DIY Nesting Desk Organizer Set

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer — An easy to make and easy to customize DIY Nesting Desk Organizer that fits together AND has a spot for everything. 

It’s the perfect time of year for a spring cleaning! Between my craft supplies, photo props and other blogging gear, my home studio could really use some tidying.

My desk, for one, can easily get buried under office supplies that I use everyday and never seem to put away. 

When I, Anusha, found a simple wooden tray, I knew with a little DIY-ing it would be a perfect desk catchall.

This DIY Nesting Desk Organizer neatly fits together AND has a spot for everything. It’s so easy to customize and make it your own too!

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer by Sugar & Cloth, an award winning DIY, home decor, and recipe blog.

Materials Needed To Make A DIY Nesting Desk Organizer

Panels of basswood — Measuring 1/16″ x 4″ x 24″ or depending on your desired size and boxes

Wooden box or tray — You can find any wooden box of any size at Michaels or your local craft store. The box photographed was purchased from Hobby Lobby and measures 9″ x 6″ x 1.5″. 

Acrylic paint — In any of your desired colors

Superglue

Sandpaper

X-Acto knife

Ruler

Cutting mat

Office Organization Ideas: How To Make A DIY Nesting Desk Organizer

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer by Sugar & Cloth, an award winning DIY, home decor, and recipe blog.

Measure the dimensions of the wooden box and mark down what sizes you’ll need to build your nesting boxes. To build different size nesting boxes, you can replace our size dimensions with your numbers if you opted for a different wooden box or tray.

Our nesting boxes measure:

  • Tall box: 3″ x 4″ x 3″
  • Long box: 8.75″ x 1.5″ x 2.5″
  • Medium box: 5.5″ x 1.75″ x 3″
  • Tiny box: 2.25″ x 1.25″ x 1.5″

For the first tall box, cut two pieces of basswood with the X-Acto knife to  measure 3″ x 4″.

To cut the basswood, lightly score the wood a few times, and it will easily cut through.

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer by Sugar & Cloth, an award winning DIY, home decor, and recipe blog.

Then, cut two pieces that measure 2.75″ x 4″ for the parallel sides. The shorter pieces will be glued inside the longer sides.

Finally, cut a piece for the bottom of the box which will measure 3 in. x 3 in.

If you want to paint the inside of box, you can do that now before gluing the wood sides together.

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer by Sugar & Cloth, an award winning DIY, home decor, and recipe blog.

Use super glue to glue the sides together in a butt joint.

A butt joint is when one piece of wood is butted up against another piece to form a corner.

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer by Sugar & Cloth, an award winning DIY, home decor, and recipe blog.

Allow each side to dry before you continue.

Add glue into the corners to reinforce the hold.

Lastly, glue the bottom of the box on. F

Finally, sand any rough edges.

Optional: You can paint the outside of the box too once it’s all dry. Repeat the steps to build the rest of the boxes!

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer by Sugar & Cloth, an award winning DIY, home decor, and recipe blog.

Finally somewhere to put washi tapes, ribbons and my tiny cactus! What would be in your desk organizer?

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer by Sugar & Cloth, an award winning DIY, home decor, and recipe blog.

More Office & Desk Decor Ideas & DIY’s

Love this DIY Nesting Organizer? Here are other easy office projects and inspirational makeovers from our archives —

Office Accessories: DIY Nesting Desk Organizer

photo of an office diy nesting organizer by top Houston lifestyle blogger Ashley Rose of Sugar & Cloth

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer by Sugar & Cloth, an award winning DIY, home decor, and recipe blog.

DIY Nesting Desk Organizer

Print
5 from 2 votes
An easy to make and easy to customize DIY nesting desk organizer that fits together AND has a spot for everything. 
Total Time2 hours
Course DIY
Category Office

Equipment

  • Scalpel or X-acto knife
  • Ruler
  • Cutting mat
  • Sandpaper

Materials

  • 2-3 wooden box or tray 9" x 6" x 1.5" or your desired size
  • 3 panels basswood 1/16″ x 4″ x 24″ or your desired size
  • Acrylic paint  optional

Notes

Due to the wooden box that we used, our nesting boxes measure:
  • Tall box -- 3" x 4" x 3"
  • Long box -- 8.75" x 1.5" x 2.5"
  • Medium box -- 5.5" x 1.75" x 3"
  • Tiny box -- 2.25" x 1.25" x 1.5"

Instructions

  • Measure the dimensions of your wooden tray or box and mark down what sizes you’ll need to build the different nesting boxes. To build different size boxes, you can replace our size dimensions with your numbers.
  • For the first tall box, cut two pieces of basswood with the X-Acto knife that measure 3" x 4". To cut the basswood, lightly score the wood a few times and it will easily cut through.
  • Cut two pieces that measure 2.75" x 4" for the parallel sides. The shorter pieces will be glued inside the longer sides.
  • Cut a piece for the bottom of the box which will measure 3" x 3".
  • Optional: If you want to paint the inside of box, do so now before gluing the wood sides together.
  • Use super glue to glue the sides together in a butt joint. A butt joint is when one piece of wood is butted up against another piece to form a corner.
  • Allow each side to dry before you continue.
  • Add glue into the corners to reinforce the hold.
  • Glue the bottom of the box on. 
  • Sand any rough edges.
  • Optional: You can paint the outside of the box too once it’s all dry. 
  • Repeat to build the rest of the boxes!
Cost: 25
KEYWORD: desk accessories, desktop, office organization, organizer

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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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9 Comments

  1. The article is very easy to understand, detailed and meticulous! I had a lot of harvest after watching this article from you! I find it interesting, your article gave me a new perspective! I have read many other articles on the same topic, but your article convinced me! driving directions

  2. I decided to get real fancy and purchased one of those minimal see through acrylic desks. It looks great, chic, clean and fancy but I have no drawers, no desk organization, no storage. It’s really just a blank canvas. All that to say this DIY is perfect for my new work area.