DIY Archives - Page 2 of 52 - Pretty Handy Girl

31 Days of Handy Home Fixes, cleaning, DIY, Home & Auto Maintenance, laundry room, Make It May

How to Make DIY Laundry Detergent for Only $1.25 per year

Today’s tip is a DIY laundry detergent recipe that is gentle on your washer (HE and regular), but most importantly it will save you money!

If you’ve ever looked at the cost of store-bought detergents, you may have choked at the cost. I have a wonderful detergent recipe to make your own own homemade laundry detergent for only $1.25 per year!

And the detergent is low suds and low residue which will keep your washer and clothes cleaner.

How to Make DIY Laundry Detergent

If you think this homemade liquid laundry detergent couldn’t possibly work on dirty clothes, think again. I can tell you that in addition to our regular clothing, I’ve been using this recipe for 9 years on my boys’ clothes, on my own work clothes, and my husband’s karate clothing. And it really works.

Whatever stains don’t come out in the wash are no match for my DIY Miracle Stain Remover.

The great thing about this laundry detergent is the basic ingredients are simple, gentle on sensitive skin, and can be purchased at your grocery store. Just look on the high or low shelves in the laundry detergent aisle.

If you can’t find them in the laundry aisle, it’s always a good idea to look at your local hardware or home improvement store.

To make the homemade detergent, you only need about 15 minutes and then let the liquid detergent sit overnight. The next morning, you stir, add more cold water, and you are done!

Do you think that’s too much time to devote to making your own laundry soap? What if I told you that this batch lasts our family of four (did I mention two of them are young boys) six months or more.

Make Your Own Laundry Detergent for Only $1.25 per year

Click Here to Download the Printable Version of the Recipe

Laundry Detergent for $1.25 a Year

Several of you asked me to make a video showing how I make my own detergent. For your convenience you can watch the video, then scroll down to read the directions to make your own laundry soap.

Ingredients:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Please note, you can purchase these items cheaper at your local grocery store or hardware store. The links are here to help you see what the box looks like or to order if you can’t get to the store.

1/4 bar of Fels Naptha soap
1/4 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)
2 Tablespoons Borax powder

Optional: Essential Oil for Scent (see below for scent ideas)

Instructions:

The first step is to cut your Fels Naptha Bar in quarters. Grate one quarter of the Fels Naptha Bar using a fine cheese grater.
Boil 1 cup of water. Pour grated Fel Naptha into pan of boiling water. Stir continuously until the soap has dissolved. Meanwhile, pour 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) of water into a large container or bucket. Pour dissolved Fels Naptha into the bucket of water. Stir.
Add 1/4 cup Super Washing Soda and 2 TBSP Borax to the bucket.
Add 2 1/2 quarts more water and stir.
Cover the mixture and let is sit overnight out of reach of pets or children. Uncover the bucket and stir the gelatinous mix.
Add 5 Quarts (20 cups) of water to the bucket. Stir.
Add 15-30 drops of your favorite essential oils.

Some essential oil scents you may like:

Citrus scents: the added scent of lemon, lime, orange, bergamot, or grapefruit is a favorite!
Herbs scents: peppermint, spearmint, rosemary, basil
Other scents to try: Eucalyptus, chamomile, cypress, lemongrass
Want to fight mold & mildew? Use Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca)

Blends to try:

basil & lemon
lavendar & lemon
orange, bergamot, and lemon
chamomile, lavender, and orange
lemon & tea tree

Miracle Stain Remover Recipe:

If your clothing gets stained, try soaking in this miracle stain remover a day or two before laundering. You’ll be amazed how the stain lifts out effortlessly. It’s a great way to get even the toughest stains out.

How did I figure out my cost per year?

I had to do a little guestimating to figure out my cost. In the nine years I’ve been making this recipe, I’m only on my second box of Borax and Arm & Hammer Washing Soda.

Each batch of this homemade laundry soap consists of at least 4o cups. If you use the required 1/4 cup per load (do not use more, as more detergent won’t get your clothing cleaner) you can easily get 160 loads of laundry from each batch.

