Removing the hanging rod and installing additional shelves will allow this closet to hold a lot more than clothes and Christmas ornaments. Since the room is being converted into a home office, the closet was modified to store a file cabinet and office supplies.

The shelves are made from 1”x 12” composite material with 1”x 2” cleats attached to the walls at each end and along the length of the shelves.

Start by measuring the width and depth of the closet.

Next, cut the shelving material to size.

Cut the cleats to length, remembering to subtract the thickness of the end cleats from the length of the back piece.

The shelving components are primed and painted in advance outside to save time and cut down on any mess.

Mark the height for the top of each cleat.

Use a level to draw lines for the cleats.

A stud finder is used to locate and mark the wall studs at the top of the cleat lines.

The cleats are nailed to the studs with the top flush with the lines.

Set the shelves in place on top of the cleats.

If additional support is needed to keep the shelves from sagging, install a center bracket under each shelf. Another option to increase shelf support is to glue and nail a 1”x 2” strip to the front of each shelf.

Finished Workshop

By reusing discarded kitchen cabinets salvaged from past remodeling jobs, we turned this cluttered storage space into the perfect workshop for Today’s Homeowner®.

Workshop Before

Recycled Materials

Using recycled building materials not only saves money and reduces waste, it helps the environment by eliminating the energy and natural resources needed to produce new products.

Check local salvage companies to find recycled building materials for your next project.

Wiring

When designing a workshop, make sure the existing wiring can handle the added load. Since power tools can draw a good bit of current, check to see if there are enough circuits and the breakers are properly sized. Installing additional outlets on the wall behind the workbench, or mounting them on the cabinet underneath, insures that a plug is handy when you need it.

Lighting

Lighting is another important consideration when outfitting a workshop. This light grid was constructed by ganging six old fluorescent fixtures together and hanging them from the ceiling with chains.

Be sure to install the lights high enough so they aren’t in the way, but low enough to provide adequate lighting. Painting the walls a light color helps by reflecting the available light.

Walls

Cover any exposed insulation or open studs in your workshop to limit the places dust can collect. We lined the walls of our shop with wooden panels to provide a good surface to mount tools and hang shelves.

Plumbing

Since running water is often needed in a shop to clean up, we installed an old laundry sink the corner that was hooked to the cold water line.

Shelves

An old bookcase is a perfect place to store cans of paint and caulking while a custom shelf unit mounted on the wall above the workbench allows easy access to smaller power tools.

Use screws—rather than nails—when hanging shelves and other heavy objects in a shop. Not only do screws have much greater holding power, but they’re easier to remove if you decide to reorganize in the future.

Workbench

The kitchen cabinets we salvaged provide the base for the workbench as well as plenty of storage space for tools and supplies. Check to be sure the cabinets are level when you install them, so tools won’t roll off the workbench.

The top of our workbench was made from ¾” plywood with a strip of solid wood banding attached to the edge.

A 1”x 4” backsplash along the wall keeps small items from falling behind it. After the top had been assembled, it was stained and finished with two coats of polyurethane.

If you don’t have room for a dedicated workbench, build one supported by eyehooks and chains that folds up out of the way when not in use.

Worktables

Another recycled kitchen cabinet was used as the base for a large moveable assembly table in the center of the shop.

Smaller portable worktables mounted on casters can hold bench top tools. This allows them to be easily rolled out of the way when not in use. All of the worktables are a uniform 3’ high so they can be used together to support large projects.

Finishing Touches

Magnetic strips were mounted on the wall behind the workbench for pliers, chisels, and other smaller tools, and a shallow lipped shelf in the center holds often used items.

A hose reel was attached to the wall near the air compressor to make it easy to use pneumatic tools while a shop vac positioned next to the workbench provides dust collection for sanders and other power tools.

Self-adhesive hooks attached to stationary tools keep safety glasses ready when you need them.

Wheels on table saws and other large tools make moving them a snap.

