Even though the cold weather is evidently 'NOT' going anywhere soon, I just had to do some wood projects and one of which was how to figure out a good and easy solution to storing my girls Melissa and Doug wooden toys they got for Christmas.
Since Christmas day, the such toys in question, have been kept under my coffee table, begging for a better home.
But with the lack of space, the only solution was to keep them where they were (as the girls always use the coffee table as their base to set up the wooden farm and village)
What could I use? A basket, nope - been there, done that! - Didn't like that option or just leave them as is or something else - I chose the latter.
After mulling over what I could make, without making too much mess with my jigsaw - I took some measurements and got out some wood bedside edges and got to work making a shallow under table cart. It had to be shallow, for the girls to SEE their toys and be able to access them without my help.
Here are the 2 wood bedsides, I got for $2 each!!
I mark where to cut. I needed 3 same lengths for the bottom.
And one of the same length, but cut down the middle for the side and 2 smaller for the top & bottom
Those pieces were to make a rectangle - these will be my sides.
Then, using liquid nails, I glued the bottom & tops to each of the sides. Then, using wood screws, I screwed them into place.
Leave to dry. This is what you will screw your base too.
I cut 2 narrower pieces, of wood to attach to the frame. Glue in place using liquid nails
And for extra strength, Nail down.
Do the same on both sides. Give them a good sanding down, I actually made sure the corners, were sanded down to a rounded edge.
The using the 3 pieces of wood, I attached those on top of the narrow wooden pieces.
I used nails and wood screws to secure them. Using Krylon White Primer and Paint, Give it a couple of light coats.
I gave it 3 light coats using the leftover paint.Then once dried I used some Valspar Antiquing Glaze to give it finished look to match the coffee table
Now came the super easy part :)
Attaching the dolly wheels. I choose to use ones that only went forward and back. Knowing all to well my girls will pull out the wooden toys and use the cart for their own fun uses :)
I picked the dolly wheels from a local hardware store - these actually cost the most, at $4 bucks each.
I attached them at either end.
( As you can tell from the leg standing in the picture above, Carys was kind enough, to give my work the strength test, by standing on it)
Now if you look close enough, you can see my wood work is NOT perfect. But who cares! It's only gonna get dinged up.
I attached a handle to each side.
I got these handle from Hobby Lobby when they were 40% off.
Then here you have it.
My
Easy Wooden Under The Table Cart
Which most certainly does the job of keeping the girls wood toys all neat and tidy, even if it's only when they go to bed at night LOL
Not only do I love it, so do my little tinkers, Seren & Carys.
They think it makes the most wonderful ride :)
All neatly tucked away under the coffee table, ready for another day of play.