Here’s a last-minute idea for us last-minute gift wrappers. I felt guilty about discarding those round, sturdy cardboard canisters that hold nuts, cocoa, and other foods. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think they can be recycled (aluminum + cardboard?). But they definitely can be reused! Here, I covered them in gift wrap and tied on ribbon—and they can be reused year after year to hold anything from cookies to socks. Or you could wrap them in everyday decorative paper and use them as pencil holders or storage containers. I just thought they were too cute to toss. (The blue and green is for you, Carolyn!)

Reusable wrapped gift canisters

Supplies and tools

• wrapping paper
• scissors
• glue (I used rubber cement)
• ruler & pencil
• round cardboard food canisters
• clear cellophane tape
• ribbon
• paper towel

1. Clean out the empty canisters with a dry paper towel. Measure the height of the cardboard portion of the canister. (You will not cover the metal part of the can.)

2. Cut a piece of wrapping paper that height, roll it around the can, and trim to fit—leaving a couple inches of overlap.

3. Apply glue to one end of the paper, then stick it to the canister. Pull the paper tight as you wrap it around, then apply glue to the other end of the paper and press down. If you wish, you can apply glue to more than just the ends.

4. Reattach the lid and tie a bow around the package. For an awesome video tutorial on how to tie ribbon to packages Hollywood style (without knots) click here. Just tape the ribbon to the bottom of round packages first—it makes the process so much easier. By the way, thinner ribbon looks better and is easier to tie around small round packages.

5. Adjust the ribbon and cut ends as desired.

6. Tape the other side of the ribbon to the bottom as well.

7. You’re all done!

I told you I had a plan for the mini chests that were leftover from my DIY rolling toolbox. I had a plethora of printer paper and envelopes and nowhere to store it all. The solution: stack three mini chests together, add molding, casters, and paint—and voilà a paper organizer. The casters were leftover from Ikea plant glides that I used to make my starburst mirror and nailhead clock. What can I say? I’m a very organized pack rat. I get it from my dad.

Three Ikea mini chests = paper organizer

Supplies
3 Ikea Fira mini chests
8 feet of 3/4-inch molding (found mine at Lowe’s)
8 feet of 1-1/4-inch molding (got mine on Freecycle)
wood glue
1/2-inch wire brads (small nails)
1-1/4-inch finish nails
2 pieces of 10-1/4- x 13-15/16-inch plywood (my plywood was leftover from my shoebox shelves project)
wood filler
primer (I used Kilz 2 latex primer)
paint (I used Benjamin Moore Aura in Steam [AF-15] in satin finish)
newspaper or drop cloth

Tools
hammer
sanding block and fine sandpaper
miter box and pull saw (or electric saw)
drill and 1/16 and 15/32 drill bits
screwdriver
nail set
3-inch foam paint brush
paint-can opener
tack cloth and latex gloves (optional)

1. Assemble the mini chests per the instructions. Do not insert the shelves yet.

2. Stack the mini chests on top of each other. Attach them together by hammering four wire brads (one near each corner) into the bottom shelf of the top two chests.

3. Take one of your pieces of plywood and drill a 15/32-inch hole one inch from each corner. Hammer in the plastic pieces that hold the caster pins, then insert the casters.

4. Turn your shelf unit upside down. Apply a bit of wood glue to one side of your plywood. Place the shelf unit on top of the glued side. Using four finish nails, attach it from the inside—one nail near each corner. Repeat for the bottom piece of plywood that already has casters attached.

5. Cut all the pieces of molding. Make sure you miter the front corners at 45 degrees. I used the larger molding at the top and bottom and the smaller molding on the two middle shelves. I was able to cut the smaller pieces with a miter box and pull saw, but the larger pieces needed to be cut with an electric saw (thanks, Tony!). The inside measurement for the front pieces is 13-15/16 inches. The inside measurement for the side pieces is 10-1/4 inches.

