This easy DIY craft storage trolley is designed to store and organized stencils with craft supplies, while saving space! Other craft storage ideas included!

This past weekend, my photo studio hit an all time mess.

Very typical by the way. After one photo shoot… it can quickly look like…

The before

… this. 

Because this is a photo studio, any one of those walls in the room can become a photography backdrop. So it’s very common to need to move everything in the room off to one side in order to capture the project.

There’s actually plenty of craft storage containers in nearby areas such as my paint studio HERE, and rusty junk collection shelves HERE, however this particular room is the only space I have to store stencils.

And in case you’re curious, the photo is not messed up. That stencil ladder storage rack totally warped on me!

Previous stencil storage idea

 

This is how this DIY hanging stencil storage rack looked like in better days. It did work fabulous!

Thing is, whenever I needed the stencils out of the way for photo shoots, the stencil storage stand was always in the way, and difficult to move.

So, during the cleanup, I just couldn’t put that warped stencil storage ladder back. I wanted to try something new. Something with wheels perhaps… self standing, so I could wheel it right out of that corner.

But I wasn’t sure how to build one yet…until my eyes landed on the crate sitting on the floor beneath this stand. Of course…

Which ended up becoming the ultimate storage cart for stencils! Who knew?

So a rustic and compact craft storage trolley for stencils turned out to be the perfect place to hang up my stencils, that is a breeze to move easily as well!

And with the perfect addition of crate storage box, it’s part crafting cart too!

So if you have a few (hundred) stencils to store, and are tight on space, perhaps this tall and compact craft storage storage trolley for stencils will provide the perfect stencil storage solution for you too!

Here’s how I made it!

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DIY craft storage trolley for stencils

 

Supplies you’ll need:

 

2 2x4s
wider planks
old crate
4 full swivel casters
closet dowel rod
cordless drill and screws
miter saw
palm sander

Designing the craft storage trolley

 

1. Working with a crate size, 2 chunks of 2x4s and 2 fence planks were cut, then screwed together as shown.

2. Flipping the base upside down, casters were screwed onto the underside of the base.

I stole the casters from this trunk ottoman. Always repurposing a repurpose here…

3. Flipping the base right side up, the crate was attached to the top of the base, using screws from inside the crate.

Assembling the 2x4s to the crate

 

3. Two 2x4s were cut to the desired length, then attached to the inside of the crate, as shown.


A level was held against the boards, while screwing the 2x4s into place, to ensure they were straight.

P.S. I had to redo this part twice. The boards were slightly warped which did not help… note the tiny bracket crammed in the crate? It’s helping hold the boards straighter. 🙂

P.S.S. Collect kiln dried wood if you can. It does not warp like outside stored wood does.

Attaching the DIY ladder rungs

 

4. Two wooden closet dowels were cut to desired size, then painted black.

5. Using a carpenter’s square for placement guidance, the dowels were screwed into place from the outside of the 2x4s.

The finished storage trolley

 

Well, would you just LOOK at that. It’s a mini closet for stencils on wheels! 

Wouldn’t this also be cool to hang clothes in a laundry room? Yikes… I may have to make another.

But what a perfect fit to hang up two layers of stencils!

But let’s fix that crack in the crate…

A little chunk of wood already signed up from THIS junk bulletin board project, was screwed into place. Perfect fit!

You can find the MARKET stencil under Farmers’ Market HERE.

And, to take advantage of the crate base, it’s now used as a mini shelf to store small items such as stencil brushes inside mason jars. 

The vintage crate itself became the perfect craft storage basket for additional art supplies, rags and paint.

Some crafters store craft supplies in those amazing dreambox organizers. However if all you have craft storage space for just a crate, this may be all you need too!

Can’t beat hanging apparatus with built in storage bins.

The perfect compact craft storage

 

Then I cleaned up the tool cabinet cart, sorted the screws by size (again), and ended up with a pretty tidy little stencil storage work corner!

The little wall shelf acts as a pegboard to hang things, store pencils, pens, markers and has plenty of cubbies (cream pitchers) for storing screws. With added hooks for scissors, rulers, and even a basket caddy to hold buttons, hardware, and other things to create with. It’s a very handy little work space that is also on wheels!

This is pretty much the storage trolley’s permanent place, however it’s so easy to move thanks to those full swivel casters!

Now to finish filling the craft storage trolley. Guess I’d better start collecting more antique wooden hangers…

But the good news is, with more added stencils, it’s still standing as stable as ever! And it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a crate with stencil accessories nearby either…

Some may like store their stencils in drawers, however I really prefer to hang and organize stencils for storage, so they are easy to spot and grab as desired.

This is a very fun project, that truly added so much craft room storage while saving space!  

How would you use this craft storage trolley for crafters?

Find Old Sign Stencils HERE

Other craft storage projects to make:

 

Build this much larger stencil storage rack

Hang stencils with wood and pipe hooks

Create paint and craft storage with adjustable shelves

Build a paint cart from an old cupboard

Find other ways I love to ORGANIZE WITH JUNK HERE