How I Made a Custom Shelf Easy for $10!

You might be sick of hearing about this closet, but I am hell bent on maximizing EVERY square inch of it! It's not a very large closet but it is deep you can stand in it. I wanted to add a custom shelf to the top in order to have storage for the larger baby sizes as the bean grows.
The size was 39 inches which is an odd size. Everything I saw on line was 36 inches in length.
I went to Home Depot and found this shelf 48 inch shelf for $10!!! P.S. everything online was at least $40. What's even better is they will cut it for you to size. I had them cut it to 38.5 inches to give myself a little wiggle room on either side when hanging the self. This is treated particle board and can handle a decent amount of weight.
Then I got 2 L brackets. Do you recall my mantle DIY? Well these were the left over brackets from that project!
I secured each bracket to a beam in the closet. Unfortunately this meant that the brackets were not spaced evenly on either side but I rather the shelf be secure in a beam rather then using anchors. Plus with all the clothes you can't even see the brackets.
I then marked and drilled holes in the shelf.
I used bolts and screw caps to secure the shelf to the bracket.
Tada! Space maximized!
Enjoyed the project?
Suggested materials:
- 48 inch shelf (Home Depot)
- L shape brackets
- Screw driver
- Level
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?