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I’ve been really working toward doing as much around my house as I can to fix things up. This month I made a brand new DIY channel upholstered headboard that I’m so in love with. Seriously, though, I had no idea what I how much comfier reading books in bed would be instead of having my back up against the wall like a goob :)
Taking a look around I wanted to do some more work and my office really, really needed a fresh coat of paint. Long before I lived in this home I bet these walls were white. But over time they seemed to have morphed into a pinky, peachy, off-white kind of a thing that I really don’t love. I ordered paint online in the same shade I’ve used for most of my house and after it was delivered I got to work. Now I’ve been a bit under the weather and as I was painting the walls I kept thinking that the paint was so awful. It was runny and thin and it seemed awfully light and not at all griege colored. Turns out they didn’t tint my paint :) so I was slapping un-tinted base up on the walls that barely covered and it will need to be painted again. Ugh, right?
As I was painting around my totally awesome yarn shelf I added to my crafty office back in 2020 I realized I forgot to ever post my tutorial. Guess back in 2020 I had a lot on my mind, go figure! :)
So let’s talk about why I needed this amazing DIY Yarn Shelf!
Since the pandemic hit, I’ve been really, really trying to use supplies from my craft stash instead of purchasing duplicate items. It’ll save me money and it will save me from cluttering up what storage space I have. With my yarn stash this has proven a lot more difficult than I thought it would be…
In my garage back in 2020 I had 6 different giant plastic tubs full of my yarn stash. It got so crazy that I even numbered my totes and MADE A FREAKING SPREADSHEET to keep track brand, color, dye lot, and quantity of my various skeins. And the whole point was so that I WOULDN’T buy the same yarn over and over. But the thing is, spreadsheet be darned, I was STILL was purchasing yarn I already had at home without meaning to. And so my stash of yarn was constantly growing and a waste or resources, storage space, everything, really. And so I decided to do something about it.
I built a super simple Yarn Shelf for easily visible yarn storage.
Most of the yarn I’m currently using comes in short skeins making a shelf just under 6″ deep a great size. Plus I had 6″ lumber already in the garage and I’m trying to bust stashes all over this freaking place :)
In the end I was able to build a yarn shelf in a little over an hour of hands on time for about $7 for one new board. But the money that I’ve saved on yarn ALREADY IS INSANE. I hung my yarn selves on the wall near the door of my office so that every time I leave I can assess what yarn I’ve got. This has helped for a lot of reasons…
First and foremost I can instantly see what yarn I have available and can check off my shopping list the yarn I’ve already got. Secondly I get INSPIRED by the yarn I see being front and center. Loaded up with two totes worth of yarn from the garage, within the first month having my DIY yarn shelf I used up a quarter of that yarn. How amazing is that? And now that it’s been over TWO YEARS I’m down to a single tote of yarn in the garage. That, my friends, is the kind of DIY result I just LOVE!
Supplies Needed to Build a Yarn Shelf:
This tutorial will show you how to create a wall hung yarn shelf that is 65″ tall and 14″ wide and 5.75″ deep. You can alter the size as needed for your space.
Tools:
This is one of those projects where a mitre saw comes in crazy handy. Because to look nice you need pretty precise cuts, I’d recommend cutting the wood yourself rather than having it done at a big box hardware store. A circular saw can also be used to cut your lumber to size.
Materials:
- 1″ x 6″ x 6′ – qty 2
- 1″ x 6″ x 8′ – qty 1
- Wood Glue
- Metal Corner Braces – qty 4 (optional)
- #6 1.25″ Wood Screws
- Wall Anchors
- 1″ x 3″ x 6′ – qty 1
Cut List:
- Shelf Sides – 1″ x 6″ x 6″ – qty 2
- Shelves – 1″ x 6″ x 12.5″ Furring Strip – qty 2
- Supports – 1″ x 3″ x 12.5″
How to Build a Yarn Shelf
Building the Outside of the Shelf
Put together the rectangular shape of your shelf together on your work surface. The shorter top and bottom pieces will be placed inside of the 65″ side pieces. Place the prettier sides of the each board on the work surface, this will be the front of your shelves. Apply wood glue to your top and bottom pieces and place inside of the shelf sides. Push the speed square into the inner corner of the shelves as you glue to ensure you get a 90° angle.