All this to say, I came up with a very conservative estimate that I pay $1.25 for laundry detergent per year, much less than commercial detergents.

The next time you have a load of laundry to wash, give this diy laundry soap a try. You may never buy commercial laundry detergent again!

Storing Your Laundry Detergent:

The first time I started making this recipe, I used my empty laundry detergent plastic container. But, it was often too small for the batch size. Next, I used an empty 2.5 Gallon bucket water jug.

But, several years ago I bought a big glass drink dispenser and a smaller bottle with a flip top stopper. The smaller bottle is filled and used for dispensing detergent into the 1/4 cup measuring cup and then added to the washer.

The large drink dispenser holds all the excess detergent. This is a prettier solution to storing all the detergent and looks better on your laundry room shelf.

DIY Laundry Detergent | Pretty Handy Girl

Gift Idea:

Once you try this DIY laundry detergent, I know you’ll love it. And then you’ll want to share this recipe with everyone you know!

It does not contain any harsh chemicals and takes just a little bit of time to make. I like to share the recipe with a small sample amount in a laundry themed basket.

If you want more uses for that big box of Borax, check out my 2 Ingredient Ant Killer!

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October 6, 2025/53 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Bed, bedroom, DIY, Do It Yourself, Home Tour, Product Review

Our DIY Organic Latex Mattress Review

A DIY Mattress?! How I Chose a Savvy Rest Mattress | Pretty Handy Girl

If you’ve been searching for a mattress that won’t break down and need to be thrown away after several years, you came to the right blog post. I was like you until I found what I call our DIY Latex Mattress. It’s a great option for any type of sleeper and is eco-friendly.

FYI, this is an article I released in 2014, but I added an update and I still sing the praised of our DIY Latex Mattress! If you’re in the market for a new mattress, you really need to read on.

Our DIY Latex Mattress: the Savvy Rest Serenity

Disclosure:

Here’s the disclosure before you start reading. It seems like every blogger has been approached by a mattress manufacturer. I’ve received a fair amount of pitches as well in my inbox. But, I’ve declined them all. Instead, I chose to approach Savvy Rest because I REALLY wanted to share their product with you. BUT, here’s the whole truth (and nothing but the truth.) Once you learn a little more about latex mattresses, it is going to be a sleep changer for a lot of you! Savvy Rest was nice enough to consider my proposal and agreed to send me the mattress in exchange for a mention on my blog. Just so you know, I choose the brands I want to work with because I love the products. If I don’t like a product, I don’t blog about it. This is one of those products that I have recommended to my friends, family and anyone who will listen to my ravings.

Update:It’s now been over four years since we began sleeping on our Savvy Rest Serenity mattress and we are still happy with it. Recently Savvy Rest asked if I’d like to use affiliate links since I still sing the praises of their product. I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here. Now that you know the whole truth, this is my opinion and my story:

Why I Love Our Savvy Rest Latex Foam Mattress:

When I shared our master bedroom plans, I told you that it all started with getting a new mattress. And, I have been dying to share the information about that mattress with you! I literally have to control myself from stopping random strangers on the street to tell them about this amazing latex mattress that I discovered. In fact, as I sit here typing this post I’m worried that it’s going to sound too much like an infomercial because of how much I love our Savvy Rest Serenity latex mattress. In a nutshell, here are the main reasons I have fallen head over heels in love with it:

Comfort & Support: It is amazingly comfortable and supportive. We’ve been sleeping on it for a month now and my back aches are GONE!
All Organic: Made with natural materials. No chemicals, no off-gassing, no bleaching! The cover is made with natural cotton and organic wool. The interior layers are natural talalay latex and/or organic dunlop latex. I have purchased memory foam mattresses in the past and the odor was awful.
Eco-friendly mattress: Not only are the materials natural (harvested from rubber trees in a process that doesn’t harm the tree), but this mattress will last you a lot longer than any traditional mattress (often times latex mattresses can last 20 years or more!) This means less waste going to the landfill! And you know how passionate I am about keeping things out of the landfill.
Customization for Your Needs: It is completely customizable to your support and pressure relief needs. (As well as separate customization for your partner.)

