The Beginner-Friendly Countertop Storage DIY That Makes The Most Of Your Space

Many of us are short on space in our kitchens. Even those who utilize every inch of cabinet space will often have things they don't really want to put away because they use them often. In an ideal world, we'd have a solution that increases usable storage, keeps things accessible, and doesn't create clutter. Can do.

I've been a woodworker for 30 years, and I've got a couple of countertop solutions for you that will stand up to life in a busy kitchen and make great use of the space. Don't worry, these are easy DIYs that are beginner- and budget-friendly. You'll need some kind of saw (a miter saw, like this Metabo HPT is best, but others will work if you're careful), a drill/driver, glue (my favorite is Titebond 3 Ultimate Wood Glue), and some screws. Maybe a little sandpaper.

You'll also need some lumber from your local hardware store. Pine and poplar are both good, low-cost choices that are easy to work with. Pine is better if you want the wood grain to show, but it can have knots, or pockets of resin. Avoid these by buying what's called "clear" pine board. Poplar is easy to paint, so it's a better choice if you're going to finish your storage to match colored cabinets. Boards that are either ¾-inch or 1-inch thick, and 4 or 6 inches wide are suitable for these projects. They come in various lengths. You can work out which is most economical once you've decided how big your storage units will be.

Our "n" shape risers use just three pieces of wood (two for the uprights, one for the top), four screws, and some glue. Let's say you want them 6 inches tall and 12 inches long, and we're going to use a 1-inch by 4-inch board. So cut two 6-inch pieces for the uprights and one 10-inch piece. Wait a minute, didn't we say 12 inches long? We did, but the uprights are each 1-inch thick, so we need to subtract that from the top.

Spread glue evenly on the ends of the top and the uprights where they would meet. Lay the pieces on edge and press them together. Now mark for the screws: ½ inch down from the top (halfway through) and about 1 inch in from the front and back. The glue won't have set, so go carefully. Drill pilot holes (to help prevent the wood splitting) and drive in the screws until the heads are just level with the surface. Some easy tips for drilling the perfect pilot hole include choosing a drill bit that's the right size and design, and marking the drill spots before starting. After the screws are in, wipe off any glue that has squeezed out with a paper towel and leave the riser to dry. Once it is, you may want to sand any rough edges. You don't need a machine, just wrap some sandpaper around a scrap piece of lumber and do it by hand. Then all that's left is to varnish, stain, or paint as required. They are so simple you could make several in no time at all.

Risers are a quick and easy way to add more storage to your kitchen for a few regularly used items, but you probably don't want more than two or three on your countertop. You can have more storage space and greater versatility by taking things up a notch. We'll use the same beginner-friendly DIY techniques as before, we're just going to upscale things. This time we'll build storage that goes in the gap between the countertop and wall cabinets. If we use 6-inch boards and make it a snug fit, we won't need to screw it to the wall to prevent it tipping forward.

The unit is made in the same way as the riser, but we'll add a full-length base and a shelf. The length of the unit is up to you, but I probably wouldn't go beyond 30 inches. There are two reasons. One is physical: there's a danger the shelf might sag eventually. The other is visual: it just might not look right. The height of the shelf is up to you, but a third down from the top isn't a bad idea.

Putting this countertop storage together uses the same principles as the riser. Measure and cut carefully. Glue, drill pilot holes, and screw it together. Complete the box first, then add the shelf. The finished thing is bigger and more impressive, but no more difficult. If you like, you could add hooks under the shelf, a Dseap Kitchen Utensil Hanger, or maybe a paper towel holder.