How did you build a simple tote rack with specific measurements and materials, including plans for additional sections?
My wife finally saw that cool tote rack and wanted one for herself. I tried to find some plans, but didn’t have much luck. However, it was actually pretty easy to build once I took some measurements.
The studs are spaced 22″ apart, with the totes 17″ apart. Everything is cut to 86 1/2″, with the frames 31″ apart and each cross piece 31″ as well.
I used the 27-gallon totes from Home Depot and bought twenty 2x4x8′ studs, 20 totes, and some 3″ deck screws. I left space at the bottom and top for storing extra quarter round, trim, baseboard, and 2×4’s. I might need to add more cross pieces to keep everything off the ground, but I still have four spare bins. I might even add another section to expand the rack.
UPDATE: I went ahead and built another rack for the laundry room. Now I just need to figure out the counter.
That’s fantastic
This is totally something for the lazy folks… I mean, at least hanging them up would free up more space. Instead, this just piles them up, taking up even more space so you can be lazy and have to move them slightly less to access your belongings.
They’re all hanging there. Perhaps next time, take a moment to really observe the situation before rushing to leave a negative comment.
Is suspended from the ceiling like a track star. Thank you for letting me brighten your day!
Demonstrate your lack of intelligence without saying a word.
Avoid criticizing others. Keep the negativity out of your home.
It’s actually super helpful for parents who stay at home and want a tidy house.
Did you realize that while you’re organizing and reorganizing, your kids could be getting into all sorts of mischief? From sticking things in outlets to causing chaos, it’s better to work smarter, not harder, with these tote stacks.
Work smarter, not harder. It’s not about being lazy. Some people physically can’t lift heavy boxes. I used this method to organize my toolboxes under my woodworking table. It was a clever solution.
So what? You don’t have to deal with it, so why worry? People might be lazy, but that can change. You’re the one stuck being difficult.
If you’re unable to lift much for any reason, it’s understandable. If you’re able to stack the boxes, go for it!
Btw Justin, despite using this setup, creepy crawlies and water still find their way in, especially living in a state like Florida😅 Keeping items off the ground is always a wiser choice in such conditions.
Unless someone has a disability or injury preventing them from repetitive lifting, this solution seems unnecessary. It also requires using a step ladder to reach the top row, which could be avoided by arranging items in two rows at a lower level. This reduces the risk of injury or accidents. Personally, I wouldn’t call their approach lazy. If anything, it’s a smart way to minimize effort. I, on the other hand, am lazy and wouldn’t go to such lengths. I would have opted for a smaller version with shelves designed to hold 8 items each, possibly elevated to prevent water damage.
I appreciate something like this as a military veteran who faced a career-ending injury. Sometimes it’s just easier to not comment and move forward.
You know what they say, time is valuable. 🙄
Seems to enjoy piling up boxes full of unnecessary stuff.
Hey, I understand the military life of , but come on. It’s not cool to belittle people with disabilities and act all high and mighty.
So we’re basically wasting time and money building unnecessary stuff. Gotcha.
When you really think about it, takes up less room because if you just stack them, you need more floor space to reach the ones at the bottom.
Seems nice.
Hey Tom, I think it’s a good idea to just stick with regular shelving. That way, if you ever get rid of the totes or they break, the shelving can still be useful.
The idea behind ‘s setup is to easily access the bottom bin without having to move the ones on top. He uses bins to organize his automotive painting supplies and got tired of constantly un-stacking and re-stacking them throughout the day. Now, if he needs something like sandpaper or masking tape, he can simply pull out one bin and grab what he needs without having to move everything else around. It’s made his workspace much more efficient and convenient.
Hey , why does it matter? These are basically just shelves. They’re specifically designed for a certain purpose and can easily be changed if someone changes their mind. I didn’t build it so I don’t know.
Well, you know what they say – haters gonna hate. 🤷♂️
Hey, maybe they don’t have to create drawers for dressers. How about just stack them instead, right?
Hey, did you know you can simply scroll past without being mean and hurtful to another person?
