DYI: Shoe Bench from Reclaimed Wood

My problem: I had this cluttered shoe basket in my entryway:

My Dream Solution: I would love to have this:


However, it's bigger than my tiny nook or my small furniture budget. "Hey!" I thought, "I have a saw and tools! I could make one from scratch!"

Like any good frugalista, I balked at the cost of buying new boards at the Home Depot. So, I came home and looked for wood.


Found some! It's the last of our old futon frame! My woodworking style is what one might call "cobbled together" anyway.

My DIY Solution: I made this shoe bench:


I made a flickr set with lots of notes to show/tell how I did it. Here are some highligts:

For one thing, we were in the middle of bad heat and worse air quality. So, the balcony workshop was moved right to the kitchen table. My table top is formica, so it's all good.

Basically I made a cube out of these boards from the frame. I didn't have enough for a solid frame, so I made it open like this. This is a picture of the early stages of framing. I just drilled holes and used screws to put it together.

I made a cushion from the bench cushion I just retired.





It's far from perfect. I can already see where I could have made it better (I have added that info to my notes in the flickr set) but, I have been using it for a few days now and it works like a charm to keep that nook neat and organized. I am glad I took the plunge and went for it. Total cost $7. Now that's frugal!

Get your DIY fix at ASPTL! More Frugal Friday at Shabby Nest