Coffee Filter Caddy

The fewer things I have to do before coffee in the morning, the better my day will be. Instead of having to open a cupboard or drawer to find a coffee filter, this easy project keeps the filters handy, getting me one step closer to that glorious first cup of coffee to start my day.

You will need: cardboard, double-sided foam tape, and some scissors or blade for cutting out the parts. The entire project will only take a couple of minutes to complete.

Supplies

Thick paper or thin cardboard

Straight edge and pencil for marking lines

Scissors or knife

Double-sided foam tape

Step 1: Measure and Mark the Cardboard

Obviously, this only works with cone filters, though a creative person could probably figure out a way to make a caddy for the basket-type filters.

Lay a coffee filter on top of your piece of cardboard, with the top of the filter extending past the top edge of the cardboard. Trace lines along each side of the filter.

Mark these two lines, and make a second line about a half-inch from and parallel to each of the first two lines.

Mark a third line (cut line) about an inch further, beyond the second set of lines. These lines will be the cut lines. The other two sets of lines are "fold lines."

Step 2: Cut, Fold, and Add Double-sided Tape

Cut the cardboard along two outside sets of lines.

Score the cardboard along the two sets of fold lines with the back of a pair of scissors. You just want to give the cardboard the idea of where to fold.

Crease the cardboard along the two sets of scored lines, forming an open-backed box, of sorts.

Trim off the corners to keep the caddy looking tidy, and trim the bottom about four-inches from the top edge of the cardboard. This will give you some space to push the filters up from the bottom with your finger, in case you are having a bad morning.

Cut two strips of double-sided tape about three-inches long, and attach the sticky side of each piece of tape to each of the outside folded parts of the cardboard.

Step 3: Mount the Caddy to the Back of Your Coffee Maker

Fold the cardboard into the shape of the filters, and attach each side to the back of your coffee maker.

Load the caddy with a stack of filters, and you're done.

It takes a couple of mornings to break the habit of looking for coffee filters, but once you train yourself to reach behind the coffee maker to find a filter, this will make your morning one-step easier.