TikTok Shows Us How To DIY A Handy Mini Couch Tray Using A Cutting Board

When you're sitting on the couch trying to enjoy a movie with the snacks you excitedly put together in the kitchen, finding a place to set everything down can be stressful. Even the perfect coffee table full of popcorn, chips, and pizza doesn't always have a place to put your drink, so you're stuck putting it on the floor, which can be bothersome and potentially messy. Luckily, a TikTok video by @hometalk shows us how to DIY a mini tray from Dollar Tree cutting boards that fits perfectly over the arm of a couch. With one board serving as the tray and another cut in half for legs that go on either side of the couch arm, the tray sits level so you can rest your drink or a small snack bowl on it without worrying about anything falling over and making a mess.

Snack trays are often designed to be larger and bulkier since they're meant to be placed on your lap or beside the couch. Even though they come in handy when you need additional space, they can take up a lot of room when not in use. The mini couch tray is excellent since it's more compact. Further, it requires minimal materials to complete, so if you're new to DIYing, you shouldn't have difficulty following the process. This hack requires gluing wood together, but you can always attach door hinges instead so the legs are bendable, making the tray easy to store. You can also personalize the tray to make it unique to your space.

You'll need six items for this DIY: two bamboo cutting boards from Dollar Tree, wood glue, Jenga pieces, a saw, and clamps. If you don't have Jenga pieces but have wood scraps at home, you can cut them into tiny rectangular pieces for this project. It's best to use wood glue, which can be bought at Walmart for $4.37, but super glue is an excellent alternative if you have that on hand. 

Once you round up your materials, prep your cutting boards. You'll want to cut one board down the middle with a saw; these pieces will act as the legs for the tray. On the full-length cutting board, glue a few Jenga pieces along the width of the board on each side, using clamps and additional small pieces of wood to let the glue set. After it dries, glue the cutting board halves to the inner parts of the Jenga pieces, and clamp them down until fully dry. Finally, remove the clamps, and you have a new handy mini tray for the arm of your couch.

This DIY doesn't require you to paint or bedazzle the cutting boards, but you can choose to personalize it to give it some character. For instance, you can paint the cutting boards before gluing them together to add flair. Wood stain is a great substitute, and there are various unique wood finishes to use around your house. Walmart has a gorgeous dark walnut wood stain for $8.47 that would complement any farmhouse, midcentury modern, or rustic interior.