wood trim to serve as fences to prevent the spices from falling out.

Also, I couldn’t just attach the drawer slides to back of the shelf structure in the picture above.

I had limited space between the wall and the fridge, and fitting the spices with a drawer slide behind exceeded my available width.

So my solution was to mount the drawer slides above and below the shelf, being almost flush with the shelf backing.

I attached a piece of 2×4 to the top and bottom of the shelf to serve as a mount for the slide.

I then attached some plywood to the front of the shelf and screwed on a handle.

Then I mounted the two drawer slides to the wall, and attached the shelf. The slides were attached directly to wall studs.

I also had to make sure that both slides were equally level. Any discrepancies in the slide angles would most likely result in a jamming drawer.

Here is a close-up picture of the mounted shelf with some spices in it (notice the repurposed wood trim):

Here is a picture from the back, showing how I attached the drawer slides to the DIY spice rack:

I built the second shelf much like the first. However, I increased the height to make the most of the available space.

After mounting this shelf, I painted the front facing plywood, blending in to match the color of the kitchen (see pictures below of the completed spice rack).

Using the DIY Spice Rack

The sliding spice rack turned out great. We adapted the top shelf for our most frequently used spices, while the lesser used ones ended up in the bottom shelf.

Whenever we needed a spice, I just pulled out the appropriate drawer and located it instantly – very different from before!

I should mention too that the corner cabinet that previously held all of our spices was now completely empty, giving us more space for all those pesky tupperware containers.

Anyone have a good storage solution for those?!

Time & Cost

Building the spice rack took about one weekend, and the total cost was less than $50 because of all the scrap wood I used (my estimate is about $70 if you are buying all the wood from the store).

The spice rack became the hit of many parties.

Our friends were always asking about those mysterious handles next to the fridge, and were amazed when the handles revealed a plethora of spices.

Our next door neighbors noticed the spice rack when we were moving out of the house and were fascinated with it, saying, “Forget all those updates you did, this is what sold the house!”

(As an aside, we replaced that dingy pantry curtain with French doors before we moved, check it out here).

If you are looking for a solution to your spices, building a sliding spice rack could be the answer 🙂

How to Make a Built-In Bookshelf

March 10, 2016 by Ash Leave a Comment

To put it simply, Eileen has more books than anyone I’ve ever known – books from her childhood, books from college, books of poetry – some she’s read and some she just likes to collect.

But long story short, she was running out of room storing them on a wobbly old shelf – in double rows, and then there were the boxes in the closet.

Eileen kept telling me that she had the perfect spot for a built-in shelf, so I pulled out a Post-It note and sketched out a basic design with measurements.

Planning the DIY Bookshelf

First, I planned out all the cuts I needed for the DIY bookshelf and put together shopping list for Home Depot.

I wanted to make a very sturdy bookshelf with minimal visible hardware. So I opted for dado joints and a center support column. Also, I decided to use pine for the lumber.

I did lack the proper tools for making dado joints, so I added a plunge router to the shopping list.

This was going to be my first router project, and I was looking forward to it very much.

Constructing the Bookshelf

After cutting all the wood planks to pre-measured lengths, the next step was to mark all the grooves for the dados.

Dado joints are the simplest joints there are but are very strong and perfect for bookshelves.

They are just grooves cut into the vertical support planks on both ends of the bookshelf, where the horizontal shelves slide right into and rest.

My pine lumber was ¾” thick. So, I needed to use a router bit of the same thickness for the grooves.

After the grooves were outlined on the two vertical support planks, I secured the planks side-by-side to prepare for the routing.

The grooves on the two support planks needed to be in perfect alignment. Therefore, I screwed the planks together from underneath with some strips of scrap wood.

It was important to keep the planks firmly in place to prevent shifting as I cut the grooves.

Routing the Dados

Finally it was time to use my plunge router.

I did a few practice cuts on scrap wood to get the feel for it and was now ready for the real thing.

For each groove, I affixed a straight piece of wood to act as a jig for the plunger. Without this guide, it would have been impossible to cut a straight line.

