DIY Book Rack and Toy Storage Unit

The never ending quest to curtail all those books and toys goes on and on.  But today we have a storage solution that may interest you.  How about this two tier compartment style book rack and toy storage unit?

A DIY tutorial to build a book rack and toy storage unit. Make this generous sized open access shelf for lots of books and toys.

It’s Week 6 of Handbuilt Holiday and this gift build idea is more on the practical side.  Ana and I are moms and we love practical, useful gifts.  And this project definitely fits the bill.

Book Rack

How great is this open style book rack?  It’s got plenty of space to display and store a large variety of books.  All the books right at your fingertips.  This makes a beautiful way to display a book collection, it’s eye catching and enticing for young ones.

Toy Storage

This book rack and toy storage unit is essentially two large compartments seated on an angled wood frame.  I opted to stain the frame in contrast to the white paint on the storage bins.

The large open compartments are plenty deep for multiple books.  So you could really fill this up with a lot of reading material.

Modern Book Storage

This storage piece makes the perfect companion with its modern lines and edges.  And if you’re looking for anyone modern bookshelf idea we did this midcentury version a few years back.

Build Plans

Want to get building this piece for the book lover in your life?  Ana has the plans here and if you want to see some real life process photos be sure to scroll down below.

Before you begin be sure to read through the step by step instructions first.  For the side frame pieces you will be making two mirrored versions of the same piece.

Tip #1: When cutting the side frame support pieces be sure to place the pocket holes in mirror just like the photo above.

See how the side frame pieces are mirror versions of each other?

Tip #2: When attaching the horizontal support pieces be cautious of pocket hole screws colliding.

Tip #3: Sand and paint the compartment bins before attaching them to the frame.  Likewise stain the frame separately before attaching the compartments.

Thanks for joining me for this book rack toy storage project.  Please leave any questions in the comments below and be sure to follow me on social media for sneak peeks, tools and project inspiration: