Easy Shelf Ideas: Tips for Home Organization

Laundry supply shelf ideas

Make laundry day easier with this shelf for all your detergents, stain removers and other supplies. Build this simple organizer from 1×10 and 1×3 boards. If you have a basement laundry room, you may need to cut an access through the shelves for your dryer exhaust.

Tempered glass and wood shelving ideas

Build this simple display shelf from 1x4s and tempered glass. Secure the short side sections to the 48-in.-long back sections using wood glue and 4d finish nails. Paint the brackets and screw them to the wall. Buy round cornered tempered glass shelves and slide them in place. Build this simple display shelf from 1x4s and tempered glass. Secure the short side sections to the 48-in.-long back sections using wood glue and 4d finish nails. Paint the brackets and screw them to the wall. Buy round cornered tempered glass shelves and slide them in place.

Screw shelf brackets to studs

Store small containers—spray paint, putty cans, glue bottles—right in the wall! Screw shelf brackets (6-ft. lengths cost $1.50 each at home centers) to the studs, then install shelves, cut from standard 1×4 boards, on adjustable clips ($2 for a bag of 12). The boards fit perfectly; there’s no need to saw them to width.

Space shelves to suit your supplies

Make shelves from L-hooks and 2x4s

Panel your shop with pegboard instead of drywall or plywood and there’ll be no shortage of shelving ideas to hang dozens of hand tools, no matter how small your shop is. Home made shelving that’s specifically for pegboard takes the concept one step further. Use 2x4s and 1/4-in. L-hooks to make the shelves. Chamfer the top back edge so the shelf can be tipped in and tighten the L-hooks for a snug fit against the pegboard. Predrill the edges of the 2x4s with a 3/16-in. drill bit about every 6 in., and screw in threaded 2-in. L-hooks to match the holes in your pegboard. These shelves are surprisingly strong and can be sized to fit your specific needs.

Size shelves to fit your needs

Attach J-hooks to joists

If you need a clothes rod in the laundry room and you have exposed joists, check out this simple, solid and fast way to get it. Attach 3/4 in. J-hooks (these are typically used for hanging pipe) to the joists and snap a 7/8-in. dowel in the curve.

Hang shower shelves from cabinet knobs

If you need more than shampoo and a bar of soap in the shower, here’s how to provide space for all your vital beauty potions: Get a couple of those shelves that are designed to hang from a shower arm and hang them on cabinet knobs. Use No. 8-32 hanger screws ($1) to screw the knobs into studs or drywall anchors.

Screw knobs into hanger screws

Laundry shelf does double-duty

Sometimes you just need another place to hang clothes, like on the shelf over your washer and dryer. Turn the edge of that shelf into a hanger rack by predrilling some 3/4-in. plastic pipe and screwing it to the edge of the shelf.

Screw wire shelving to joists

Create extra storage space by screwing wire closet shelving to joists in your garage or basement. Wire shelving is see-through, so you can easily tell what’s up there. Depending on the width, wire shelves cost from $1 to $3 per foot at home centers.

Reuse dishwasher rack

If you’re getting rid of your old dishwasher, hang on to the lower dish rack. Slip it under a bed for convenient roll-out storage.