How to Build an Awesome Shelf

Measure in 6 inches from each side of the board, on the bottom side. Make a mark at each point.

Place one bracket at each mark so that they form an "L" shape. One part of the "L" should extend up from the bottom of the shelf perpendicularly and the other part of the "L" should lie parallel to the shelf.

Attach the brackets to the board using the 1-inch screws and the drill. Place the screws in the holes on the bracket. There will most likely be three holes on each bracket against the shelf.

Sand the board to remove any splinters or roughness.

Paint the top, sides and bottom of the wood board the color of your choice. If you want, you can also paint the brackets to match or paint the brackets to blend in with the color on your walls. Alternatively, coat the wood board in decoupage glue and smooth fabric or cut-outs from magazines over the board. Apply another layer of decoupage glue to seal the fabric or paper. Let the glue or paint dry overnight.

Place the painted or decoupaged shelf against the wall. Use a level on top of the shelf to ensure it is even. Mark where you'll need to drill holes to attach the bracket to the wall. Generally, there are already holes drilled into the brackets.

Attach a drill bit that is the same size as the bracket holes and anchors to the drill and drill holes into the wall at each mark. Push the anchors into the holes.

Place the shelf against the wall once again, lining up the holes on the bracket with the anchor holes. Push a drywall screw into each hole, then drill the screws in to attach the shelf firmly to the wall.

Twist two to four tea hooks into the underside of the shelf if preferable. You want to space them at least 4 to 5 inches apart to allow for clothing or other articles to hang. Hang both the first and last tea hook at least 4 inches from the end of the wood shelf.