Sounds good right? But, this isn’t your average mattress. I like to call this a DIY mattress because you literally pick three distinct latex foam layers to customize to your comfort needs. First, you choose either talalay or dunlop latex or a combination. Then you can choose between soft, medium and firm. This offers you more firmness options than you can count sheep!

$A DIY Mattress?! How I Chose a Savvy Rest Mattress | Pretty Handy Girl$

Let’s not forget about your spouse who likely has completely different comfort needs. He or she can chose their own comfort layers when you select the Savvy Rest Serenity split queen or split king mattress. This is the key to a happy marriage, is it not?!

But, I want to back up and discuss a little more about how I realized we needed a new mattress and how I decided on a Savvy Rest mattress.

Is it Time for a New Mattress? Read more

July 26, 2025/89 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

DIY, Gardening, Landscaping & Gardening, Plants

28 Creative DIY Planters and Containers for Your Plants

Create beautiful DIY planters and containers on a budget! Discover 25+ DIY container garden ideas for every style—modern, rustic, whimsical, and more.

4 image collage diy planters and containers for plants

DIY Planter Ideas

Good news—whether you’re working with a big garden bed or decorating a tiny patio, this collection of 28 DIY planters and containers has something for everyone!

Each project is an easy DIY with a helpful step-by-step tutorial, so you can create stylish indoor planters or tackle outdoor projects with confidence.

Most of these ideas use basic tools and materials you may already have on hand, making them perfect for beginners or weekend crafters.

DIY Planters and Containers

Create Knock Out Container Gardens

Creating a knock out container garden is a great option for adding bold color and texture to patios, porches, or small spaces. With the right soil and drainage, your container garden will support healthy plant roots and thrive all season long.

American Flag Planter Box DIY

Add patriotic planter boxes to your outdoor space with this simple DIY. You can adjust the measurements to make the exact size that you would like for your space.

Little Red Wagon Planter

This charming little red wagon planter makes a fun and nostalgic addition to your front porch decor. Be sure to add drainage holes in the bottom of the planter to keep your plants healthy and prevent water buildup.

Creative Container Gardening

Learn how to create your own primitive container gardens using weathered pots, rustic accents, and simple planting techniques for a charming, old-fashioned look!

Creating an Outdoor Oasis with Lattice Planter Boxes

Creating an outdoor oasis is easy with thoughtful touches like a lattice planter box, which adds both structure and natural beauty to your space. It's perfect for climbing plants, creating privacy, or simply elevating your patio or garden decor.

Hand-Lettered DIY Mini Chalkboard Planters

Add a personalized touch to your home with hand-lettered mini chalkboard planters, a fun DIY project that starts with a quick coat of spray paint or chalkboard paint. These charming planters are perfect for labeling herbs or gifting to friends with a handwritten message!

DIY House Number Planter Box

Add charm and function to your front porch with a DIY house number planter box. This easy project combines curb appeal and greenery, making your address stand out beautifully.

DIY Living Wall Planter Tutorial

Learn how to create a stunning vertical garden with this DIY Living Wall Planter tutorial. It’s a space-saving and eye-catching way to add lush greenery to patios, balconies, or outdoor walls.

How to Make a Concrete and Wood Planter

Discover how to make a concrete and wood planter that combines the modern look of concrete planters with the rustic charm of wood—an affordable alternative to faux stone planters.

DIY Mini Planters

These DIY mini planters feature a simple design and are perfect for showcasing small plants in stylish wooden planters.

How to Build a Scalloped Planter Box

Learn how to build a scalloped planter box with this step-by-step guide that adds charming, decorative curves to a classic planter box that can be used indoors or out!

Scrap Wood Planter Box DIY

This scrap wood planter box DIY is a budget-friendly way to create a charming diy garden planter using leftover materials.