Below is a picture of the plunge router and some grooves already cut.

You can also see the outlines I made for the uncut grooves, as well as the strip of wood I used for a guide:

Here’s a close-up view of the dado groove. You can see how smooth the cut was.

The router bit went through the soft pine like butter, making a very professional cut:

Assembling the Pieces

With all the dados cut, assembly of the shelves could begin.

With the help of a rubber mallet, I inserted each shelf into its corresponding dado joint and secured each connection with two screws on the outside.

Here you can see how perfectly each shelf fit into the dado:Assembly of the shelves was almost done at this point.

Next came the center support column.

As you can see in the background, I did my work in my man cave. We didn’t have a garage to work in – hence the chaotic background and poor lighting.

Finishing with Wood Putty & Stain

Construction of the DIY bookshelf was completed at this point. All that was left was to fill the screw holes with wood putty and apply a wood stain.

Eileen stained the wood with two coats of a dark MinWax stain.

Securing the Shelf

The final step was to secure the bookshelf to the wall in the office.

I used some metal L brackets to attach a few shelves to studs in the wall. I strategically placing them so they would be hidden from view.

Also, I had to remove some of the wall baseboard trim so that the shelf could fit flush against the wall.

Below are pictures of bookshelf bolted securely to the wall.

I wasn’t too happy about the electrical outlet at the bottom left being partially blocked by a shelf. However, it was too late to do much about it now. The outlet wouldn’t be visible anyway because of the books.

Here is the completed bookshelf with actual books. We later replaced that old wooden door to the room with a white six-paneled one – but we don’t have any pictures of that.

There was no sagging at all with the weight of the books.

Eileen finally had her library organized on this built-in DIY bookshelf. I use the word ‘library’ because who else has enough books to make an Irish Classics section?!

Years later, the shelves remained perfectly straight, thanks to the dado joints and center support column.

Fast forward a few years, in our new house, I made another DIY bookshelf – a bookshelf with a window seat, using the background I had from designing this shelf.

It’s Eileen’s absolute favorite.

Need More Storage? Make These Impressive Bins from 3 Easy Things!

February 4, 2016 by Eileen 114 Comments

How to Make Storage Bins from Cardboard Boxes Post Preview: Learn how to reuse cardboard boxes for storage. With just a few easy materials, you can make these DIY cube storage boxes that are perfect bins for clothes, toys, or other items.

Before our son was born, we found a great changing table with open shelving at a budget-friendly price.

I was planning to buy storage bins to fit all the little things you need under the changing table.

However, I ran into a snag. I realized that I could only fit two store-bought fabric storage bins on each shelf. It awkwardly left a lot of open space, but three storage bins just didn’t fit across.

On top of that, there weren’t many colors to choose from on the store-bought pre-made fabric storage bins.

Since I was 7 months pregnant with my first and pretty bored, I decided to make my own DIY storage bins. I tried using fabric from the curtains, but that was a fabric/hot glue mess.

So, I found a much simpler way – making DIY storage bins using contact paper and cardboard boxes! I can’t emphasize how easy it was!

It’s definitely fool-proof.

Here is the end result – these customized storage boxes are made out of just contact paper, cardboard boxes, and packing tape! Not bad, huh?

The contact paper on the DIY storage bins easily allowed me to customize the organizer bins in colors of my choice, rather than being tied to store-bought colored storage bins.

How to Make Storage Bins from Cardboard Boxes

I cannot tell you just how much I love these homemade storage bins. The customized storage cubes are so easy to make and you would never know that the base is made from a cardboard box!

You just need a little time and patience and a few easy supplies to make these DIY storage bins.

You can pick out different colored, patterned, or textured contact paper, which brings character to your space.

When making your own DIY storage bins, for just a few dollars per box, you get lots of storage and a pattern of your choice.

DIY Storage Bin Materials

Cardboard boxes
Packing tape
Knobs
Contact paper(s) of your choice – I used this contact paper

To make these DIY cardboard storage boxes, I ordered a bundle of boxes from Amazon, since we didn’t have any laying around. (Have I mentioned how much I love Amazon prime?!) We were planning to move soon, so we would use the rest of the cardboard boxes then. However, if you have little ones already, diaper boxes and wipes boxes work really well for these cardboard storage boxes.

