New life for old drawers

Transform old drawers into stylish wall units

Old unwanted drawers are perfect for creative upcycling projects, so there’s no need to throw them out! Here, we show you how to fashion a smart shelf unit from old drawers. You could use it in your home office, whether for magazines or for keeping important documents close at hand. The edding carpenter pen is an essential addition to any toolbox - exactly what you need when putting up shelves. The pen's extra-long metal tip makes it easy to mark drill holes, even in those hard-to-reach places.

Category: Upcycling & DIY hacks
Products: Special solutions
Materials: Wood
Difficulty: Easy peasy
Downloads: Images (ZIP)

Step-by-step

Step 1

This photo shows at a glance all the equipment you need. You'll also need some rawlplugs and matching screws in order to fix your shelf to the wall.

Step 2

First, remove any handles from the drawers. Next, drill a hole on two opposite sides of the drawer using a large drill bit, making sure the hole is big enough to thread through your elastic band.

Step 3

Once you’ve done that, switch to a smaller drill bit and drill a hole in the top-right and top-left inside corners of the drawer so that your shelf is ready for hanging. You can hang the shelf horizontally or vertically. It’s entirely up to you!

Step 4

Thread your elastic band through the holes and tie a knot on the right and left sides, making sure the band is taut and doesn't sag.

Step 5

Finally, attach your new shelf to the wall. Thanks to the handy edding carpenter pen, it’s so easy to mark up your drill holes. Simply slot the pen's extra-long tip through the hole in the shelf to correctly position your marks on the wall.