It’s important to have beliefs. It’s refreshing to see young individuals who are still dedicated to ignoring the contents of the bottom bag because all their stuff is on top of it. I applaud you, sir. That’s the way to go.
So if someone else’s happiness angers you, you must be easily irritated, huh? You must be quite a character in real life
Heaven forbid he takes up space
I suggest seeking counseling. Your remarks indicate many deep-seated issues and a small penis.
Eh?
That’s probably the most absurd reason for being mean that I’ve heard today.
Please point to the action figure where the tote rack caused you pain.
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If you were to hang them from the ceiling, you would only be able to do a single row without having to move the font boxes before reaching the intended box. That seems quite inefficient if you have more than one row of boxes……..
You have been blocked. Goodbye.
This storage system sounds perfect for a lot of folks. We’re actually putting one together for our barn in the spring. With multiple horses, each needing different blankets and gear, it’s going to be a huge help. We plan to stack them 5 high and rotate the blankets with the seasons.
A friend of mine uses a similar system in her basement for holiday decorations, with a bin for each month (except December, of course). It keeps everything neat and organized, and makes it easier for her kids to lend a hand without struggling with stuck bins; they can simply slide in and out whatever they need.
Just because something doesn’t suit your needs doesn’t mean it won’t be perfect for someone else.
I’m sure your parents are thrilled to have you living in their basement, munching on Cheetos while commenting on posts like this.
Really? 🤔
I think having some organization would make a big difference from what it used to be.
It looks like this group might not be the right fit for you. Take care!
Needs to stop being rude.
It seems like you could have fit the other 4 if you spaced them out better on the top and bottom.
There wouldn’t be any space left for shoe molding baseboards and two by fours. Duh
I don’t think he was looking for your opinion on that, he just wanted to share something he did. Can’t you say something positive instead?
Can you imagine being as frustrated as the person who left that comment about someone creating an organizer 😅 what an interesting life they must have
This takes up more space compared to just stacking them in two rows of 8. This is a solution in search of a problem.
Hey , true but you’d still need to take out the ones on top to access the bottom ones…
Hey , I get what you’re saying. If you reach up to grab one from the top of the rack, there’s a risk of it slipping and causing an injury. Stacking them in 2 rows of 8 minimizes lifting and reduces the chance of injury.
Hey , what’s so funny?
I think it’s kind of hilarious how you’re being so rude to someone who accomplished something on their own. Your life must be really sad.
Some people really have no other hobbies, huh?
Doesn’t really see the humor in this situation. It’s a valid worry to be injured by something falling on you.
What’s funny is your incessant low-quality trolling and the way you keep moving the goalposts. Is it a stacking issue or a falling issue? Couldn’t the bins fall on you when removing them from the stacked pile you claim is better? lol
Trolling implies that’s what I am trying to do. It’s an honest opinion. The internet has ruined people where anyone thinks that honest discourse and debate is trolling now.
It is a falling issue and also an issue with stacking. Something falling from the height of your thigh can also cause injury, but severity is likely not as great as it falling on you from a height taller than you (depending on what is in the box, I guess). Stacking in two rows of 8 is more efficient than just building a frame and stacking these higher than they need to be. He could have accomplished this by building something half the height and just building the shelf twice as wide while also elevating it like he did at the bottom to prevent any water damage. Not the way I would have done it but it works for them. I just see more issues with it than benefits.
They are easily accessible
I suppose it really depends on how you define that. Depending on the height, you might need a step ladder to access the boxes on the top row. You wouldn’t need that if they were stacked closer to the ground. I personally think that needing a step ladder to grab something doesn’t make it more ‘easily accessible’ than something that is on (or closer to) the ground.
You’ll end up needing more floor space to move the ones on top in order to get to the ones on the bottom if they’re just stacked. It’s all about perspective, I guess.
You’d probably only need as much floor space as 8 of those could take up (or 10 since he bought 20). Is that square footage less than what he built? If so, then it would have been more efficient to stack them or build something smaller that occupied an equivalent amount of space as the 10 stacked on the floor.
