The way to Make a DIY Pencil Holder / Make-up Organizer

Is it a DIY pencil holder or a DIY make-up organizer? Idk, however both approach, I prefer it.

Group appears like a 12 months spherical battle proper now, at the very least in my home. So something that helps convey just a little order to the chaos is a win imo. Bonus factors when it’s truly cute.

I made (nicely, remade) one thing to assist hold smaller gadgets (like pens, paint brushes, make-up brushes, eye liner) a bit extra tidy. Admittedly, I’m undecided whether or not to name this undertaking a DIY pencil holder or a make-up caddy. However both approach, it’s so helpful. And cute too.

Right here’s the story… To start with of 2016, I made just a little pen holder / make-up organizer factor with some scraps of wooden. It bought the job performed, however wanting again, it wasn’t precisely the cutest factor I’ve ever made. Or essentially the most nicely crafted. Lol. I hadn’t been utilizing energy instruments for all that lengthy, at that time. So wooden initiatives have been nonetheless fairly new to me and it confirmed. Quick ahead to now and I’m extra assured working with wooden and energy instruments, and so on. 

So! I made a decision to reimagine that outdated undertaking from approach again, now that I’ve extra expertise.

The concept of remaking one thing of mine from the previous has sparked a brand new sequence known as DIY Redo. Immediately’s undertaking is the primary one. Right here’s the way it will work… I’ll share images of the outdated undertaking, alongside the newly up to date – hopefully extra elevated and expert model (and a tutorial). Wanna see what the older model of this undertaking regarded like?

Right here’s the make-up brush holder I made again in 2016…

And right here’s the reimagined model…

How does the brand new pencil holder examine to the outdated one?

Except for the 2016 model being of decrease high quality typically, there are only some variations between the 2.

The unique pencil holder was constituted of 5 items of thinner stacked wooden (I imagine it was pine). The brand new DIY wooden organizer is made up of simply 2 items of wooden (not together with the toes). A lot thicker then the unique DIY and a a lot larger high quality of wooden. This time round I used scrap items of white oak. They have been leftover from one in every of my DIY nightstand initiatives.

Apart from the distinction in wooden, the addition of toes to the underside, and the truth that I made a decision to not paint it, remained the identical. It’s nonetheless reversible, just like the outdated DIY. However as an alternative of a sample on one aspect, the toes are completely different whenever you flip it round. One aspect has rounded toes and the opposite aspect has flat slab toes.

The brand new one appears like one thing I can use in any room of the home with out it feeling misplaced. It’s extra minimal in design, but in addition simply as purposeful as the unique piece. 

What sort of wooden would you suggest for a small undertaking like this?

You’ll be able to actually use any form of wooden for one thing like this. A tough wooden or a softer wooden. You possibly can go along with one thing like widespread board or pine (mushy woods), as a extra inexpensive possibility. Or strive one thing within the hardwoods household, like mine (white oak).

It’s actually a funds and choice query greater than the rest, I feel.

The place can I discover the wooden you used for the up to date undertaking?

White oak and different hardwoods, like walnut, beech, alder, and so on are going to be tougher to search out at nationwide {hardware} shops (like Residence Depot or Lowes). So it’s possible you’ll must seek for a specialty lumber store. Simply google specialty wooden retailer or specialty lumber store and it is best to discover some in your space. 

What precisely can you employ this wooden organizer for?

I feel it could be an amazing artwork provide caddy, like a pen holder / pencil holder. And that’s in all probability what I’ll use it for many. This might be cute for child’s artwork provides too. But in addition works nicely as storage for make-up brushes, eye liner, and so on.

What I like most about this undertaking is that it’s so customizable to what you want. You’ll be able to primarily create holes any dimension to accommodate no matter you need to arrange. And you may make it as tall or as brief, as lengthy or skinny as you need.

Right here’s what you’ll must make your personal…

Pencil Holder Supplies

• wooden – I used thick white oak scrap wooden that we had left over from the DIY nightstands in our bed room. You should utilize any form of wooden you have already got or cheap wooden from a house enchancment retailer. 
• sandpaper block OR energy sander – I used an influence sander, however this may be performed by hand as nicely. The sandpaper grit will probably be decided by the wooden you could have and the way a lot ending it wants. As a leaping off level, my wooden wanted just a little shaping, so I used 80 or 100 grit sandpaper as soon as the items have been joined collectively. After which used a finer sandpaper (220 for ending to get it tremendous clean).
• wooden glue – I like Titebond and I normally use the premium water resistant wooden glue.
• sealant or stain (non-obligatory) – If you wish to seal or stain the wooden, you’ll do this on the very finish. I didn’t assume it was mandatory for this undertaking. However I may see it wanting good with sure woods or use circumstances.