Floor

Before all the tools were brought into the shop, the rough spots in the concrete floor were patched with a resurfacer followed by a floor leveling compound.

Once the floor was dry, it was coated with Behr Concrete and Garage Floor Paint.

As a finishing touch, I mounted the first power tool I ever bought—when I was nine years old—on a plaque in the center of the wall behind the workbench.

Other Tips From This Episode

Power tools used on Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford® are provided by Ryobi.

Closets typically have a hanging rod with a single shelf above it. This leaves several feet of wasted space near the ceiling that could be used more effectively for storage. While you could add cleats to the wall and another long shelf, a better solution is to make two side by side freestanding shelves out of 1” x 12” pine.

Start by cutting two pieces slightly less than half the width of the closet.

Next cut four pieces of shelving 8” long (or longer if your prefer). Attach one piece to each end of the shelves with screws.

Put the freestanding shelves next to each other on top of the existing shelf to double your storage space.

With the growing complexity of home theaters comes even an greater tangle of cables and cords. Wiretacks is an innovative product that lets you hide this mess by running a cable channel behind crown molding. [Via Make]

My husband and I are big advocates for recycling. We fortunately have a recycle center nearby that we use. Our problem/question, How or where can we get rid of old car batteries and old paint? Our recycle center doesn’t allow them and don’t have answers. We’ve been holding on to these old items and don’t know what to do with them. Any advice? -Lori

Lori,

I’m glad to hear that you’re doing your part to help the environment. You are wise not to dispose of either car batteries or paint with your regular garbage, since both are considered hazardous waste.

Car batteries contain high amounts of lead and sulfuric acid and are usually collected for recycling when you buy a new one. In fact in some states there is an additional charge if you don’t turn in your old battery. While many municipal waste departments will accept car batteries, they can also be returned for recycling to most stores that sell them, such as car repair shops and auto parts stores.

Old paint should also be disposed of properly rather than pouring it out, which can not only clog your drain and contaminate groundwater but is illegal as well. If there is only a little left in the can, you may be able to leave the lid off until it hardens then dispose of it with your regular garbage. Check with your state environmental agency or city waste department first to see it this is an acceptable practice in your area.

If you have a larger amount of paint to dispose of, or don’t want to release volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the air, contact your local municipal waste department. Most will accept household hazardous waste, though their collection procedures may vary. Whether the used paint is actually recycled or sent it to a hazardous waste facility is up to the local waste department.

Check out our article Get Onboard the Recycle Cycle as well as the following articles:

• EPA Guide to Batteries
• EPA List of Household Hazardous Waste
• Information on Commonly Recycled Materials

Fold-down ironing boards are a great way to reduce clutter in your laundry room. They’re a real timesaver as well, allowing you to keep your iron ready to go at a moment’s notice. They can either be surface mounted or recessed into the wall—as we’ll be doing here—for a low profile look.

When installing a build-in ironing board, consider locating it near an existing electrical outlet to keep from having to fish wires through the wall. Turn off any electrical circuits where you’re working by plugging a light or radio in a nearby receptacle and flipping each breaker until you find the right one.

After locating the studs on either side of the opening, cut a small hole in the center, and check to be sure there are no wires or pipes in the way.

Next, mark the cutout dimensions for the unit, and cut the hole to size.

Once the hole has been cut, install 2” x 4” horizontal braces in the wall cavity flush with the top and bottom of the opening. Be sure to drill a hole in the brace and feed the wire through it first.

When everything is ready, slide the unit in place.

And secure it to the studs on each side.

Mount the door on the unit, and hook up the electrical connection.

Turn on the power, and check to see if it’s working properly.

NuTone Ironing Centers come in a range of styles from basic models to ones complete with a light, timed plug, and fully adjustable ironing board. Various door choices are also available.

Power tools used on Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford® are provided by Ryobi.