6. Apply a line of glue, then place the trim piece.

7. Pre-drill three holes in each trim piece using your 1/16-inch drill bit (so the wood won’t split). Hammer the finish nails into the holes. Make sure two nails are connected to one of the chests, and one is connected to the other. Use a nail set to get the nails just below the surface of the wood.

8. Repeat for each piece of molding. Fill in the nail holes with wood filler.

9. Insert the shelves according to the instructions. Sand away all the rough edges and excessive wood filler.

10. Paint one coat of primer. Let dry about 15 minutes. Lightly sand with fine sandpaper. Remove the dust with a tack cloth (use gloves if you wish). Then apply two coats of paint, letting dry after each coat. No need to paint all the way inside each shelf. Just paint as far back as you can reach. Because it’s on wheels, paint the back of the organizer as well.

11. Fill the shelves with paper, envelopes, cards, or other stationery items. Place it near your desk within easy reach.

This project is what Elizabeth would call “finding crap on the curb and making something fabulous.” I found this mint green railing (from a crib? shelves?) in a pile of debris. Add galvanized wall pocket planters (on clearance at Jo-Ann for $1.50 each), daisy hooks (thanks, Kristi), spice rack ($3.50 at a thrift store), paper/pen bin (thanks, Jim), dowels and wire for hooks (Freecycle), and I’ve got a cheap craft organizing solution. A power strip and a salvaged bench vice (thanks, dad) attached to the rolling toolbox make it complete. Can’t wait to use it!

Craft and tool station

Supplies

• salvaged railing (from an old crib, porch railing, etc.)
• wood screws
• wire (to make hooks)
• 3/8-inch dowels
• power strip
• nuts, washers, and bolts
• primer
• paint
• scrap 1×4 piece of wood
• newspaper or drop cloth
• drywall anchors or molly bolts (optional)

Tools

• pliers
• wire cutters
• drill and drill bits
• screwdriver
• sanding block and sandpaper
• miter box and pull saw
• small sponge paint brush
• stud sensor (optional)

1. If you can’t find hooks that will work with your railing, get some wire and make some yourself. Use pliers to bend into shape, then cut with wire cutters. I made 18 hooks.

2. Cut your scrap piece of wood into four 2- x 3-inch pieces, then drill a 7/16-inch hole at one end of each piece. These will hold the dowels.

3. Prime (one coat) and paint (two coats) the dowel holders.

4. Attach the dowel holders to the railing with wood screws. Drill two holes in the dowel holders, then drill matching holes in the railing.

5. Counter-sink the holes with a larger drill bit, then screw in 1-3/4-inch wood screws.

6. Attach the railing to the wall at the top and bottom with four long screws. Find a stud to hang them from or use molly bolts.

7. Cut your dowels so they stick out at least a half inch beyond the dowel holders. Slide ribbon and paper onto the dowels, then insert into the holders. Hang all your bins/pegs/etc. on the rack using the hooks you made. Fill with craft supplies.

8. Mount a power strip to the side of your workstation. Use screws or nails. Make a pencil-rubbing template of the back of the power strip on scrap paper first to determine where to place the nails/screws.

9. Attach the bench vice to the front left corner (if you’re right-handed) of your work surface using bolts, washers, and nuts.

I posted a sneak peek of this project in May. It took me a couple months, not a couple weeks, but my tool cabinet is finally finished. I outgrew my toolbox end tables, but I refused to pay hundreds of dollars for one of those ugly Craftsman tool chests. Handles on both sides make this bureau easy to pull around. Ikea’s mini drawers form dividers and lift-out trays. What about the mini chests left over? I have a plan for those (coming soon). Please come back Friday to see my complete tool/craft corner.

Old dresser = rolling tool cabinet

The total cost of the dresser, hardware, paint, and drawer dividers came to $110. I call that a deal.