Have you ever thought that it’s not necessary, useful, or important to have “an honest opinion” about someone else’s finished project that they’re generally happy with? Honestly, I might have altered the design a bit, but that’s irrelevant now, right?
No way. This is an open platform, so I’m not worried about that. I won’t be meeting anyone from this group in person, so I don’t even think about it.
You’d have to have some open floor space to take off the ones on top, set them down, and restack to reach the bottom ones without this setup.
I’m not completely convinced about that, but maybe you can explain it to me a little more. No problem, don’t stress about it.
I mean, imagine if those totes were in a shed and you needed the one at the bottom. Would you want to take out all the totes on top, then restack them after getting the one you need? Personally, I’d rather just grab the one I need instead of dealing with all of them.
Okay, I see your point. It’s true that we don’t have all the details about the availability of open floor space. It might be more beneficial in situations where there is limited open floor space.
It’s simple to make statements when there’s no risk of getting punched in the throat
I wonder what the weight capacity is for the bins hanging from the edge like that though
I noticed there are grooves under the cover for them to hang, but you make a valid point
And your pessimistic attitude is as well
He actually had to mention you just to get a reaction emoji anyway, that’s hilarious lmao.
It’s amazing and perfect for HER!
I love it so much!
If they are hung like that, be careful not to put too much weight on them or the rims could break off.
I thought of that too, but I don’t have a car that can carry full sheets of plywood. It seems like the typical way to build these shelves.
Ashley McCool
Here’s my version of the bin rack idea. Luckily, I already had all the bins I needed.
My goal is to have on the other side of the garage and I also plan to create a notch in the workbench for my miter saw.
My miter saw is on a stand with wheels. It can fold into the stand to double as a table. I have a separate one for my router.
Oh, cool. That’s a great concept. What did you use for the tabletop?
Simply plywood. Nothing too fancy. I’m working with limited space, so just trying to maximize it.
I’m leaning towards using sanded plywood. I’m considering going with 3/4 inch.
I decided to make my boxes twice as deep and used one-by-ones to easily slide them in and out
I’m actually planning to do something similar, but with the addition of wheels for mobility.
I considered that, but I have a young child. I’m thinking of anchoring it to the studs. My brother recommended putting wheels on it.
I’m thinking of making two sets of these and I still have room on the wall for other stuff with the wheels. I could easily move them around if needed.
You could reinforce each end and the back with plywood to make it sturdy enough to avoid tipping over.
That is accurate, and putting wheels on shouldn’t be too hard or expensive. Maybe I’ll consider adding them later on.
Buster Cook
What a great husband 😂
I think there might have been other options, but I bet she came across a photo on Instagram or some other social media platform and just couldn’t get it out of her head. You know what they say, happy wife, happy life. Haha
Great job on that one
I don’t get why people feel the need to leave negative comments. It’s like criticizing someone’s choice of furniture in their own home. Everyone has their own taste and that’s okay. Why do some people have to be so negative towards someone who pursued their own vision and succeeded? There are some really unhappy individuals out there. Instead, why not acknowledge the effort and time put into completing a project that turned out nicely? Just because you wouldn’t do the same in your own space. If we judged everything in someone’s home that we didn’t like, would it really matter since we don’t live there?
I’m not a fan of it. But hey, it’s okay because we’re all different and that’s perfectly fine. Well done 👍
Let’s toss these negative comments in the bin and forget about them LOL
Document 13
I really need this. I’ve been using those bins for my daughter’s clothes ever since she was born. They’re just piled on top of each other. It’s annoying to reach the bottom one.
I did the same thing over the weekend! I was originally planning to have them slide in that way, but I got concerned about the cheap crates potentially deforming and falling if they were heavy and hung from the edge for too long. So, I decided to support them from below instead. It took a couple of hours of work, but now I don’t have to unstack everything to access the bottom, and the heavy crates won’t crush each other. Time well spent.
