How to Enhance Your Entryway with a DIY Storage Bench

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Photo by Thijs van der Weide from Pexels

You may be surprised to learn just how much a little DIY storage bench in your entryway can save you in time and money. Storage benches offer children a place to sit while they remove snowy or muddy shoes. That’s less time spent mopping your kitchen or steam-cleaning the carpets. 

Save hardwoods from years of damage and wear.

On top of that, a bench can double as storage. Never again will you be racing around your home trying to find your mittens, scarves, rain boots and other outdoor essentials on your way out the door. It’s now all in one convenient place. 

You can even store backpacks and lunch bags on the weekend — whatever makes sense for your family.

You might think that making an entryway storage bench is complicated. But we’ll show you the easy way to build your bench in less than a day.

What you’ll need

*Pro tip* Borrow tools that you may never use again before buying. If you find you want to take on more new projects, you can buy one then.

  • 18-gauge nail gun
  • Miter saw
  • Framing square
  • Pneumatic framing gun
  • Hammer drill for concrete/brick or regular drill
  • Circular saw
  • 6 3/4" plywood
  • 8 2×4" boards
  • 3" strap hinges
  • 3" concrete screws or regular screws
  • 6 1×4" boards
  • Wood screws

    • How to build a DIY storage bench for your entryway

    Here’s your guide.

    Gather materials & supplies

    The amount of material varies by the bench size you choose the make. Be sure to measure twice and cut once so that everything fits perfectly.

    Frame your bench

    Your frame becomes your guide for the project. Cut your 2X4’s the desired length of the bench. Then cut more for the height. Find the studs. And use that hammer drill to attach the 2X4s to the back wall. Build out from there.

    Construct the front and sides

    Now build around your frame, using your plywood. Be careful with any tools you use. Just take your time to get it right. 

    Add the hinges

    Measure and drill for your hinges. Then simply screw them in. 

    Place the lid on the ground and drill holes for hinge screws. Then connect the top to the other side of the hinge with screws. You might need a partner hold the lid steady while you to screw in the lid.

    Add your finish of choice

    You can stop with a basic box. But while you’re at it, it won’t take much more effort to add some trim and paint it. Then place some hooks above for coats and backpacks.

    And now, you have a beautiful DIY storage bench. For more helpful tips on home maintenance and improvement, follow our blog.

    38 Wilmot St, Watertown, MA 02472 has an Open House on Sunday, Feb 9, 2020 at 12:00 PM

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    38 Wilmot St,



    Watertown, MA 02472

    mainphoto

    Single-Family

    $649,000
    Price

    9
    Rooms

    4
    Beds

    1
    Baths

    Unique well maintained 9 room 4 bedroom 1 bath Cape located in the sought after West End of Watertown in an established neighborhood. This home has been in the same family for many years & is ready for a new owner to enjoy as much as the current family did. This home features a bright & sunny living room with fireplace, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen, first floor bedroom plus a bonus office room. Full renovated bath on the first floor level. Top floor spacious bedroom with an additional 2 bedrooms. Heated finished lower level perfect for family room. Gas furnace with 3 zones of heat. Circuit breaker electric panel, roof approximately 14 years of age. Wall a/c unit in top floor. Laundry & additional storage in lower level. Nice deck off of kitchen leading to a nice fenced in back yard. Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of this growing community. Welcome Home!



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    Open House

    Sunday

    February 09
    at
    12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

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    Request a private showing

    Location: 38 Wilmot St, Watertown, MA 02472    Get Directions

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    105 Holt St, Watertown, MA 02472 has an Open House on Saturday, Feb 8, 2020 at 12:00 PM

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    105 Holt St,



    Watertown, MA 02472

    mainphoto

    Single-Family

    $529,000
    Price

    6
    Rooms

    3
    Beds

    1
    Baths

    Remarkable opportunity to renovate this nice side entrance 6 room 3 bedroom 1 bath Colonial located in the sought after West End of Watertown near Waverley Sq. Roof and windows have been updated over time. Gas furnace has been replaced. First floor offers a traditional floor plan with Living room, dining room, & large eat-in kitchen. Second floor offers 3 bedrooms & 1 bath. Walk-up third floor perfect for future expansion. Nice deck with spacious back yard. Come visit and see the potential of this home.



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    Open House

    Saturday

    February 08
    at
    12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

    Cannot make the Open Houses?

    Request a private showing

    Location: 105 Holt St, Watertown, MA 02472    Get Directions

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    Inexpensive Smart Home Gadgets that Really Save

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    Photo by Halfpoint via Shutterstock

    When it comes to conserving energy, homeowners wanting to go green often spare no expense. Here are a few ways to upgrade your home without lightening your wallet.

    Smart Thermostat

    A powerful method to control your power use while saving money on your air conditioning bills in the summer and heating bills each winter is by installing a smart thermostat. Utilizing a system that monitors the indoor and outdoor humidity and temperatures to adjust your system keeps your home on an even keel and your bills steady. Choose one with multiple sensors so that you don’t end up with hot spots or cold rooms around your home. You can adjust your thermostat manually, but the best way to make it smart is to connect it to a smartphone or voice-controlled device.

    Motion Sensing Dimmers

    You try your best, but there’s always one room where it seems the lights get left on more often than you’d like. The challenge is, it’s the same room that’s often empty most of the day, so no one even notices the lights burning. To combat this issue, replace the standard light switch with a sensing dimmer switch. That way, if someone’s in the room, the light turns on, but when there’s no one moving around, off it goes. And, when daylight comes in the windows, the sensor knows to keep the light off.

    If you’re retrofitting an older home, replace pull-chain lights in basements and utility rooms with a motion-sensing light so that you never have to stumble around waving your arms in front of you trying to grab the string to the pull-chain.

    Adjustable LEDs

    On the subject of lights, Take it up (or down) a notch with a 3-way LED. The equivalent of a 60-watt bulb can adjust from soft, warm light to bright, daylight with built-in wireless technology at the sound of your voice when connected to your smartphone or smart home.

    If you’re looking for ways to make your home appeal to a more energy-conscious set of buyers, try utilizing these inexpensive, smart home technologies.