Supplies

• old dresser
• wood filler
• primer
• paint (I used Benjamin Moore Aura in Dream I Can Fly [769] satin finish)
• painter’s tape
• drawer handles (I used Ikea Lansa handles)
• casters (I used Ikea Rill locking casters) and wood screws
• 3 Ikea Fira mini chests with five drawers
• latex gloves (optional)

Tools

• screwdriver
• hammer & nails
• drill and 1/16, 3/32, and 3/8 drill bits
• sanding block and sandpaper
• wide foam paint brush
• ruler and pencil
• tack cloth

1. Flip the dresser over. Prepare to install the casters. For me, that meant removing those pieces of wood.

2. Drill pilot holes, then screw on the caster plates. Mine are about 1/4 inch from the edge. I only used the locks on the two back wheels.

3. One of my drawer bottoms needed to be replaced. Instead of trying to find sturdy 5/16-inch thick wood, I disassembled a wooden wine box that I obtained on Freecycle.

4. After my friend and local woodworker cut the pieces to size, I drilled tiny pilot holes before hammering in the nails (so the thin wood wouldn’t split).

5. The top drawer didn’t have any guide rails to keep the drawer from tipping forward, so I attached scrap wood pieces underneath the top surface of the dresser.

6. Remove the wooden handles. Fill holes and imperfections with wood filler. When dry, lightly sand smooth.

7. Wipe the dresser down with a tack cloth to remove dust. Use latex gloves if you want to keep the stickiness off your hands.

8. Paint two coats of primer on the frame and drawer fronts.

9. Use painter’s tape along the edges of the drawer fronts as guides.

10. Apply two coats of paint to the frame and drawer fronts with a sponge brush—it gives a smoother surface than a roller or bristle brush. Let dry a couple hours after each coat. Be sure to paint the back as well. Measure, mark, and drill 3/8-inch holes for the handles. Attach the handles with a screwdriver. I installed the side handles the same height as the top drawer handle (6 inches from the top).

11. Assemble the Ikea Fira drawers per the instructions.

12. Insert the drawers in your desired configuration. Fill with your tools and crafting supplies. The top tray can slide back and forth or lift out.

My first project on Craftynest was a spice rack. So it’s fitting that, nearly a year later, I work on another one. I bought this old Spice Islands rack at a thrift store for $3.50. After dumping out the ancient spices, soaking off what was left of the labels, and laboriously scrubbing the jars, they were finally ready to hold my beads. And a little paint took care of the grimy, discolored rack.

Old spice rack = bead storage

Supplies

• old spice rack
• primer (I used Kilz 2 latex primer)
• paint (I used Benjamin Moore Aura in Steam [AF-15])
• dish soap
• paper towel or rag

Tools

• bottle brush
• sponge paint brush
• drop cloth
• paint stirrer
• paint can opener

1. Soak the labels off, then scrub the jars and lids clean. I used a baby-bottle brush and dish soap. Let dry.

2. Dust and clean the rack with a damp paper towel. Dry it off, then paint two coats of primer. Let dry for about 15 minutes after each coat. Then apply three coats of paint, letting it dry about 30 minutes in between coats.

3. Stuff a paper towel inside each jar to make sure it’s completely dry. Then fill the jars with beads, buttons, paper clips, or other small knick-knacks.

A few people have asked me for jewelry organizing solutions. You asked for it, so you got it. (More jewelry storage ideas to come.) I bought this Ikea room divider for $10 in the As-Is section last year. I wasn’t a fan of the black hook-and-loop holding it together, but the individual panels make a handy valet for fashion accessories. One panel holds enough for me, but fashionistas may need the entire room-divider to hold all of their accoutrements. I also think the panels would be classy spray painted black. Right?