If you’re tired of constantly untangling and tripping over your extension cord, try turning a 5-gallon plastic bucket into this handy cord caddy.

Start by using a 1½” diameter hole saw to drill through the side of the bucket near the bottom.

Next, insert the pronged end of the cord through the hole from the inside.

Store the remainder of the cord in the bucket.

To use, place the bucket near an electrical outlet and plug the end of the cord that extend through the hole into the outlet. It’s a good idea to spread the cord out during use to keep it from overheating.

Power tools used on Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford® are provided by Ryobi.

If you spend a lot of time gardening, you know how handy a potting bench can be. Not only does it give you a convenient place to work with your plants, it also keeps the inevitable mess that goes with it confined to one spot.

Our potting bench has the added advantage of being portable. The wheels on the front and handles on the back allow you to move it outside when the weather is nice then store it out of the way in the garage when not in use.

For simplicity and durability, the bench was constructed entirely from 1” x 4” pressure treated pine. After cutting the sides of the top frame to length, a jigsaw was used to notch the end of the handles to make them easy to grip. The sides were then attached to the cross members with corrosion resistant screws to form a sturdy frame for the top.

A tray for gardening tools runs the width of the top while a five-gallon bucket mounted next to it can be used to store potting soil or fertilizer. A second frame was assembled to form the base, which also doubles as a storage area.

Once the two frames had been built, the legs were screwed to them. Boards were then screwed to the frames to form the top and storage rack, and a removable panel, held together from underneath by a brace, was installed in the top to cover the bucket.

After sanding off the rough edges and mounting the wheels to the base, our bench was ready for some serious gardening. You can build the potting bench from our plans (Top, Side, End).

Materials needed:

• 105 liner feet pressure treated 1” x 4” pine
• 2 – 8” wheels attached with axle or bolts

• 1 – 5 gallon plastic bucket
• Assorted screws

Cutting List for Potting Bench

(All materials are 1”x4” pressure treated pine)

While the garage is a great place for storage, it often becomes cluttered, making it hard to find what you need. Here are some easy projects to allow you to get even more storage space out of your garage while keeping it organized.

Pallets

Turn scraps of leftover treated wood into pallets to keep items such as bags of fertilizer off the concrete floor. Simply nail the scraps to cross members to make pallets that are two layers thick.

Wide Shelves

In garages without interior walls, notch the shelves around the studs so items don’t fall behind them. These shelves are made from 16” wide composite material supported by the same triangular brackets that we used on our garage workbench. After cutting the shelves to length, hold them in place and mark around the studs then cut the notches with a jigsaw

Screw the brackets to the side of the studs, making sure they are level, then slide the notched shelves on and attach them to the brackets.

Hooks

Coated hooks are the perfect solution for hanging everything from tools to extension cords on the wall.

Pivoting Keeper

The open space between studs is a good place to store brooms and other long handled tools. Attach a piece of 1”x4” to the face of a stud with a single screw. Make a notched keeper from two pieces of 1”x2”, and attach it to the next stud to hold the 1”x4” in place. Pivot the board up to remove the tools and down to keep them from falling out.

Narrow Shelves

The open space between studs is also a great place to put smaller shelves that can hold spray cans, boxes of nails, and even quarts of paint. Cut 1”x4”s to fit between the studs and nail them in place. A strip of lattice molding can be attached to the front to secure the cans, or left off to accommodate larger objects.

An important step in organizing your garage is to store large tools—like rakes, shovels, and wheelbarrows—so they’re easy to find when you need them but out of the way the rest of the time. Start by attaching a long board to the wall at eye level.

Attach plastic coated hooks, screws, or nails to the board to hold the tools. Multiple hooks can be used to secure hard to hold items such as a string trimmer.

Another creative storage solution is to screw a notched board to the studs near the floor and use it to stow a wheelbarrow out of the way. Pivot the wheelbarrow up against the wall and secure the handles with a rubber strap.