Make An Adorably Chic Two-Shelf Organizer With Dollar Tree Products

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Oftentimes, the best decor pieces are the ones that boost the aesthetics and functionality of your space in equal measure. They're usually a boon for storage, and they provide the small touches necessary for revitalizing your home office, upgrading your kitchen, or refreshing your living room. Plus, you can sometimes make these fixtures yourself without spending more than a few bucks. One such project is a DIY two-shelf organizer made with a few inexpensive materials from Dollar Tree. The finished product is a freestanding platform that's perfect for displaying and organizing all sorts of small, lightweight items. Thanks to the layer of contact paper on its surfaces, the shelf looks incredibly chic with easy customization options.

You can build this shelf organizer in a matter of minutes once you've gathered all of the materials. The first things you'll need are two of Dollar Tree's Crafter's Square wood pallets and a pair of Crafter's Square MDF wood plank boards. You'll be painting these pieces with acrylic paint and linking everything together with either wood glue or hot glue. You'll also need a few sheets of adhesive contact paper for lining the shelves and boosting their decorative appeal. You can use just about any pattern you please, but something along the lines of REDODECO Vintage Floral Adhesive Paper could look especially nice. Alternatively, if you have leftover peel-and-stick wallpaper, you could just use that instead.

To get started, paint your pallets and MDF planks with acrylic craft paint. Pulling a color from the contact paper helps coordinate the look. You can paint all of the pieces the same color, or choose contrasting hues. Antiquing or aging paint effects also add to the look. Once the paint dries, cut and apply your contact paper to one side of each of your planks. 

Next, hold up one of your pallets on its side so that the small boards on the bottom run horizontally. These boards will effectively serve as supports for the shelves. Now you can glue the end of your lower shelf to the top edge of the piece that's at the bottom of the pallet. Then, repeat this process on the other side of the shelf with the other pallet. When that's done, simply glue on the top shelf in the same manner as the lower one, and wait for everything to dry.

Both wood glue and hot glue work well for this project. However, if you use wood glue, you might want to gently sand away the paint from the parts of your wood that you'll be gluing. The paint can block the glue from entering the wood and weaken the bond it creates. If you're looking for a smart way to use this shelf, try putting it near your front door. Keeping everyday essentials like your sunglasses and keys on it helps you keep your entryway clean and organized.