Over the last few weeks, we've been working on a budget-friendly makeover of a small 8' x 10' bedroom that has been converted into a home office with multiple functions. So far we've built a Space-Saving Floating Desk, a handy Farmhouse Style Worktable, and now we've completed smart organization solutions for this small space. I'll show you how we built wall-to-wall shelves, pegboard walls over each work station plus repurposed pegboard accessories from items found around the house.

Small Home Office DIY Organization Ideas

Having one long wall mounted desk with two workstations rather than two desks made the room feel more spacious. Creating wall mount storage systems above each workstation has provided much-needed storage potential without cluttering the footprint of the room.


Working in this small office space has been enjoyable because I have everything I need for computer work, crafting, and sewing right at my fingertips plus multiple work-surfaces. I'm surprised every day how spacious this small room feels now that we've maximized the square footage. Let's get into the nitty-gritty of how we did it, starting with the DIY wall shelves.

Home Office DIY Wall-To-Wall Shelves

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Supply List

Two 5' x 1" x 10" Pine Boards
10' x 1" x 1/2" Hemlock Casing (trim)
2 Metal Mending Brace Plates
Four 6" x 8" Rubbermaid Satin Nickel Celtic Scroll Shelf Brackets (non-affiliate link)
150 Grit and 220 Grit Sandpaper
Tack Cloth
Minwax Waterbased Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
Saman Waterbased Iron Earth (013) Wood Stain
Microfibre Detailing Applicator
Dixie Belle Satin Clear Coat
Dixie Belle Blue Sponge Applicator

DIY Wall Shelf Lumber Cuts

We built the shelves with two six-foot pieces of 1" x 10" pine boards trimmed to 5-feet long on the sliding miter saw. We used a piece of 12-foot 1" x 1/2" hemlock casing to finish the edge of the shelving trimmed to 10-feet long to run the span of the wall-to-wall shelves.

DIY Wall Shelf Stain

Before installing the wall shelves in the room they were stained. But before applying the stain I sanded the boards with 150 grit sandpaper wrapped around a woodblock and then with 220-grit sandpaper. After wiping them with a damp cloth and removing any remaining dust particles with a tack cloth, they were brushed with a coat of waterbased pre-stain wood conditioner.

Once that was dry they were stained with two thin coats of dark grey Iron Earth waterbased wood stain applied with my favorite microfiber detailing applicator. Water-based stain dries fast so it's best to work in rows, starting from one end to the other with the grain of the wood.


After the last coat of stain dried overnight I lightly sanded the shelves with 220 grit sandpaper and protected the stain with two coats of my favorite satin clear coat, applied with my favorite blue sponge applicator.

DIY Wall Shelf Bracket Installation

First, we determined the height of the shelves which is 35-inches from the top of the desks. We installed six satin nickel Celtic Scroll style shelf brackets spaced strategically at wall studs. They were attached to the wall studs with wood screws to support any heavy objects on the shelves.

DIY Wall Shelf Installation

Now that the brackets are installed, we butted the two 5-foot stained boards together in the center and attached them to the top of the shelf brackets with wood screws. To keep the two shelves perfectly level at the joint we screwed two metal brace plates on the top of the shelves where they are not seen.

To finish the edge of the stained pine shelves we installed the 10-foot hemlock casing flush with the top of the shelves with 1-inch finishing nails.

This long DIY shelf is very handy for books that I refer to often and storage boxes in varying sizes to store items I don't use on a daily basis. I've had the cute miniature hat boxes for many years and they are perfect for storing small things like extra USB cords and small office supplies.


Next up is the handy pegboard walls above each workstation.

Home Office Workstation Pegboard Walls

Above each workstation, we added pegboard to the walls for handy vertical storage to keep the desktops clutter-free. I debated painting them a bright color but decided to keep them white as a nice contrast between the weathered grey stain on the desktops and the dark grey stained shelves above.

We thought about building a frame around the pegboards for a more finished look but opted to keep the simple look instead.

Supply List

Pine 1" x 2" Uprights
2 Sheets 4' x 2' White Pegboard
Fluff Mineral Paint (had on hand)
Wood Construction Adhesive
2 1/2" Wood Screws

DIY Home Office Pegboard Wall Installation

We used white pegboard that came in 4' x 2' sheets. For the uprights, we cut three 1" x 2" pine boards 21-inches long for EACH pegboard wall. They also act as a 1-inch spacer between the wall and the pegboard for hanging hooks.

But first, they needed to be painted the same color as the pegboard so they aren't visible through the pegboard holes when hung on the wall. I used mineral paint that I had on hand in the color Fluff, which is very close to the warm white color of the pegboard.


Once dry they were attached to the back of each pegboard with wood construction adhesive and heavy books were set on top until it cured.


The following day they were attached to the wall with 2 1/2-inch wood screws on each corner through the holes on the pegboard and into the wall.

Now the fun part, how to accessorize each workstation pegboard wall.

Repurposed Pegboard Accessories

This was a challenge considering shopping for pegboard baskets and accessories was not an option with our current situation so I shopped my home instead. I had to get creative with items to use in place of "proper" pegboard accessories.


I used a chocolate tin and some wire mesh office accessories that I found in my storage room.


I removed the lid from the chocolate tin and cut two openings on the back for pegboard hooks. Then they were all spray painted black. On the back of the mesh canisters, I drilled a larger hole to fit pegboard hooks.

Here they are hanging on the pegboard to hold pens, paper, and such.


If you're wondering about the mirror, it's there because my back is to the door. I don't know about you but that makes me very uncomfortable. Not seeing the door takes you out of a "commanding position" and is considered good feng shui to add a mirror. I can attest that I feel far more comfortable working in this position with the mirror reflecting the door! 

I had a few dollar store clipboards in my stash that I painted black to hang on the pegboard. I printed a couple of my favorite sayings for the sake of the photos but normally I have notes and instructions that I refer to often hanging on them.

The small galvanized bucket from the dollar was also in my stash and I use it to hide the USB charger that I use daily. On the desk is the black & white Repurposed Keepsake Box that I recently gave a makeover. It has three handy stacked sections to house small office supplies that I use on a daily basis.


In the craft workstation zone, I hung a double tin caddy from the dollar store that I used as a cutlery holder for meals al fresco. It's perfect to house my Cricut maker supplies.


Once the world returns to normal I'll shop for "real" pegboard accessories but I'll probably continue using these as well.


I've been using both workstations for a couple of weeks now and I absolutely love the new set up. I'll be sharing the home office reveal on Friday. If you have any questions about any of these DIY home office organization projects, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top. I love hearing from you!

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