9 Convenient DIY Can Organizers Ideas (With Pictures)
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Ed Malaker
- Last updated:
If you store many canned goods for a rainy day or put dry goods or small items like buttons or screws in jars, you know that it can be challenging to keep everything sorted so you can find something when you need it. A can organizer can be a huge help, and several commercial units are available online. However, these products can be expensive. If you are handy, you can build one for a fraction of the price, so keep reading as we list several projects that you can tackle at home.
The 9 DIY Can Organizers Ideas
1. DIY Canned Goods Storage by The Prepared Page
Materials: | Plywood, 2 x 4s |
Tools: | Saw, hammer, drill |
Difficulty: | Easy |
The DIY Canned Goods Storage project is a great choice for anyone with extra wall space that they can turn into a storage rack. You can customize it to hold only a few cans or hundreds, and you can stain or paint it any way that you like. It’s inexpensive to build and only requires you to build a simple frame out of 2 x 4s.
2. Cardboard Can Organizer by Instructables
Materials: | Cardboard box, glue |
Tools: | Scissors, pizza cutter, ruler |
Difficulty: | Easy |
The Cardboard Can Organizer is an inexpensive project that is easy to build and will help you store several cans in a portable organizer. The instructions are easy to follow, and the hardest part is getting accurate measurements of your cans and cutting the cardboard to size. Most people will likely finish the project in an hour or two.
3. Stackable Canned Food Organizer by Shanty 2 Chic
Materials: | Plywood, wood screws, pine boards |
Tools: | Saw, hammer, tape measure |
Difficulty: | Easy |
The Stackable Canned Food Organizer is one of our favorite projects because it isn’t that difficult to build and results in a durable and sturdy container for storing your canned goods. Even better, it only takes a few dollars to make, and you can make several to stack on top of each other to store as many cans as you need. The organizers are also portable, so you can transport your cans easily to another location.
4. Easy DIY Canned Food Storage by Tom Builds Stuff
Materials: | Plywood, poplar boards, wood screws |
Tools: | Saw, hammer, drill, clamp |
Difficulty: | Easy |
The Easy DIY Canned Food Storage project is fun and easy to build without many tools, and the finished product holds 39 cans. It can mount to a door or wall so you can reach it easily to access the cans that you need. The author clearly describes each step of the project so you can complete it even if you don’t have much woodworking experience.
5. First In, First Out Can Organizer by Heart Hook Home
Materials: | Plywood, glue |
Tools: | Saw, measuring tape |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
The First In, First Out Can Organizer is perfect for someone who uses many canned goods and wants to use the oldest product first to preserve freshness. The instructions on this project are easy to follow. This project might be considered easy if there weren’t so many cuts to make. You can leave the project without a finish or add stain and varnish or paint to help prevent it from absorbing moisture.
6. Canned Food Rotator by Build My Own Cabin
Materials: | Plywood, nails, glue, paint |
Tools: | Saw, measuring tape, hammer |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
The Canned Food Rotator project is a moderately difficult project that will help you store your cans and rotate them, so you can use the oldest one first. You can customize it to fit any area of your home, and the instructions are clear and easy to follow. There are several cuts required in the plywood that you use to construct it, but most are easy to make.
7. Bulk Can Dispenser by Instructables
Materials: | Plywood, nails, glue, staples |
Tools: | Saw, hammer, drill |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
The Bulk Can Dispenser project is great for people who have a large supply of cans that they need to keep sorted. It provides storage for up to 81 cans and is relatively inexpensive to make, as it is mostly plywood. The instructions are easy to follow, and there are several cuts to make, but most people should be able to complete it.
8. Wall Mounted Canned Food Dispenser by Budget 101
Materials: | Boards, acrylic plastic, wood screws |
Tools: | Saw, hammer, tape measure |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
The Wall Mounted Canned Food Dispenser is a great project that you can customize to fit your wall space or the number of cans that you need to store. It only requires making a few cuts and connecting the boards using wood screws and glue. The author explains how to build the dispenser in video format, so it is easy to follow along with, but some of the tools are more advanced.
9. Can Rotating Shelf by Instructables
Materials: | Plywood, poplar boards, wood screws |
Tools: | Saw, hammer, drill, clamp |
Difficulty: | Moderate |
The Can Rotating Shelf is a project perfect for someone who only has a few cans to store but wants to ensure that they use the oldest ones first. You only need a few pieces of plywood and wood glue to build the project, but it requires you to cut dovetail joints which might be hard for a beginner.
Summary
For only a few dollars, you can build many projects that will help you store cans so you can easily retrieve what you need and even use the oldest ones first. If you don’t have much woodworking experience, we recommend starting with one of the easier projects. The Cardboard Can Organizer costs almost no money, so you can keep trying until you get it right, and we think that you will be surprised at how durable it is. Once you gain more experience, a project like the Bulk Can Dispenser will help you store all the cans that you can collect.
Related Read: The 5 Convenient DIY Attic Lift Pulley System Plans
Featured Image Credit: Dmitriev Mikhail, Shutterstock
Contents
- 1 The 9 DIY Can Organizers Ideas
- 1.1 1. DIY Canned Goods Storage by The Prepared Page
- 1.2 2. Cardboard Can Organizer by Instructables
- 1.3 3. Stackable Canned Food Organizer by Shanty 2 Chic
- 1.4 4. Easy DIY Canned Food Storage by Tom Builds Stuff
- 1.5 5. First In, First Out Can Organizer by Heart Hook Home
- 1.6 6. Canned Food Rotator by Build My Own Cabin
- 1.7 7. Bulk Can Dispenser by Instructables
- 1.8 8. Wall Mounted Canned Food Dispenser by Budget 101
- 1.9 9. Can Rotating Shelf by Instructables
- 2 Summary