Bamboo room-divider = fashion accessories valet

Supplies and tools

• room divider (or any type of panel with caning)
• overdoor j-hooks
• small s-hooks (found at hardware stores)
• 1-1/2-inch loose-leaf rings (found at stationery stores)
• small key rings
• 3/4-inch-wide hook-and-loop tape with adhesive backing
• 3/4-inch-wide double-sided mounting tape
• bulldog clips (found at stationery stores)
• scissors

1. First cut two 2-inch pieces of each side of the hook-and-loop tape and ten 2-inch pieces of mounting tape.

2. Peel off the backing and stack five pieces of mounting tape together. Adhere that stack to the back of one side of the hook-and-loop tape. Repeat. You will have two stacks of tape, which will serve as a spacer and will keep the panel from flopping around when you open and close the door.

3. Peel off the backing. Adhere one side of the stacked tape to the back of the panel near the bottom. Repeat for the other side. Then hang your panel on the over-the door hooks, and adhere the other side of the stacked hook-and-loop tape to the door.

4. Hang necklaces and brooches from s-hooks. Hang rings from small loose-leaf rings dangling from s-hooks. Hang earrings directly from the caning. Wrap watches and bracelets around the top bars. Use a loose-leaf rings to hang belts, sunglasses, hats, and scarves (add key rings for sunglasses, and bulldog clips for hats). Attach hair clamps right to the bamboo poles.

Closet cleaning isn’t a flashy subject, but I can’t help it: I’m in full organization mode. I blame the new year. I simplified this closet by chucking old clothes and sticking with just one type of hanger (padded hangers and skirt hangers are on the left side).

The solution to the shoe mess: plastic shoe boxes from The Container Store. I built a simple shelf unit for them out of plywood that I got on Freecycle. Rick at The Barn Woodshop was kind enough to cut the wood. Once the pieces were cut, assembly was a cinch.

Shoebox shelves

Supplies

• plywood cut into these pieces (in inches):
• top: 34-1/2 x 13
• sides (2): 30-1/4 x 13
• shelves (2): 33 x 13
• primer
• paint (I used Benjamin Moore Navajo White [N333 73])
• wood screws
• wood filler
• plastic shoeboxes (this will hold 16 women’s shoeboxes, 4 men’s shoeboxes, and 1 boot box)

Tools

• drill and drill bit
• sand paper or electric sander
• ruler and pencil
• paint brush or small paint roller

1. First drill pilot holes to screw together the top and sides. I used two screws for each side.

2. Once the top and sides are assembled, flip it on its side to measure and make where each shelf should go.

3. Draw where the shelf should go, line up the shelf, drill a hole in the middle of the two lines, then screw in the screw. Then move to the next screw, and so on. (I usually counter-sink the screws and cover the holes, but considering it’s just a closet unit, I didn’t bother this time.)

4. Once assembled, fill any gaps in the plywood with wood filler. When dry, lightly sand the edges, then wipe it clean from dust (with a tack cloth or vacuum attachment).

5. Prime (one coat) and paint (two coats). Let dry overnight. Ta-da!

My brother and I custom built this unit. I couldn’t find the right piece of furniture that had small drawers and deep drawers. I found these Branäs baskets at Ikea, but Ikea doesn’t make a unit like this to hold them. So, I drew up the plans to build this shelf unit.

Basket drawer unit

Supplies

• 8 Ikea Branäs baskets
• 24 shelf pins
• finish nails
• wood filler
• small tacks (or staple gun)
• 3/4-inch-thick pieces of wood (inches):
  top: 28-1/4 x 15
  sides (2): 40 x 14
  small shelves (6): 13 x 14
  middle: 36-3/4 x 14
  bottom shelf: 26-3/4 x 14
  kick plates (2): 2-1/2 x 26-3/4
• 1/8-inch-thick piece of wood:
  back: 28 x 37-1/2

Tools

• drill and drill bit
• saw
• ruler or tape measure
• pencil
• hammer or nail gun
• sand paper or electric sander

1. Cut all the pieces of wood to the right sizes.

2. Before assembling, drill holes for the shelf pins: The top three drawer openings are 7 inches tall. Measure 7-3/4 inches down on the inside of each side/middle piece (to accommodate the thickness of the shelf) and mark it. Drill two holes just below the 7-3/4 mark and insert shelf pins into the holes. These will hold each of the shelves. Repeat twice on each side/middle piece (for a total of three small shelves on each side).

