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A child-height wardrobe for dress-up clothes — a closet rod up top for the gowns and capes, an open box below for shoes, hats, and props, and casters so a kid can wheel the whole thing around the room. It's built almost entirely from 1x12 and 1x10 boards, so the parts count is low and the cuts are mostly straight.
The one part that will humble you is the pair of arched tops on the side boards. Cutting two arches that match exactly with a jigsaw is genuinely hard. The reliable method is to make one paper pattern — fold a square of paper in half so the arch is symmetric by construction — trace it onto both boards, cut just outside the line, then clamp the two boards together and sand them as a pair until they're identical. If they still don't quite match, round the cut edges over: a soft rounded edge hides a mismatch that a crisp square edge would advertise.
Glue and screw the closet rod in place rather than resting it in sockets. A fixed rod adds rigidity across the top and keeps the two sides from spreading — it earns its keep structurally, not just as a place to hang clothes.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12 board, 10 ftSides and bottom. | 1 each |
| 1x10 board, 6 ftStorage box sides. | 1 each |
| Closet rod or dowel, 1-1/4" dia, 36" | 1 each |
| Self-tapping wood screws, 2" | 20 each |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
| Caster wheels, 2"Optional — makes it a rolling station. | 4 each |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Sides1x12Round/arch the top corners starting ~3" down with a jigsaw. Cut as a matched pair. | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 36" |
| Bottom1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 34 1/2" |
| Storage box sides1x10 | 2 | 3/4" × 9 1/4" × 34 1/2" |
| Closet rodDowel1-1/4" diameter — thickness/width both list the diameter. | 1 | 1 1/4" × 1 1/4" × 34 1/2" |
Buy 4 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
2 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Predrill and countersink pilot holes along the long edges of the bottom. Glue the bottom edges of the box sides and screw the bottom to them with 2" screws. This open box is the base the whole unit stands on, so get it square before the glue grabs.
Make a paper pattern by folding a square of paper in half and cutting an arch — folding guarantees the two halves are symmetric. Trace it onto both side boards and cut just outside the line with a jigsaw. Then clamp the two boards together and sand with coarse paper until the arches match exactly. If they still don't, round the edges over so the eye can't catch the mismatch.
With the arches done, predrill along the bottom and side edges (center the holes ~3/8" in), glue the box ends, and screw the sides onto the storage box keeping the outside edges flush.
Measure down about 3" from the top and to the center of each side, and predrill pilot holes. A clean trick: thread each screw through until just the tip pokes out the inside face, line that tip up with the center of the dowel end, add glue, and drive it home. Repeat on the other side. A glued-and-screwed rod braces the top and stops the sides from spreading — a rod that just drops into sockets does neither.
Screw the 2" casters to the bottom of the storage box if you want it to roll, and finish to taste — paint holds up best against small hands. Add adhesive letters or a name if it's a gift. Confirm it rolls level and doesn't rack before it goes into service.
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