1. Home
  2. Plan Catalog

Dress Up Storage by Craftiness is not Optional

|save this plan
Submitted by Ana White on Thu, 12/05/2019 - 09:28
Difficulty
Beginner
| Print this plan

Organize and store all the dresses!  This dress up storage project features a hanging closet rod and lots of storage for all the accessories and the shoes in the open base.  Designed and built by Craftiness is Not Optional, free detailed plans below.

dress up storage

Dress Up Storage Features

  • 3 foot long closet rod will hang many dress up outfits
  • Open base keeps everything contained - no matter how long the cape or fluffy the tutu
  • For shoes, purses and accessories, just toss in the open bottom
  • Add caster wheels for easy mobility
  • Paint or finish to match your room or style
  • We love it personalized 

Dimensions
dress up storage dimensions diagram
36" x 36" x 12"

Preparation

Shopping List
  • 1 – 10 foot 1×12 board
  • 1 – 6 foot 1×10 board
  • 36″ long 1-1/4″ diameter dowel or wood closet rod
  • 2″ self tapping wood screws (about 20)
Common Materials
Elmer's Wood Glue
Elmer's Wood Filler
120 grit sandpaper
primer
wood conditioner
paint
paint brush
Cut List
  • 2 – 1×12 @ 36″ (Sides, round top corners 3″ down with a jigsaw)
  • 1 – 1×12 @ 34 1/2″ (Bottom)
  • 2 – 1×10 @ 34 1/2″ (Sides of Storage Box)
  • 1 – 1-1/4″ diameter dowel or closet rod @ 34 1/2″ (Closet rod)
Cutting Instructions

If you have a compound miter saw, make all cuts on it.  If not, use a circular saw with a guide.

Cut the corners with a jigsaw and sand the jigsaw cut smooth.

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Drill
Circular Saw
Jigsaw
Power Sander
Level
Drill Bit Set

Instructions

Step 1

Storage Box

Predrill holes along the long edges of the bottom with a countersink bit. Then apply glue to the bottom edge of the storage box sides and screw the bottom to the storage box sides with 2″ screws and glue.

Step 2

Sides

Cut the arch shape from the sides as shown above. I’ve done this quite a bit, and it’s easier said than done to get two arches that match exactly with a jigsaw. What I do is create a pattern by folding a sheet of 12″ x 12″ scrapbooking paper in half and cutting out an arch shape. Then I trace this pattern on to the wood and carefully cut to the outside of the traced line with a jigsaw. Then I clamp the two boards together, and sand, sand sand with coarse sandpaper until the ends match. Another trick if you just can’t get the ends to match is to round the cut edges, so it’s not such a sharp line – then it’s more difficult for the human eye to see that the ends are not a perfect match.

Once you’ve cut the ends, predrill pilot holes along the bottom and side edges 10″ up (I center mine 3/8″ in) and screw the sides to the storage box. Oh, apply glue to the ends of the storage box first, and keep your outside edges flush.

Step 3

Closet Rod

Now there are several different ways you could attach the closet rod, but I liked the idea of actually gluing and screwing it in place because the top would then have some support to keep the sides in place. So measure down 3″ and to the center of your tops and predrill pilot holes. My trick . . . thread your screws through so the end is just barely showing through. Then line the screw tip showing through to the center of the dowel. Apply glue and screw it together. Do the same on the other side.

Step 4

And here is what we’ve got with 2″ caster wheels and 6″ letters. Is this just for princesses? Because I LOVE this, even for a big girl closet! Hmmmm . . . now you got me thinking.

Step 5

Project Type
Toys
Room
Kids and Toys
Style
Children's and Kid's Room Furniture and Toy Plans

Comments

Sam, Danielle,… (not verified)

Thu, 12/09/2010 - 18:53

My friend asked me to make one for her this week. Used my bradnailer for the bottom with glue, and countersinked some screws on the sides. I did add a decorative wooden piece to the sides. With the clothes hanging, I was thinking to eliminate the front board to accommodate her daughters shoes.
Tip: I always hate using my jigsaw; I'm not the best cutter. I cut before the line, and then clamped the sides together while I run the boards on the table sander, and sand down to the line.

Lyndsey (not verified)

Sun, 12/12/2010 - 10:49

My husband and father-in-law made this yesterday. I just have to paint it and then it will be done. For the arches, they basically made a big compass by taping thread to a pencil (they actually taped it to the lead of the pencil so that angle of the pencil didn't matter), attaching the other end to the centerpoint they chose (they measured to the middle of the width of the board and 4 inches down because we made ours a little bit taller than the plan) and then allowing the thread to create the arch. They used the same measurements on both boards to make sure the arches match. It looks great!

Sarah R. (not verified)

Sat, 12/18/2010 - 08:08

I built this last night! It is a quick and easy project! Of course I didn't read the instructions and screwed tall sides to the bottom first. Oops. Trying to rig it so it was stable while I drilled was comical. Next time I'll read first...

Stephanie Sherman (not verified)

Thu, 01/06/2011 - 12:22

@ petrak28 : Adorable! We're making one too. I really like the shade of pink that you used. What paint brand and color # did you use? It's a really nice pink.