Do you have an old dresser you aren't using? Maybe a dresser that's seen it's day or not all the drawers work? Have I got a simple project for you!

Underbed Storage: This is a great easy to do project that can come in handy for adding storage to your bedroom or your childrens bedrooms.

Materials needed:

• Dresser
• Casters
• fabric
• Spray adhesive
• Sandpaper
• Paint

Take a drawer and lightly sand the surface on all sides. This way your paint will adhere better to the surface, not to mention smooth out any nicks. After sanding, wipe down with a damp cheese cloth/flour sack cloth.

Now you can go either way, you could stain over the existing stain or paint the entire drawer for a new fresh look. If you choose to stain, try using a sponge brush vs a bristle brush. Bristle brushes can leave streaks when applied.

If you choose to paint, the best way is to spray paint. The reason I say this is the paint spreads in more even coats. You don't have to worry about any brush strokes showing in your finished product. Some people prefer to not use spray paints though, so for those I suggest sponge rollers. Sponge rollers lack the fibers that can leave little trails in your painted surface.

Once your paint is dry, if you want to line your drawer, this is the time to do so. Contact paper or drawer liner as it's also called, can easily be measured by laying it inside your drawer and creasing it against the edges of the drawer then cutting afterwards before applying it. These are tricky when applying as it is easy to get wrinkles and or bubbles. My tip for making this easier, is to pull the backing off from right to left in 3-4" incriments evenly, using a credit card as a hard but flexible tool to keep it smooth and bubble/wrinkle free.

If you choose to apply fabric to the inside of your drawer, you can take a tape measure and measure out the size you need to cut. Fabric has enough stretch you can usually get by with this even if your drawer isn't perfectly square. Once you cut your fabric, take some painters tape to mask off and protect the sides where you don't want to get the spray glue, then apply the spray glue to the entire bottom surface. As with applying contact paper, work from one side in small even incriments to avoid getting wrinkles in the application.

The last step is to turn your drawer over and apply your casters. You should be able to find casters at your local hardware stores in several different styles and sizes. I like to use nuts and bolts to attach my casters vs screws because the screws are more difficult to find short enough that they don't punch through and still be strong enough to withstand the strain on them when sliding a filled drawer in and out from under the bed.

Additional tips to personalize your new under the bed storage unit include: new drawer pulls, adding stenciled art or appliques, etc.

This under bed storage project can make great use of old tired dressers as well as add ECO friendliness to your home storage needs!