Gear / Instruments

• saw- You should utilize use just about any form of noticed to chop the wooden for this. I used a miter noticed, which is nice for slicing longer boards down. I used a a lot thicker wooden for this undertaking as nicely, which additionally is definitely minimize on a miter noticed. NOTE: This compact Dremel noticed is a good starter energy software if among the larger ones really feel to bigger, too heavy, or too costly. I used a (now discontinued) model of this for a number of years, however this one is sort of an identical to the one I used. I beloved how small it was and it felt simpler to handle.
• drill bits, spade bits, and/ or forstner drill bits in a number of sizes – The sizes you select for it will utterly rely upon what dimension holes you need. I did quite a lot of sizes, so I may match various things in every gap. 
• clamp(s) – It’s possible you’ll want a couple of, relying on how massive your completed piece will probably be. 

The way to Make a DIY Pencil Holder / Make-up Caddy

1. Measure and minimize wooden.

Decide how lengthy and tall you need your pen holder / make-up caddy to be. Then measure and minimize out all of the items of wooden to the identical precise size. I solely want two items of wooden as a result of the items I used have been fairly thick already. However in case you’re utilizing a thinner wooden, you might have considered trying extra layers (much like my unique stacked design).

I discovered 8 inches lengthy to be a great dimension. If you happen to made this 12 inches or longer, you may have this minimize for you at a house enchancment retailer (the shortest they’ll normally minimize is 12 inches). Simply in case you don’t have a noticed at residence.

2. Sand the wooden items and stack them to find out placement.

Subsequent, give each bit a lightweight sanding or a extra heavy responsibility sanding if wanted. Then wipe the wooden clear with a dry rag. I shared some particulars concerning the sandpaper grits I used within the gear / instruments part in case you want a reference level.

I sanded each aspect of every of the 2 wooden items to ensure all the things was clean and would match collectively properly. However there may be extra sanding to do after all the things is glued, so that you don’t must go too loopy on sanding for this step, so long as the items match collectively properly.

Talking of which, after sanding, stack the items on prime of one another to find out an order that works, the place all the items line up. Typically, if a board has a tiny little bit of warping, you’ll solely have the ability to line it up a method, if in any respect, in order that’s the place testing this turns out to be useful.

3. Glue and clamp the wooden along with wooden glue.

Subsequent up is glueing the items collectively. For glueing, I love to do a squiggly line all the best way throughout after which smear it throughout with my finger. I put wooden glue on each bit of wooden the place they might be a part of collectively.

As soon as the items are touching, sandwich them collectively, line them up, and use clamps to tighten them collectively to essentially bond the glue and get a good match. After an hour or two, it is best to have the ability to take away the clamps with none points.

4. Make the legs and sand the legs.

When you’re ready for the glue to dry, you may make the picket legs. I used a scrap piece of tremendous thick dowel (leftover from my spherical espresso desk DIY) and minimize them right down to dimension after which in half. I minimize them in half in order that the again can be barely completely different from on the bottom, in case I wished to flip it. So it’s nonetheless form of reversible, just like the older model of this undertaking.

Sand the legs with a high-quality grit sandpaper to assist make them clean. And, if wanted, use a coarser sandpaper to ensure the legs are precisely the identical peak. Shouldn’t be an issue in case you’re slicing them from the identical piece, however simply in case.

5. Drilling holes within the prime of the wooden.

As soon as the glue is totally dry and set, you can begin drilling the holes within the prime. Use an influence drill to create the holes within the prime of the glue collectively block. You should utilize massive drill bits, spade bits, and/or forstner drill bits in a number of sizes. The sizes that you just use will probably be decide by what you need to use the organizer for. I imagine the sizes I went with have been: 1 1/2 inch, 1 inch, and three/4 inch.

*Be sure you clamp the bottom right down to your work floor earlier than you begin drilling. It can hold the wooden from shifting round and is far safer.

6. Sanding the bottom of the pen holder.

Sand any imperfections out of the wooden base. If one thing isn’t fairly lined up, it’s possible you’ll have the ability sand it out / clean that space. If it wants numerous work go along with a extra coarse sandpaper (like 80 grit for instance) or if it simply wants just a little high-quality tuning – 120, 180, and 220 all work nicely.

7. Glue the legs onto the underside of the wooden base.

Lastly, glue the legs onto the underside of the wooden pencil holder base. Use wooden glue. I like to make use of clamps to ensure the legs are on tremendous stable. You possibly can additionally use blue painters tape although. I feel that may work simply high-quality. 

And that’s the way you make a DIY pencil holder (that additionally doubles as a make-up organizer) with only a handful of supplies. You probably have any questions concerning the course of, gear used, and so on let me know.

Which undertaking do you want higher? The unique painted model or the brand new white oak one?