The design is really sleek. It’s right up my alley.
No problem! The project was a breeze. It took me around 3-4 hours from start to finish, which included a quick trip to the hardware store and trying to keep an almost 4-year-old entertained who was determined to ‘help’ (even though he really didn’t).
I totally understand that feeling. My 2-year-old is always eager to help out. Even though we got her kid’s tools, she still insists on grabbing my tools while I’m in the middle of working.
My items are too heavy to hang like that, not too bad. But maybe this design with plywood shelves could work. I’ve been considering commercial racking, similar to what home depot has. Theirs is 4′ deep but I only need 3′.
I purchased the Home Depot shelf and it was not great. I ended up getting the plastic shelves instead. The bins didn’t fit properly and it was wobbly. If I had to do it over, I would choose the metal shelves.
The criticism is from people who are either unmarried or unhappy. His first sentence says “my wife saw a photo and asked me to build it”. He built it because it’s what she wanted. Just give a compliment or keep scrolling.
I hope there’s some diagonal bracing on the backside. Without it, the weight of loaded bins will cause the framework to lean to one side over time, even with 3″ screws. You can create 2 simple metal T braces to form a big V. Mark the spots with a pencil, cut around 5/8″ deep (make sure to measure the brace for the correct depth) into the 2x4s, and secure them with 1 1/2″ roofing nails at the top corner, center bottom, and each upright. This should provide enough strength. Obviously, cut the metal braces to fit with tin snips.
Hey , that’s the plan for today to wrap this up. After that, I’ll be securing it to the studs with lag screws.
Hey , I was thinking about going in this direction. I was also considering using some joining plates that are typically used on decks.
Null
This is the product I mentioned earlier. We used these frequently in new construction to maintain the squareness of the outside corner walls before adding the sheathing.
https://www.strongtie.com/wallbracing_miscellaneousconnectors/twb_bracing/p/twb
Make sure to refer to the installation guide. It’s really simple.
You can find them at Home Depot or Lowes. A reliable builders supply store should carry these or something similar.
Alternatively, you could just use 1x4s to achieve the same result, but that would add 3/4″ to the backside. The metal bracing sits flush with the 2x4s once they’re nailed on.
Wishing you the best of luck with it. 🤠
Got it! Those look great. I’ll include the metal diagonal braces.
I’m happy I could assist you. 🤠
I’ve been holding onto this idea for all my silly totes. I’m concerned about the stress on the lip/lid with the sliders. Most of mine have heavy items. I’m wondering if it would still work well if you used a piece of plywood for the tote to sit on instead of hanging. Do you think it would still be effective and look good? I’m saving the “plans” you sketched to customize my own! Thanks for sharing and I hope your wife enjoys it!!
– I totally agree with you. It may require a bit more resources, money, and effort, but it would definitely be sturdier. We might not even need a shelf for all of them – The bottom row can rest on the floor, with shelves underneath the next one or two rows. We can place heavier items on the lower levels and lighter items on the upper levels, supported by the lip.
– I’m not attempting to critique him in any way… Just considering what could be more convenient for me and my never-ending collection of heavy bags! Maybe my wife’s bags aren’t as full as mine 🫣🫣 haha
– I didn’t mean to sound critical. As you mentioned, it’s all about making adjustments to fit our individual needs.
Dustin Testerman
If you’re planning to place this on a concrete floor, consider laying down a sill plate gasket or another moisture barrier first. Good thinking! Especially for those of us who value an orderly space.
That’s a good point. I hadn’t considered that. I actually have an extra roll of underlayment from our basement project. I could cut a piece of that and use it. Thanks for the suggestion.
Hey Kev, I appreciate you sharing the photos and plans. In my garage, everything is on wheels or castors for easy cleaning. I’m thinking of adding a few 5″ castors to achieve this.
A like-minded individual! A good portion of my furniture at home is on wheels. Makes cleaning and rearranging so much simpler. I’ve got plans to create mobile units for my tools and garage stuff!
For sure. It should help people out if they want to give it a try.