Get on board
Issue #35
By recycling everyday objects like water bottles, jars, and tea boxes, straighten up your work station with this DIY desk organizer
By Justina Blakeney & Caitlin Levin
Published: March 1st, 2008 | 3:04pm
Is your desk overflowing with clutter? Build this cheap and easy DIY Desk organizer to relieve your workspace.
TOOLS glue gun and hot glue double-sided tape hole punch scissors hammer and nails
SUPPLIES
Scavenge around your home or visit your local 99 cent store to score:
- contact paper
- jars
- Refrigerator
- magnets
- tea boxes
- candy boxes or a box from a deck of cards
- clipboard
- water bottle
- Tupperware containers
- hooks with adhesive backs
- notepad
- a large board (we used thick cardboard, but plywood or any other sturdy material will do)
- Carefully cover the board with contact paper. Spread out the contact paper bit by bit to avoid air bubbles.
- Cover the clipboard with contact paper.
- If desired, evenly spray-paint the clear jars and clear Tupperware to match the color of your contact paper. Set aside to dry.
- Use the tea boxes to create three small containers, one that is used to hold pens, knitting needles, and/or crochet hooks, and two containers for tools, paints, etc. (We like the look of the inside of the boxes more than the outside, so we took the tea boxes apart than hot-glued them back together, inside-out, in the new shapes.) Punch holes in the top of the small rectangular box for the pens.
- Using very sharp shears, cut the water bottle in half laterally and horizontally. Cut the Tupperware in half laterally.
- Cut off the front, top half of the candy box (you also can use a card-deck box).
- Punch holes in the corners of the board, an inch from the edge on either side.
- Place all of these objects onto your board and arrange them in a way that is practical for your needs. Fill the jars with pens and place scissors on the scissor hooks. Place the refrigerator magnet face-down on the board, so that the magnet in facing outward. Once everything is in place, and you have adjusted all of the containers so that their contents fit comfortable in the containers, glue the jars, tea boxes, candy boxes, water bottle and Tupperware to the board using the hot glue. Use the strong double-sided tape to attach the clip-board, the notepad and the magnet. Place adhesive-back hooks where desired.
- Hammer your new desk organizer over your desk with a few nails and have fun filling it with junk.
- Revel over the cuteness.
—
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Venus Zine’s DIY Editor, Justina Blakeney, her sister Faith Blakeney, and Ellen Schultz are the designers behind Compai,
a crafty design studio and eco-clothing label. With a focus on
sustainable design and DIY, Compai has authored three books,
collaborated with companies like Artemide and Elio Fiorucci, and has
been seen on the pages of Vogue Italia, Adorn Magazine, Glamour Italia, the San Francisco Chronicle, on The Today Show, and, of course, Venus Zine. Check out what all the fuss is about at compai.com. E-mail feedback to justina [at] venuszine.com.
View more of Justina Blakeney’s work at on venuszine.com here.
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