3. Assemble the outside frame (top, sides, bottom shelf). We used a nail gun, which sped up the process.

4. Measure and mark the center position and insert the middle piece. Attach with nails.

5. Nail the front kick plate into place, about 3/4 inches back from the side pieces. Then nail the back kick plate into place along the back of the unit. (The back piece isn’t really a kick plate. It’s there merely for support.)

6. Insert the small shelves.

7. They should be a snug fit. Sand the sides of the shelves down if the fit is too tight.

8. Using small tacks or a staple gun, attach the back piece. It should sit about 1/8-inch inside the edge of the unit.

9. Finally, fill all the nail holes with wood filler, then sand smooth when it dries. I was going to paint it, but decided to leave it as-is because the wood matched the baskets so well. I plan to protect the wood with Briwax— my dad highly recommends it.

Everyone knows necessity is the mother of invention. But, I’m here to say that mistakes can also be the mother of invention. My first spice rack attempt did not go so well. I used an old sketch and didn’t double-check the measurements. Consequently, the rack was too small to hold all my tins. So, what to do with this little shelf? As it happens, it’s the perfect size to hold baby food jars. Gathering 28 identical baby food jars was quite an undertaking. But two months later, thanks to Cathryn and Suzanne from FreeCycle, I finally had 28 matching jars. After removing all the labels, I spray painted the lids with primer and paint, then filled the jars with buttons, beads, etc. Click here for the spice rack how-to »

My old spice rack just wasn’t cutting it. I barely cook, but even I have accumulated more spices than what fit in those 12 small tins. I couldn’t find the right spice rack, so I created my own. And made room for expansion. Check out my odds & ends rack for a variation on this idea.

Spice rack

Supplies

• 25 8oz. seamless tins
• 3½-inch wide thin plank of wood (I recommend ½-inch thick)
• wood filler
• primer
• paint
• finish nails
• address labels (I used Avery 5160/8160)
• dot stickers
• thin, white cardboard or bristol board

Tools

• miter box & pull saw
• sand paper or electric sander
• drop cloth
• paint brush
• nail set
• hammer
• tack cloth
• tape measure or yardstick
• pencil
• staple gun & staples

1. Measure the tins and make a sketch of the rack (click the sketch to see it bigger). Then add up the amount of wood needed. I figured that I needed 11 feet of wood. (I found a 15-foot piece of wood at a salvage yard that was just the right width.)

2. Measure the wood (twice!) and cut each piece. Because the wood is thin, I cut it with a pull saw and miter box.

3. Fill the holes and nicks in the wood with wood filler (if necessary) before lightly sanding each piece. Remove the dust with a vacuum and/or tack cloth.

4. Place the wood on a drop cloth. Paint two coats of primer. Let dry in between coats. Then apply two coats of paint, letting each coat dry for a couple hours. I found it easier to paint this spice rack before assembling it, then touch it up at the end.

5. Measure and mark where each shelf should go. I started with the middle shelves first. Hammer in two finish nails on each side. (I pre-drilled holes, which made the job easier.) Use a nail set to sink the nails below the surface of the wood.

6. Use wood filler to fill in the nail holes. Lightly sand smooth.

7. Apply two coats of paint to cover the nail holes. Let dry in between coats.

8. Trace the rack onto a sheet of white cardboard and cut out. Staple the cardboard onto the back of the rack.

8. Make spice labels in a word-processing program. Or download a pdf of mine. Use dot stickers to note the expiration date on the bottom of the tins. Then dump in your spices, grab a cookbook, and make something fabulous.