Build Your Own Kitchen Herb Planter

Build your own kitchen herb planter—a great option for growing small plants like basil, thyme, and mint right on your windowsill for fresh flavor at your fingertips.

Picket Fence Planter Basket DIY

This picket fence planter basket DIY is simply adorable. It's a charming way to display flowers in a little planter that adds farmhouse flair to any space.

Outdoor Planter Upcycle from an Ice Bucket

Transform an old ice bucket into a stylish outdoor planter—an easy and creative way to upcycle while adding a unique touch to your garden or patio decor.

Outdoor Patio Table Planter

This outdoor patio table doubles as a modern DIY planter, vase, and serving station—perfect for entertaining outside or on a covered porch, while keeping style and function in one sleek design.

Indoor Herb Garden with Mason Jars

Create a pretty indoor herb garden with white paint, a stencil and mason jars.

Two Ways to Install a Ceiling Hook for Plants

Ceiling hooks are a great choice for indoor plants. Check out this easy tutorial on the best way to install them.

DIY Vertical Garden

Create a DIY vertical herb garden which is the perfect project for a small space, apartment balcony, or anywhere you want to add a garden that takes up limited ground space.

Rolling Plant Caddy Tutorial

A rolling plant caddy makes it easier to move large floor plants, or other plants around and also for watering purposes. Check out this simple tutorial to make your own.

Woodland Fairy Garden in a Jar

Create a charming woodland fairy garden in a jar using thrift store finds like mason jars, adding tiny details inside of the planter for a magical touch.

How to Build Lattice Window Boxes

Learn how to build lattice window boxes with simple materials to add charming, functional storage and display space to your windows.

Cute Critter Plant Stakes

Add a whimsical touch to your garden by crafting cute critter plant stakes from a piece of wood for a fun and personalized decoration.

DIY Macrame Plant Hanger

Learn how to make a DIY macrame plant hanger with just some cord and simple knots to beautifully display your favorite plants.

Beach Themed Succulent Garden

Create a relaxing beach themed succulent garden by combining sandy textures, seashells, and succulents for a coastal vibe.

Desktop Terrarium DIY

A desktop terrarium is a stylish way to bring nature indoors—perfect for real or faux plants, whether or not you have a green thumb.

Metal Tags for Your Herb Garden

Add a rustic touch to your herb garden with DIY metal tags that make it easy to label each plant in style.

DIY Window Box from a Wine Crate

Turn a wooden wine crate into a charming DIY window box by adding drainage holes, a weatherproof finish, and your favorite flowers or herbs for an easy, rustic planter that brings character to any window.

Pin for Later:

7 image collage diy planters and containers with text overlay

With these 28 DIY garden planter and container ideas, you can give your outdoor space a fresh, creative makeover with new planters that reflects your personal style.

Whether you love rustic charm, modern minimalism, or something more whimsical, there’s a creative project here to inspire every green thumb and DIY enthusiast.

We hope you are inspired to make your own planters after seeing this collection.

To build the ultimate raised garden bed with arched trellis, you’ll want to see this tutorial:

Thanks for stopping by!

June 9, 2025/0 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Before and After, chair re-upholster, Decorating, DIY, Furniture, Kids Room, milk paint, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, painting chair, polyurethane, re-upholster, re-upholster seat cushion, ReNew, Sewing, Trash to Treasure, Tutorial, Upcycling, Upholster Chair

How to Reupholster This End Up Chairs (a Simple DIY)

This DIY reupholster chair tutorial features a This End Up chair. You can follow the same basic steps to recover and renew similar chairs.

As a parent of two elementary school students, I always ask my kids’ teachers if they need anything for their room. Usually the answer is markers, wipes, or snacks.

But, my kindergartner’s teacher knows about my secret identity after having taught my older son for a year.

So, she didn’t hesitate to ask me if I could possibly recover a few really sad looking chairs that had seen their fair share of kindergarten butts. 😉

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

How to Reupholster This End Up Chairs (a Simple DIY)

These poor chairs were still very study and in good shape, but the fabric was nubby, pilled, stained, and not in good condition.