If necessary, use heavy objects (like bricks) to keep the wood standing in place while the glue dries. Or, better yet, use corner clamps (I plan on getting some of these for myself at some point!)
Allow the glue plenty of time to dry, overnight is best.
If using, screw the metal corner braces onto each of the 4 corners of the back of your shelf. This is optional but I felt like it would make my shelf even sturdier so I went for it. I get my “Tim the Toolman Taylor” style of overkill from my dad :)
Adding the Inner Shelves
With the back side still facing up measure from one end and mark these measurements on both sides: 10.75″, 21.75″, 32.25″, 43″, 53.75″. These marks correspond with the placement of the TOP edge of your shelves. Apply glue to the ends of your shelf pieces where they meet up with the shelf itself. Slide the shelf into place, using your speed to ensure a 90° angle.
Add all 5 shelves, propping each shelf up, if necessary, using your marked lines to evenly space them out. Allow the glue some time, an hour or more, to dry.
Going through the side of the shelves and into each shelf piece itself, pre-drill holes for 2 wood screws for each shelf on each side. Add your screws tightening until the head sinks to be just below to flush with the wood.
*Note – If a tight fit, it might be necessary to use a rubber mallet to tap the shelves into place.
Give Your Shelves Support for Hanging
Flip the shelf over so that the back is on your work surface. Add supports to hang your shelf with the 1″ x 4″ pieces. Place the support pieces inside the second and fifth shelves like pictured above. Pre drill your holes and attach the support pieces using wood screws. Be sure the wood screws are just beneath the wood’s surface or flush with it.
Make Your Shelves Pretty 
Flip the shelf onto one side and apply wood putty over each of the screws to hide them. Allow the putty time to dry and then using a fine grit sandpaper smooth out. Flip and repeat for the other side. Paint your shelves as desired and give plenty of time to dry.
*NOTE – If you prefer not to use and hide away screws you can alternatively use an electric nailer. This is something I don’t yet have in my toolbox but after building these shelves am really considering purchasing for myself! A nailer will use small brads that will be hardly noticeable. It’s also super quick because you don’t have to hold the shelf in place, pre-drill the hole and then screw in each screw. If you want to STAIN your wood rather than paint it, I’d strongly consider using a nailer.
How to Install Wall Shelves By Yourself
So you’ve got your yarn shelf built but in the time of quarantine and all maybe you don’t have somebody around to help you install your shelf? That’s the pickle I found myself in but I was able to work around it!
Using something heavy, like bricks, make a stand the same height as you’d like the bottom of your shelf to sit at. You can see that for that extra 0.75″ I used a wood plaque on top :) Once you’ve achieved your proper height, use a level to ensure that your support is, in fact, level. Finagle with wood shims, if necessary.
Place your wood shelf onto the support and make sure it stays firmly in place and does not wobble. Mark the inside of a shelf with a support onto the wall with a pencil. Both of these steps SUPER important for aligning the shelves when we actually hang them!
Drill holes through the shelf supports into the wall using a drill bit about the size to slightly smaller than of your wood screws.
Remove the shelf at place to the side. In the drilled holes, add wall anchors if there is not a stud in that place. I just LOVE these screw in anchors because they’re super easy to use.
Place your shelf back up on its prop situate so that your traced pencil line is perfectly in place with that shelf. Using long screws that will fit with your anchor, affix the shelf into place. Give the whole shelf a good wobble. If it holds firmly in place without the aid of the weighted support beneath, you’re good!
To finish your yarn shelf you can sink your screws into the wood a bit and then patch the holes with wood putty. Since this is pretty much my forever home I went ahead and did that. If you plan on moving or removing the shelf leave the screws visible to easily remove later on (they’ll be covered up by yarn most of the time anyway, right?)
Add Yarn Shelf and Keep an Eye on your Stash!
Stock your yarn shelf with your stash and get ready to be inspired daily!
I seriously love my shelf so much. Every single time I leave my office I walk by my shelf and see all of my favorites! The inspiration I get from this is so satisfying. In fact, this week I have crocheted 1 afghan, and 7 beanies. That’s a whole lotta inspiration!
