Turn Scrap Wood Into A Beautiful Entryway Piece That Organizes Your Keys

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It's always handy to have somewhere close to the door to leave house and car keys. For some, that's a drawer in a cabinet. For others, it may be a bowl on a small table. However, if you're short of space, having a piece of furniture in your entryway may not be practical. One solution is a wall-mounted key organizer. It can be made from scrap wood and is one of those woodworking projects even beginners can do. The result will be both useful and attractive, and it can even be stained or painted to suit your decor.

A variety of wood scraps could be used, but leftover fence boards, which are generally ⅝ inch thick and 5½ inches wide, are ideal. You will need some kind of saw. A miter saw is one of the top tools worth investing in to start woodworking at home and is great for cross-cutting and angles, but budget-friendly models don't have the capacity to cut long pieces like fence boards down to the required width. A table saw (also on the list) is best for that. It can handle cross-cutting and angles, too. You can find the popular Skil 10-Inch Portable Table Saw for around $300.

The wall-mounted key organizer can be assembled using a brad nailer, but if you don't have one, you can use a cordless drill/driver and screws. You'll also want some good-quality wood glue.

Over on YouTube, Mikelastime provides the dimensions for a version of this project with four key hooks. You need to cut four upright 'pickets,' two slats to join them together, a shelf, and two supports. You'll also want to cut spacers to make the gaps for the uprights the same. You can see from the straightforward construction that it would be simple to add more uprights and widen the shelf for more hooks if required.

After cutting the pieces to size, it's a good idea to sand the edges to remove any splinters. The original creator is happy with a rustic look, but you could sand all the surfaces to a smooth finish if you prefer. In this example, glue and a pneumatic brad nailer are used for assembly. If you use screws instead, drill pilot holes first to avoid splitting the wood. Wipe off any glue that squeezes out, or it could make the stain or paint you use look patchy.

If there's a wall stud where you want to hang the key organizer, you only need to drill a hole in the center of the upper slat and drive a long screw through the drywall and into the stud. If not, drill two holes through the outer gaps and use wall anchors to hold it. Using scrap wood for an entryway piece is a handy solution, but there are several alternatives, including turning wall art into a clever hiding spot for keys.