I love a good challenge, especially with a solid piece of furniture, so I took all three of the chairs home over the Christmas break for my next DIY project.

I knew I could give these chairs new life. The first step involved removing the seats and the old upholstery fabric.

Before I touched the seats, I flipped over the chairs and marked the front side of the chair so they would fit together perfectly when I put them back together.

Next I removed all the screws securing the chair seat to the frame of the chair (all six of them.)

turn chair upside down and look for screw locations

Because of the construction of these chairs, I found it necessary to use a longer bit on my drill to get into each hole.

upside down chair and drill removing screw from under seat cushion on a chair

I pried off the piping from the seat backs with a 5-in-1 painter’s tool and needle-nosed pliers. Then removed the old fabric and old foam.

prying old piping off a this end up chair back

After the seats were removed, each chair got a good cleaning, a little sanding and then a couple coats of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint (colors used: tricycle and luckett’s green) and the blue one was chalk painted.

I used the bonding agent with the milk paint to make sure the paint would stick to the chairs.

three this end up style chairs with a new coat of paint in red, green, and blue

Finally, the chairs each got two coats of Minwax Polycrylic because those kindergartners are tough on furniture and this is a great way to give them a bit more protection.

adding a top coat of polycrylic over the red painted chair frame

Now on to the fun part!

How to Reupholster This End Up Style Chairs:

You can pick up the supplies at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or your local craft store.

Materials:

Fabric
Oil cloth tablecloth (optional for waterproofing)
Batting
Staple gun
Staple Remover
1/4″ staples
Scissors
Hot glue gun
Screwdriver
Piping (see tutorial for making your own piping)
Hammer (for any staples that don’t go in all the way)

spoonflower space themed fabric for recovering the chairs

I let my son’s teacher to pick out new fabric from one of my favorite fabric sources, Spoonflower.com.

Not only do they have loads of designs to choose from, but you can also upload your own graphics and create your own custom fabric!

You can also check out your local fabric store.

She picked out adorable space themed patterned fabric: Rocketship fabric and Space Fireworks fabric.

With a primary color palette, they are the perfect fabric choice for a kindergarten classroom.

Instructions:

Cut out fabric, oil-cloth (optional), and any additional batting a few inches larger than the bottom of the chair seat.

The great thing about this project is no sewing machine is needed for this upholstery project.

cut fabric, oil cloth, and batting to larger size than original cushion

Layer the new pieces of fabric face down on the floor. then the oil-cloth next (I put the oil-cloth face up so the fuzzy back side would be against the fabric to keep it from feeling too crinkly.)

Cut a square out of each corner about 1″ from the seat cushion corner.

cut out corners of fabric and batting before folding

Staple one staple into the center of each side. Work across form each other, gently stretching the fabric taut.

Staple fabric onto seat backing in this order. top, bottom, side, and side

Add more staples along each side.

bottom of chair with new fabric stapled to it.

Corners are neatly folded and then stapled to secure them. Hammer any staples that didn’t go completely into the bottom of the seat.

fold over fabric corners on seat cushion then staple

Re-attach the seat to the chair frame by replacing all the screws.

attach the seat bottom with screws driven from the underside

Flip the chair right side up and follow these steps:

Layer batting, then fabric over the chair back. Trim the batting to fit perfectly on the back of the chair.
Cut the fabric about an inch wider on the two sides and the bottom. Fold under the raw edges of the fabric.
Secure the fabric to the chair back by stapling at the top of both sides first.

adding new batting to the chair back, cutting fabric to fit over batting, and stapling the top of the back to hold fabric in place

Next put a few staples into the bottom of the seat back (hidden from view.)

staple fabric from the underside of the chair back

Continue stapling the fabric to the chair along the sides.

Set your staples as close to the frame as possible so the piping will hide your staples later.

Hammer any staples that stick up.

Add staples to the ends of the seat back.

