I’m always looking around the house for extra storage space. From the basement to the attic, I’ve scoured every square inch searching for spaces that I could convert to storage. However, I learned that sometimes the answer is right in front of you.

A few years ago, my son Chris had run out of shelves for his growing book collection. But his 10’x 12’ room already housed a bunk bed, computer desk, stereo cabinet, two large windows and a closet, so there wasn’t any room for a freestanding bookcase or wall-mounted shelving. Then I stumbled upon a novel idea:

I cut a hole through the end wall of his closet and installed a built-in bookcase. The bookcase is only about 9” deep x 18” wide x 40” high, but its four shelves hold an impressive number of books. And best of all, it doesn’t take up a single square inch of floor space.

I built the bookcase from 1”x 10” pine and used 1/4” plywood for the back. The shelves are set into dadoes routed into the sides. After screwing the bookcase into the hole in the closet wall, I trimmed around it with Colonial casing to give the project a clean, built-in look.

Editorial Contributors
Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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