Under the Counter Organizer

Introduction:

First of all, my motivation for this project was simply because my house is crowded. I don't have enough space in my drawers and cabinets in my Kitchen to hold all the tools that are needed for cooking. This organizer helps you eliminate mess and organize all the things that you might need in your kitchen. After you acquire all the necessary materials, this project could take you anywhere from 2 hours to 4 hours depending on your level of experience with woodworking. The approximate cost for this project is around $90, but you might find that you already have some of the supplies that you need. Some of the challenges that you might face when attempting this project would be the acquisition of the wood. It is very difficult to find wood in the exact dimensions that are specified, so you may need to buy a larger sheet of wood and cut it down to your desired dimensions. There are some possible risks that go along with using a power saw to cut the wood, so if you decide to use any sort of saw to cut your wood make sure you are careful when using it.

Step 1: Materials

Materials:

Here is a list of Materials you will need to complete this project -

- 3/4" cup hooks (x8)

- 12x3/4" Flat Phillips wood screws (x26)

- 5x1" L shape bracket (x6)

- 12" Magnetic Knife and Utensil Holder (x2)

- 10x16" piece of wood (x2)

- 28x16" piece of wood

- 20x5.5" piece of wood

- Any type of clip that is capable of holding something like a sheet of paper (x2)

Step 2: Tools

You will need very few tools to accomplish this project, but nevertheless, here is a list of the few you will need:

- Standard drill

- 3/32" and 7/64" driver bits for drill

- Level tool

Tape Measurer

Step 3: Beginning to Build

The first thing that you will need to do when assembling this project is to join together your sheets of wood. Take the two sheets of 10x16" wood and line them up on either side of the 28x16 piece so that a "C" is formed. Then, take your L bracket and line it up so that it is in a position to join the 10x16" sheet to the 28x16" sheet. (1 inch down for the top brace, 1 inch up from the bottom for the bottom brace.) After you have lined them up, make small dots through the holes in the brace so that you can see where to drill. Take the brace away and drill the pilot hole (7/64" driver) for the middle screw. After the hole is finished, put the brace back and screw in the middle screw on the brace (12x3/4" screws). Repeat the process of drilling holes and putting the screws in until all six holes on the bracket have been screwed in. Then repeat this entire process on the three other sides that you need to join.

Step 4: Building the Shelf

Building the shelf is a very simple step in this project. You simply take your sheet of 20x5.5" wood and line up the L braces with it so that three holes are on the 20x5.5" sheet of wood and the other three holes are on the 28x16" piece of wood. Then you simply follow the steps you used before to apply the screws into the braces. (Repeat this process twice so that both braces are secure with the shelf and back piece.) When you're finished, the braces should look like upside - down L's holding up the 20x5.5" sheet of wood.

Step 5: Adding the Magnetic Strips

The next step is to add the two magnetic strips to the side pieces of wood, (10x16"). The two magnetic strips come with screws, so you do not need to purchase extra screws for this step. Line the Magnetic strip up diagonally from the corner of the two boards and down 12" to where the strip ends. Mark where you will want the screws to go by looking through the holes in the magnetic strip and making a small circle with either a sharpie or pencil. Make two pilot holes over the marks you made using a 7/64" drill bit. Then, put the screws in the holes on the magnetic strip, line them up in the two pilot holes you made, and then screw them in. Repeat this process on the other 10x16" sheet of wood to finish the application of the magnetic strips.

Step 6: Adding the Hooks

The next step is to add the small accessory hooks. There will be four hooks on the 28x16" back piece of wood and two hooks on each 10x16" side piece. To start on the back piece, add the first pilot hole (using a 3/32" drill bit) 5.5" away from the side. Then move over another 5.5" and make another pilot hole. Next, you will move over 8" and add yet another pilot hole. Lastly, move over 5.5" and add one last pilot hole. Then screw in each hook by hand so that the "hook" end is facing up. Next, for each side piece (10x16") you will add one pilot hole 1 down from the top of the board and 1 inch in towards the middle. The other hook on the side will be at the bottom of the board and be up 5.5" and in 5" from the edge. Repeat this process for the other side piece as well.

Step 7: Adding the Recipe Clips and Accessories

The final step you will need to finish this project is the adding of the clips. All you will need to do is close the clips over the side of the 10x16" pieces. Place your recipes inside the clip and on the outside of the side pieces. Then after that, add any kitchen accessories that you want to the magnetic strip, shelf and hooks, and then enjoy your more organized and attractive kitchen!

Step 8: Feedback/Customizations

This design is open to customizations, as the amount of accessories you can fit on it depends on the size of the wood that you are using. If you get larger pieces of wood, you will be able to fit more accessories, however that will come at the price of a comfortable size. If anyone who uses this design has any feedback or comments about this design feel free to leave comments voicing your opinion. Once again, thank you for using my design, and happy organizing!