Closet Organizer from One Sheet of Plywood

Have the store rip the sheet into three 8-ft strips at 15-7/8" wide, or rip them yourself on a table saw. Then follow the cut list, crosscutting the strips to length with a circular saw. If you want a finished front, iron edge banding onto the exposed front edges now, while the parts are loose and easy to handle.

Mark the shelf locations on the inside and outside of both sides with tape measure and square. Predrill and countersink, apply glue at each joint, and screw the shelves to the sides. Attach one cleat across the top inside, screwing through the outsides and the top to lock the box square — this same cleat becomes your wall anchor later.

Add the remaining shelves the same way as the first, or go adjustable with a shelf-pin jig and pins. If you use adjustable shelves, cut them 1/4" shorter so they drop in and out easily rather than binding.

Find and mark the wall studs. Attach the wall cleats to the studs with a countersink bit and 3" screws. If there's a baseboard, jigsaw a notch out of the back so the tower sits flat. Then mount the closet rod sockets and hang the rods on either side of the tower.