DIY Closet Organizer with Drawers
By Anika's DIY LifeBuild a custom reach-in closet with drawers and adjustable shelves. Great weekend project to add lots of storage and organization to a small closet.
Directions
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Prepare the boards
-Make the cuts per the cut list.
-Review the plans and make pocket holes where needed. Pocket holes in plywood are made with ¾” setting on the pocket hole jig and drill bit collar.
-Apply edge banding to all the edges that will be visible. -
Attach the permanent shelves
-Attach the bottom and top shelf using 1¼” pocket hole screws. The pocket holes face outwards so they are hidden.
-The height of the bottom shelf is determined by the baseboard. -
Attach divider to the middle shelf.
Attach the divider to the middle shelf using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket hole screws.
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Attach the divider to closet side.
Attach the divider and middle shelf to the side using wood glue and pocket hole screws
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Attach the small shelf
Attach the second small shelf to the divider using wood glue and pocket hole screws.
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Attach the other side
Turn the entire structure over onto the other side and attach using wood glue and pocket hole screws.
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Attach the cleats
-Attach the short cleats to the back of the organizer with wood glue and pocket hole screws.
-The pocket hole screws are on the outside so they are hidden once the organizer is installed in the closet.
-This is the perfect time to use the shelf pin jig to make the shelf pin holes. -
Build drawers
-Build the drawer boxes as shown below
-There are total 5 boxes - Two built using 1x3 boards and 3 built using 1x6 boards.
-The drawer box can be built in two ways - either with the bottom sitting in a dado groove or on the outside.
-Install the drawer slides and ensure it works.
-Install the drawer fronts. -
Build other side of the closet
-Attach the long shelf and long cleat to each other using pocket hole screws and wood glue.
-Attach this to the side.
-The pocket holes that attach to the shelf face outwards but the pocket holes attaching to the side face inside. -
Attach to the closet
-Attach the closet organizer built in step 7 to the wall using 3” screws into studs through the cleats.
-Attach the second organizer side to the first side using pocket hole screws.
-Once attached, use 3” screws and attach the cleat to studs in the wall. -
Attach second shelf
Attach a second long permanent shelf to the right side of the organizer using pocket hole screws.
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Install drawer and hardware
Install the drawer front, add the shelving and the closet rods to complete the closet.
See more on Anika’s blog post here: https://www.anikasdiylife.com/diy-closet-organizer-with-drawers/
See the video for this project here: https://youtu.be/P8nnAE6Z12E