When we moved in, our home had a coat closet near the front door that we never used. Over the years, it just started to fill with a bunch of junk, and I knew I could make something more functional in that space. I wanted to make a drop zone for all my kids’ stuff. I needed three cubbies, one for each kid. I also wanted a deep bench and space under each cubby to put a large basket for each kid’s shoes and other items.

(You can watch the first part of the project here, on Kyle’s Instagram account.)

I started by removing the door and then demoed the existing wall to open the entire closet space up from the floor to the ceiling.

Once I had the closet opened up, I removed the existing flooring and installed new flooring to match what was in the rest of the house.

At that point, I had a blank slate to work with. I couldn’t really make a plan until the full space was opened up and accessible. After gathering the measurements, I designed the actual build and came up with a cut list of all the pieces I would need to complete the assembly. To cut costs on materials and make the project more budget-friendly, I used big sheets of 4x8ft MDF. I used cutlistoptimizer.com to plan all the cuts. I like that website because it plots all the cuts on the materials you have on hand to minimize waste as well as the number of cuts needed. You can even put in scrap piece sizes to see what you can get out of those smaller leftover scraps. I ended up needing two big sheets of MDF ($45 each) to make all the cuts.

I also picked up a half sheet of red oak plywood to make the bench top ($50 at my local lumber yard).

Once I made all the cuts, I was ready to assemble the unit. I made it in two parts. The lower box/bench base had an open bottom and two dividers to make the three cubbies. I placed that in the space first, then I used leftover underlayment to create a template to cut the red oak into a benchtop. Once I placed the bench top on the lower box/cabinet, I added an extra 1-inch wide strip of material to the bottom lip of the bench overhang, which made the bench appear to be 1.5” thick. I used edge banding to cover the raw plywood edge and make the bench look like a solid slab of wood, much like butcher block. I stained the bench top with “Dark Walnut” Watco Danish Oil ($13), which sealed and stained the wood to give it a darker appearance.

I installed MDF side panels to create the illusion of a full cabinet, then I used a panel of faux shiplap ($28) for the back of the cubbies, and then I installed MDF dividers to create three individual cubbies.

Next, I mounted a large upper box on the wall above the three cubbies to make an upper storage area. This was just extra open space for additional storage. Finally, I installed a piece of MDF at the top of the unit to close the gap between the ceiling. I thought about making this panel hinged to allow access to the space, but I figured since it was so high up, it would be impractical and I just sealed it up. I used PVC base cap molding ($15) to create a picture frame box molding detail to make the top of the cabinet more aesthetic. I also installed a piece of crown molding I got from my local lumber yard ($10) across the top of the cabinet to cover the seam along the ceiling.

Once the cabinet was fully built, I trimmed all the seams, faces, and edges with various MDF trim pieces (about $50).

Since this was all constructed with raw MDF, it needed to be primed before painting to ensure even coverage and good paint adhesion. I used KILZ brand all-purpose primer ($24) to prime the entire cabinet. Anything that was going to get painted, got primed first.

After the primer cured, I lightly sanded everything with a 150 grit sanding sponge ($9) to give me a nice smooth finish to paint on.

I used Behr Urethane Alkyd Enamel paint ($45) in a satin finish. I like this particular paint for all cabinetry projects because it levels out very nicely, leaving no brush strokes for a spray-quality finish.

I used a combination of a Zibra angle brush ($14), a Zibra triangle trim and corner brush ($10), and a 4-inch high-density foam roller, which can be purchased in a kit ($15) that comes with the foam roller, the roller handle, and the paint tray.

When it comes to painting cabinets, the goal is thin, even coats of paint, and it is important to follow the directions on the paint can to ensure proper dry and recoat times. I did three coats of paint, letting each coat dry for 24 hours before doing the next coat. I also sanded with a 220 grit sanding sponge ($9) between coats to make sure everything stayed nice and smooth.

Once the paint was dry, I installed three backpack hooks ($6 each) and three water bottle hooks ($3 each). I also purchased three wicker baskets that fit in each lower cubby ($35 each) and four fabric storage boxes for the upper storage area ($10 each).

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A post shared by Kyle Ortiz (@kyledidit)

The entire project took about six days, and I am so happy with the results. It is so much more functional than the coat closet, and it’s the perfect space for my kids to drop all their stuff as they go in and out to various activities.

For videos and more details about this project, visit my Instagram.

How I Built My Custom Drop Zone

  1. Plan and Measure
    1. Measure the opened space and design the drop zone.
    2. Use Cutlistoptimizer.com to plan cuts for MDF sheets and minimize waste.
  2. Cut Materials
    1. Cut MDF sheets into required sizes using a miter saw.
    2. Cut red oak plywood for the bench top.
  3. Assemble the Base Unit
    1. Construct the lower box with an open bottom and two dividers for three cubbies.
    2. Place the lower box in the space.
    3. Use underlayment to create a template and cut the red oak for the bench top.
    4. Add a 1-inch wide strip to the bottom lip of the bench for a thicker appearance.
    5. Use edge banding to cover raw edges and stain the bench with Danish oil.
  4. Build the Upper Storage
    1. Install MDF side panels to simulate a full cabinet.
    2. Use faux shiplap for the back of the cubbies.
    3. Install MDF dividers to create individual cubbies.
    4. Mount a large upper box on the wall for extra storage.
    5. Install an MDF piece at the top to close the gap to the ceiling.
    6. Add picture frame box molding and crown molding for aesthetics.
  5. Trim and Finish
    1. Trim all seams, faces, and edges with various MDF trim pieces.
    2. Prime the entire unit with KILZ all-purpose primer.
    3. Sand everything lightly with a 150 grit sanding sponge.
  6. Paint
    1. Use Behr Urethane Alkyd Enamel paint in a satin finish.
    2. Apply thin, even coats, sanding with a 220 grit sanding sponge between coats.
    3. Allow each coat to dry for 24 hours.
  7. Install Accessories
    1. Install three backpack hooks and three water bottle hooks.
    2. Place wicker baskets in each lower cubby.
    3. Add fabric storage boxes to the upper storage area.

Final touches

  • Inspect the entire unit for any necessary touch-ups or adjustments.

This custom drop zone is a great way to make a functional and organized space for your kids’ items.

Tools Required:

  • Stud finder
  • Level
  • Tape measure
  • Miter saw
  • Nail gun
  • Sandpaper
  • Paintbrush or roller
  • Screwdriver
  • Drill

Materials Required:

    • 4×8 ft MDF sheets (2)
    • Half sheet of red oak plywood
    • Wood filler
    • Primer (KILZ brand)
    • Paint (Behr Urethane Alkyd Enamel, satin finish)
    • Nails
    • Edge banding
    • Danish oil (Dark Walnut)
    • Faux shiplap panel
    • PVC base cap molding
    • Crown molding
    • Backpack hooks (3)
    • Water bottle hooks (3)
    • Wicker baskets (3)
    • Fabric storage boxes (4)
    • MDF trim pieces

Originally Published: September 05, 2024