If you haven’t done so already, make your piping.

The easiest way to do that is to sew your piping following this tutorial. Trim the excess fabric from the piping.

Peel back the ends of the piping fabric to expose about an inch of the rope inside. Cut the rope.

Then fold the fabric back and tuck the raw edges inside. This will give you a flat section at the end of your piping.

roll back edge, cut excess rope, fold edge of piping

Staple this flat end to the underside of the chair back.
Spread some hot glue on top of the staples along the side of the chair back.
Pull the piping taut and press it into the hot glue.
Secure the end of the piping with hot glue and a staple.

staple, hot glue, and press piping onto chair back. Finish with a dab of hot glue underneath

Secure the piping to the opposite side using the same method. Follow the same tutorial for the second chair.

Refinished chair close up seat back with piping

That’s it! Check out this sweet new chair!

one red refurbished this end up style chair with red frame and space fabric

Would you know that it was the same chair if I hadn’t shown you?

BEFORE:

AFTER:

close up seat cushion of a this end up style chair

Good, let’s keep it our little secret ;-).

The next time you see an outdated chair at the thrift store, consider giving it a new look with this easy blog post tutorial.

There is no need for a professional upholsterer. Give it a try. You will be amazed at just how easy it is. Good luck!

The new chairs were such a big hit with the kids. They all rushed to be the first to sit on them.

I think their teacher was happy with the finished product too.

happy teacher posing with a refinished chair

It’s a happy trio of kindergarten chairs!

three this end up style chairs refinished with colorful frames and space themed fabric

Pin this image to save for later or share with a friend:

You might also like this chair makeover with a video tutorial on my YouTube channel:

How to Easily Reupholster Your Chairs | Pretty Handy Girl

Pin for later!

May 7, 2025/7 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Build It, Decorating, DIY, Do It Yourself

45 Ways to DIY your College Student’s Dorm Room or Apartment

Ready to upgrade your college student’s space? These 45 DIY dorm room decor ideas are fun, affordable, and full of personality!

DIY Dorm Room Decor Projects

Heading off to college is a big transition, and creating a cozy, comfortable space can make all the difference for your student’s well-being and success.

With a few clever DIY projects, you can help transform a basic room into a functional and personalized retreat.

To make it easier, we’ve gathered 45 of the best DIY projects perfect for your college student’s dorm room or apartment.

Storage is key, so we’ve included lots of DIY storage ideas including underbed storage, wall storage and plenty of storage ideas for all the necessities.

Try adding a comfy chair for lounging, a small side table just the right size for a laptop and be sure to include personalized wall art with family photos.

These are just a few of the ideas we have in store for you. Take a look around to find just the right projects for your student’s space.

DIY Pouf Ottoman from Pretty Handy Girl

Get all the details on how to make a colorful and useful DIY pouf ottoman, along with several tips that will help you in making yours. It also doubles as extra seating for guests.

How to Fix a Wobbly Chair from Pretty Handy Girl

One thing that is a necessity in any student’s dorm room is a comfy chair, either for a desk or lounging. Keep costs down by fixing an old chair and refinishing it. It’s a great way to add a unique look and personality.

Space Saving Sofa End Table from By Brittany Goldwyn

Here is a great idea for bringing in an end table that doesn’t take up much space. Your student can pull this handy table over to the side of a chair, sofa or bed to use their laptop.

Modern Boho Side Table from In Her Garage

Learn how to build a modern boho side table with minimal supplies on a budget!

DIY Garden Table Knock-Off from Pretty Handy Girl

I spotted a plant stand at Anthropologie, but it was priced at $148.00. While it’s quite stylish, I just can’t rationalize spending that much on a plant stand. So, I made my own at a fraction of the cost and I’m thrilled to share the process with you. This would make a colorful addition to any dorm room!

DIY Side Table from Woodshop Diaries

This compact end table is great for small dorm rooms or apartments and has plenty of room for books with a bottom shelf, as well as the top.