I also ordered three types of contact paper for the storage bins. The baby’s room was going to be gray and turquoise (gray walls, one striped with a lighter gray, turquoise carpet, and white furniture – check out our nursery makeover).

So, I found a cute, high-quality turquoise patterned paper and a gray one on Amazon. I figured I would alternate colors on the customized storage boxes.

For the inside, I used a less expensive, thinner paper in a neural color from Target. You don’t have to cover the inside, but it is nice to have a storage bin where you can easily wipe the inside.

Instructions for Making DIY Storage Bins from a Cardboard Box

To make DIY storage bins, first measure the area where you want to put your customized boxes. Make sure they will fit length, width, and height-wise. I had to cut a little bit off the top of my cardboard boxes to make them fit.

Next, cut the flaps off of the cardboard boxes. You could use these as dividers, if you’d like 🙂 Use a good pair of scissors or a box cutter if you are cutting your cardboard box.

Now you are ready to cover your DIY storage bin with contact paper. Cover the outer four sides of the cardboard box with contact paper. Pay attention to patterns, if you want everything lined up nicely. Some patterns are easier to work with than others.

I didn’t cover the bottom of the cardboard box with contact paper, so this is what the bottom of the homemade storage bin looks like.

Also, you might need to tape the bottom or inside edges of the contact paper down, depending on the quality of your paper. If you want your customized storage boxes to last, I would get good quality paper, like this one.

Next, if you plan to cover the inside of your DIY storage box with contact paper, you can do that now. Since I was making this batch of customized storage bins for my son’s nursery, I wanted the inside of the box to be nicely covered, so I could easily clean it.

Later on, I made more cardboard storage boxes for various things, like paper storage, and I didn’t cover the insides – so it’s up to you!

Adding Knobs to the DIY Storage Bins

Now, ready for the best part?

This really makes your DIY storage bins look store-bought and makes them super functional.

After I was finished covering the inside and outside of the customized boxes, I was ready to add the knob to the cardboard storage box. The knobs made the storage bins look professionally made and made the bins easy to quickly grab.

I picked the knobs up from Home Depot – they were inexpensive white knobs. Yet, the screw was too long – so I simply swapped the large screws out for the short ones. (Below is the knob, washer, and short screw).

I drilled one hole in the front of each DIY storage box. Then, I added simple, white knobs, so I could easily pull customized bins in and out.

Here’s a picture of what the inside of the DIY storage box looked like, after adding the knob.

I definitely recommend using these knobs for the cardboard storage boxes because they made it so easy to pull out each homemade storage bin.

Later, I made more customized storage bins – for closet storage (winter hats, gloves, etc) and for Ash’s office. I used knobs on all of them and it was so much easier to grab a knob from the top shelf of a closet, then a whole bin.

For less than $5 per box, I had functional customized storage bins that I LOVED.

Time and Cost of Making DIY Storage Bins

The total cost of making customized storage boxes is really just the amount you spend on contact paper and knobs. I made my storage boxes for less than $5 per box.

I was so pleased with cardboard storage boxes that I used the leftover materials for winter storage bins and pantry floor bins. I also used chalkboard contact paper to make paper storage boxes for Ash’s messy office closet. They were fun because you can write on the contact paper with chalk, which makes for easy labeling.

These DIY storage bins are so pretty that you can put them anywhere in your house, leaving your guests wondering just how you made storage bins from cardboard boxes.

Overall, this was one of my favorite thrifty DIY projects – it’s hard to believe that underneath the customized storage bins is a simple cardboard box.

Updated: How did the storage bins hold up?

The customized storage bins have held up great. Four years later, these nursery storage bins still are in tact. In fact, I just tightened the knobs yesterday for the first time. The contact paper has remained on perfectly too.

And, I should mention, these bins get a lot of use!

Four years of pulling the diaper bins out multiple times per day!

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