Easy Do-It-Yourself Shelves: Overhead, Window and Under-Sill

Overhead shelves are one logical answer to the do-it-yourself dilemma of finding more space in your home, condo or office. At home, shelves hung over doorways, above cupboards or over windows not only add storage space, but also add a whole new decor update opportunity.

If you manage your own office building, overhead hallways shelves can save you valuable space and time by keeping necessary but infrequently-accessed notebooks, binders and paperwork close at hand but out of the way.

Windowsill shelves are especially nice for growing herbs year-round, to provide sun for indoor plants, or to keep bottle collections that reflect the sunlight and look lovely to passers-by.

Overhead Hallway Shelves

Building overhead shelves to span hallways is great use of completely wasted space. Store books, display trophies, highlight a collection or just keep board games organized on your overhead shelf; add a trailing green ivy plant to the mix and you'll go a long way to cheering up those narrow and dead-end halls.

You'll need:

* Two 1 x 4 pine ledgers per shelf (more ledgers, if you're doing multiple shelf units)
* 3/4-inch plywood for shelves, 24 inches wide (you'll cut to it to fit hallway width)
* One 1 x 4 brace for each shelf, to reinforce plywood
* Assorted nails
* Spreading anchors, as needed

The optimum way to secure the shelf is to nail the ledgers (supporting side-mounted panels) to your wall studs. If you can't find the studs, or aren't sure, you'll use the spreading anchors to secure the ledgers to the wall.

1. Locate the studs and mark the wall where you're going to put your shelf unit. Measure the space across the hallway at that point.

2. Cut your plywood to the width of the hallway. The edges will rest atop the ledgers, so measure width of span before securing ledgers.

3. Measure the height of a door leading off the hallway, if there is one. You'll want the base of your shelf to be higher than door-height. Mark both sides of the hallway.

4. Secure the ledgers to the walls by nailing the boards into the studs or by securing the ledgers with spreading anchors.