Get Your Entryway Organized With A DIY Wood And Hook Catch-All System

The entryway of your home is a convenient place to store smaller items that you often take with you when you leave the house, such as your keys, coats, and dog leashes. The last thing you want to do before you head off to work or the grocery store is take your shoes off again to go find these items elsewhere in the house.  However, if you simply leave these essentials lying around, you'll turn a space that's meant to greet your guests into a cluttered mess, so it's a good idea to keep them close by with a smart, yet tidy, storage solution. Luckily, creating a DIY organizer that you can hang up on your wall doesn't have to be a challenging project. In fact, it's a great way to reuse leftover craft supplies and building materials that you would otherwise throw away.

With a few slats of wood, a couple of coat hooks, and some leftover containers, you can easily assemble a catch-all system for your entryway. YouTube creator Spindle Mountain Mercantile accomplishes this project by piecing together a couple of old wooden boards in a square formation, and then placing a handful of hooks, a pair of baskets, and a glass jar on their surface. The completed wall hanging is perfect for homes with a rustic or cottagecore decor style.

Since there are so many ways to customize your hanging catch-all, you should think carefully about what you're going to store on it before you begin. A few coat hooks and a place to keep your keys are a must. A recycled glass jar like Heather uses in this video is great for sprucing up the fixture's decorative appeal, but is also a smart way to keep spare pens or your sunglasses within reach. A large basket is great for scarves and gloves, and an old desk tray is a nice addition if you're looking for a place to leave the mail before you sort it. Installing a small thrifted catch-all tray might be a solid option as well, since it's particularly convenient for things like your headphones and spare change.

To build your new catch-all system, begin by cutting your wooden boards to your preferred size, and then attaching them together using a pair of planks along the back. You could also use wooden dowels to connect the boards. Next, attach two sturdy hooks to the top of the fixture for hanging it on the wall. Then, pre-drill holes onto the catch-all's surface wherever you're going to put your baskets, hooks, or other contraptions. To install a classic catch-all tray, use a pair of small shelf brackets. Finally, affix everything onto the boards with screws in the desired configuration, and find your wall studs to hang up your project.

Part of what makes the catch-all organizer from Heather's video so appealing is the creatively with which she decorates it. However, a decorative leather strip holding up a glass with faux flowers is just one way to make this project look stunning. To begin with, you might want to match the color of the wood panels with the rest of your home's aesthetic, with the help of some wood stain. Miniwax dark walnut wood finish is an elegant choice for making the surface look darker and more luxurious, but a lighter cherry or maple finish might appear more in keeping with the other elements in your interiors. Some paint and primer can also help make the fixture match your home's design. Learning how to make your wood look like metal can also be a handy trick for this project.

There are also several aesthetic options when it comes to selecting baskets for your catch-all. Chi An Home wicker hanging storage baskets will look neat and match your boho or farmhouse design. A wire basket will give your catch-all a sleeker finish, and function just the same. A shelf for a small house plant or a few decorative knick-knacks can also be a nice addition to this project. You can build one using a pair of shelf brackets. A small mirror or a photo frame are examples of simple choices that will suit this shelf and complement the design of your organizer and your entryway.