Storage & Shelving

DIY Laundry Basket Shelves – Free Project Plan

This laundry basket shelf holds 6 basic laundry baskets.

Difficulty: Beginner
Time: 2.3–4 hours
Cost: $$$

About this build

This laundry basket shelf holds 6 basic laundry baskets. It is designed to be the height of a standard washer and dryer. The dimensions can easily be modified to fit any space. This is a basic build, with basic plywood and minimal tools. Perfect for a beginner.

Tools

Essential

Circular Saw
Drill / Driver
Impact Driver
Pocket Hole Jig
Random Orbit Sander
Staple Gun

Optional / nice to have

Bar / Pipe Clamps
Tape Measure

Materials

Item	Qty
Plywood, 3/4" Thick Full Sheet	2 board
Plywood, 1/4" Thick Half Sheet	1 board
1 1/4" pocket hole screws (see tools list)	50 each
Staples	10 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.

Cut list

Part	Qty	T × W × L
Top and Bottom	2	3/4" × 24" × 37"
Vertical Supports	3	3/4" × 24" × 37"
Shelves	4	3/4" × 17" × 24"
Backing	1	1/4" × 34" × 39"

What to buy

Buy 6 boards at 8 ft.

3/4" × 24"

3 boards

37"37"
37"37"
37"

3/4" × 17"

2 boards

24"24"24"
24"

1/4" × 34"

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 →

Start building →

Instructions

1Cut Plywood and Drill Pocket Holes
Using 3/4" plywood, cut the following: 3- 24" x 37 1/2" with pocket holes on short sides (vertical pieces) 2- 24" x 37 1/4" no pocket holes (top and bottom) 4- 24" x 17 1/2" with pocket holes on long sides (shelves) Using 1/4" plywood backing, cut the following: 1- 37 1/4" x 39" (backing)
2Build Box
Using wood glue and 1 1/4" pocket hole screws, attach the 37 1/2" x 24" pieces to the 37 1/4" x 24" pieces.
3Attach Middle Support
Using wood glue and 1 1/4" pocket hole screws, attach the middle vertical piece (37 1/2" x 24") to the center of the box. It should be about 17 1/2" on each side, but because materials vary, it's best to measure to find center.
4Attach Shelves
Using wood glue and 1 1/4" pocket hole screws, attach the horizontal shelves, with the pocket holes on the underside. These shelves should be about 12" to 12 1/4" apart.
5Finish
Sand, putty, and paint or stain your piece.
6Add Backing
Using staples, add the backing to the back of your shelf.