My 1-Day DIY Kids Book Storage Idea

Are you running out of room for all those kids books? I was, but I had tons of unused space for them. You might too!

This 1-day storage hack works on cabinets and furniture. It’s a great way to avoid putting more storage on the floor, when you’re running out of space. This DIY Kids Book Storage Idea doubles the space on cabinets, dressers, desks, etc.

And the build is so simple. You can use lumber, MDF, or plywood for this build. If you have enough scraps already, like I did, bonus!! You can adjust the length and depth on this build to fit your space perfectly. Just be sure to run a support under long shelves to prevent sag. I used a 1×3 for mine.

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Here’s a before shot of the books. I constantly struggled to keep them neat and tidy. And we had so many, I had them on shelves the boys couldn’t reach.

You could also add trim and dress this hack up, if you’d like. I just went for quick and simple. This is the kind of build that I probably won’t need in 2 or 3 years. So, no need to go over the top on design. Especially when I’m knee deep in my boy’s bedroom makeover and all the builds I’m doing in there. 🙂

But I am on my yearly organization kick too. So, I had to fit this in. You can also check out my DIY Lazy Susan storage box. It made my spice storage cabinet so much easier to use and access.

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I threw this shelf together while working on 3 projects last week. You can see the table makeover here, the Headboard DIY is coming soon.

Materials for this DIY Kids Book Storage Idea

Note: You can adjust the width and depth of this shelf for your space. This is just what I used for mine.  🙂

• 3/4″ plywood, MDF or lumber
• 1″x2″ or 1″x3″ pine or similar – this will be used as the shelf support to prevent sag
• Wood Glue, 150-grit Sandpaper, and Brad Nails
• Brad Nailer OR Drill for assembly
• Circular Saw and optional Cutting Guide (see photo below for example)
• Power Sander (optional), Clamps, Paint Brushes or Paint Sponges
• Wood Filler & Putty Knife
• Whichever spray, latex or chalk paint works for you. I used the trim paint I use in my house so that this simple shelf blends into the room.
• Polyurethane, like Minwax Polycrylic in Clear Matte

My pieces cut and ready to sand. Can you tell I used scraps? Ignore that blue board, I didn’t end up using it.

DIY Kids Book Storage Idea Tutorial Steps

Design Note: I used glue and brad nails for assembly. BUT, if you don’t have a brad nailer, you could glue, clamp, then screw the boards together using something like these brackets. Just hide the brackets under the shelf. You can prime and paint them too.

1. Decide on the best size for your space. I went for: 1 – 48″ long 10″ deep shelf, 2 – 20″ high 10″ deep sides, and 1 – 48″ long 1″x3″ board.
2. Cut your pieces to size.
   

   This Cutting Guide is the only way I can make a straight cut, guys! It’s a game changer. 🙂

3. Sand all sides and edges of the boards and lumber.
4. Glue and clamp the lumber shelf support to the shelf. You want the 3/4″ length of the board glued to the shelf. This is the strong side of the board that will prevent sag. If you glued the flat 2″ or 3″ side here, it would still sag, since boards can bend a bit naturally there.
   

   Clamp the support board to the bottom, backside of the shelf.

5. Nail the pieces together every 6″ or so.
   

   Using Nail Gun & Glue to attach support to shelf.

6. Wipe away any excess glue with a clean, damp cloth.
7. For the sides, line up the front of the sides with the front of the shelf before gluing and nailing in place. If you don’t want to worry about perfection, you can make your sides 1″ wider than the shelf, then just center that shelf on the wider sides.
8. Wipe away excess glue on each side again.
9. Once dry, fill cracks and rough edges of plywood with wood filler and allow to dry.
   

   I use a putty knife to push wood filler into every crack.

10.  Sand all areas with wood filler smooth.
11. Prime then paint the shelf. Apply a polyurethane to protect the finish.

Just an optional tip: I love these velcro command strips! I use them to hold my DIY Wood Slice Wall Hook tight to the wall and for so many other things. I put them on the bottom here so that my little guys can’t pull the shelf off the cabinet.

How much better does this look??? Painting the shelf the same color as the wood behind it helps it blend in and not compete with the already colorful books.

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Or add extra storage and organization with this big DIY Wooden Toy Crate.

Looking for a more advanced build? This DIY Chunky Leg Farmhouse Bench is one of my favorites. And it works as a coffee table if you go for a full wood top. My DIY L-Shaped Backyard Bench is also a great build.

Feeling inspired? Get out there and make your own DIY Kids Book Storage Idea. Follow the links above to get the things you’ll need. Have fun and let me know if you have questions. Don’t forget to sign up for the Abbotts At Home email newsletter to get DIY, Remodeling, and Crafty ideas in your inbox.