Half Round Copper Wood Side Table from Pretty Handy Girl

Create a compact side table suitable for a dorm room that is space-efficient and has a light, open, and industrial vibe.

Upcycled Stool From A Chair from Decor Adventures

We probably all have an old chair that has seen better days. Rather than discarding it, turn it into a playful and useful stool. Follow this tutorial on transforming a broken chair into a stool.

Recover a Butterfly Chair from Pretty Handy Girl

Do you have a butterfly chair that is worn or faded? With a sewing machine, some fresh fabric, and a bit of free time, you can transform that unsightly butterfly chair into a beautiful new piece that is perfect for dorm life!

Reupholster Dining Chairs from Pretty Handy Girl

It’s amazing to see how different an old chair can look with just a little paint and some pretty fabric. Reupholstering a chair is not as difficult as you may think. I’ll show you how!

How to Paint Second Hand Chairs from Remodelando la Casa

Here is a really unique painted chair makeover with a chalkboard feature! This is just perfect for a college apartment or dorm room. Think how cute it would be for each roommate to have one of their own.

Recovering This End Up Chairs from Pretty Handy Girl

Vintage “This End Up” chairs are super sturdy and could be re-upholstered giving them new live. And outdated chair is nothing a bit of colorful paint and fabric couldn’t fix. Now they are ready for their next 20 years!

DIY Floating Shelves from Pretty Handy Girl

Shelves are a necessity for extra storage in a dorm room or small apartment. Floating shelves are affordable, attractive and easy to install. Check out these 25 DIY floating shelves to find the best one for your space.

DIY Envelope Pillows from Remodelando de Casa

Envelope pillows are the easiest pillow covers to make. You can get super creative with the design and color to match any dorm room decor.

Patriotic Denim Bunting Tutorial from Jaime Costiglio

An easy way to add a decorative touch to any space is to hang a pretty bunting or banner. Use school colors for a customized look.

Pom Pom Placemat Pillows from Jaime Costiglio

You can never have too many throw pillows, but they can be pricey. Check out this step-by-step tutorial for turning placemats into pillows!

Hidden Storage Laundry Room from Pretty Handy Girl

Hide unsightly necessities with this creative hidden storage DIY. Make one for under a bed or anywhere you need hidden storage. It can be adjusted to fit any size space.

Make Piping Out of Thrift Store Finds from Pretty Handy Girl

When making custom pillows, there is no need to buy expensive piping. Learn how to make your own with this tutorial. Add custom school colors to old pillows, scarves, and other fabric projects.

DIY Wall Bookshelf from Pretty Handy Girl

Save on floor space and increase storage by building a charming wall-mounted bookshelf. This is a beginner-friendly project.

DIY Wood Crate Nightstand from The Unprofessional Blog

An inexpensive wooden crate serves as an ideal nightstand for a dorm room. This design not only functions as a nightstand but also provides the advantage of serving as a bookshelf. Below, you’ll find a simple guide to help you create your own.

DIY Personalized Wall Shelf from Jaime Costiglio

Create your own custom wall shelf with some simple painting and assembly to achieve this fantastic, personalized piece.

Decorative Shelf with Crown Molding from The DIY Village

Make a decorative shelf with crown molding and hooks to hang towels, coats, scarves or other items to keep a dorm room tidy.

Fir Tree Pegboard from The Unprofessional Blog

Space can be limited in a college dorm room. This is a table-top pegboard can add extra storage for school supplies, makeup, and more. The best part is it has a small footprint and doesn’t take up much space.

How to Make a French Cleat from In Her Garage

Here’s a reliable technique for safely mounting heavy items on your wall using a board and some screws. This French Cleat system has proven to be an excellent solution for this purpose.

DIY Ladder Display Shelves from Pretty Handy Girl

A simple storage option is to repurpose an old ladder as the framework for your own DIY display shelves. These will add a cool rustic look and additional storage to a dorm room or apartment.

DIY Jewelry Organizer from The Happier Homemaker

Check out this super easy way to keep your jewelry organized. It’s another convenient way to go vertical with storage and save table top space.

