I whipped this big hook board up last week in no time flat. It got me thinking: Why do we ever buy those teeny, overpriced, bland-looking, pre-made hook boards? Why? If I can make one of these, then anyone can!
I started out with this extra piece of barn wood that I found in the garage. Don’t have a fabulously weathered piece of history just laying around? You can use any plain board from the hardware store and stain or paint it, or you can even find a nice length of molding for a little bit of a fancier look. Easy and cheap.
I picked up these simple little hooks from Home Depot. I think they were about $2 for a pack of 2.
All I had to do was measure out where I wanted each hook and mark it off on the board. Then I just drilled in a couple of screws for each hook and 10 minutes later it was done!
Seriously? Why do they even sell pre-made boards of hooks in stores? It’s just irresponsible.
I ended up using it on the wall in my mudroom.
It’s great for holding skipping ropes, dog leashes, wet towels, and stuff like that.
Usually in the Summer this area is just a big mess of toys and outdoor gear, but now it’s just a little more organized. It even looks a little bit fun, right? ‘Cause there are toys and stuff! Right?
Well, I still need to pick up a few more lawn games on end-of-season clearance to really finish off the “fun” look that I’m going for when you walk in here, but I do have this vintage croquet set that we found in the garage. That looks like good Summer fun to me!
My point is, if you’re starting to think about getting organized, and you think you might like some hooks for something like kids’ things at back-to-school time, why not try making something like this yourself rather than spending 10 times the money on a pre-made one? I bet you’ll surprise yourself with how much you like it!
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.