DIY Rolling Storage Stool from Jaime Costiglio

There never seems to be enough seating in a dorm room, especially in such a tight space. These rolling storage stools are the perfect solution!

DIY Produce Rack from Addicted 2 DIY

Think beyond storing fruit and vegetables in this DIY produce rack using some scrap wood and inexpensive wire baskets. Hats, gloves, scarves, and other belongings can quickly be corralled in the bins.

DIY Cell Phone Charging Station from I Am A Homemaker

Create a homemade cell phone stand and charging station for your college student. This is definitely a must!

Scrap Wood Industrial Ironing Board Rack from Addicted 2 DIY

Use scrap wood to make an ironing board rack (or coat rack) with ample storage those things you want to store away, but grab quickly. Such a great space-saver!

Galvanized Tub Storage Bench from Pretty Handy Girl

This easy storage option features a galvanized tub topped with a soft, upholstered lid. It serves as an ideal spot to organize and manage mess in your student’s dorm room. Additionally, the tub can function as both a bench and a step stool.

DIY Tray Gift Box from Pretty Handy Girl

Quickly whip up a tray using vintage rulers perfect for student life. They can be used to corral small items, hold a mail pile, or used for an inbox.

Rustic Wood Box Crates from Pretty Handy Girl

Creating personalized rustic wooden box crates is quite simple. You can design your crates to perfectly fit into a bookshelf or utilize them as drawer replacements in a cabinet.

DIY Decorative Bin from Pretty Handy Girl

Gather a cardboard box and art supplies to make adorable decorative bins. Get creative with the design style and size. Then store shoes, magazines, books, electronics, or anything you want hidden out of sight inside. This project should cost you next to nothing!

Tall Skinny Storage Cabinet from Woodshop Diaries

Create a narrow, tall shelf for bathroom supplies. It’s a great space-saver with room for storing towels, rolls of toilet paper, baskets, and cleaning products.

DIY Stacking Storage Cubbies from Addicted 2 DIY

These tiered storage bins are ideal for storing footwear, books, and more. They can be customized to fit into any small nook.

DIY Underbed Storage from Jaime Costiglio

Here’s a straightforward storage solution utilizing cedar wood for your dorm room. Build these cedar bins to fit under your bed and take advantage of that otherwise unused area.

DIY Jewelry Holder with Wine Corks from Love Create Celebrate

Repurpose wine corks to hang necklaces and other jewelry. This is a whimsical and affordable storage option!

One Board Storage Idea from Pretty Handy Girl

Using a single 1″ x 8″ x 8′ board, I made a decorative cubby box that offers ample storage space, making it suitable for any size room.

Scrap Wood Caddy from Woodshop Diaries

This scrap wood caddy is extremely versatile to hold whatever you want inside. A custom shower caddy, cleaning supplies, tools, snacks, etc.

Wall Mounted Desk Tutorial from Pretty Handy Girl

Looking for a desk but short on floor space or budget? This guide for creating a wall-mounted desk is perfect for you! You can also adjust its length to fit your specific requirements.

Folding Laptop Tutorial from Pretty Handy Girl

This folding laptop and writing table is just the thing you need to make any room a work space!

DIY Wood Wall Organizer from Decor Hint

Make a simple DIY wood wall organizer to organize your things, while still making the space look polished and well decorated.

DIY Sliding Mirror Door from Jaime Costiglio

Learn how to build a sliding mirror door for a dorm room or student apartment using wood, wheels and pipe fittings.

DIY Platform Bed In Her Garage

Don’t break the bank buying your college kid’s furniture. Create a DIY platform bed for them! This bed embodies minimalism and seamlessly compliments the contemporary Bohemian decor trend.

There you have it! 45 DIY college dorm room decor ideas that you can easily create for your student’s space. I hope you found a project or two to try.

If you are looking for more easy DIY ideas, check out my build-it project gallery.

April 15, 2025/0 Comments/by Brittany Bailey