How to Build a Pigeonhole Shoe Box for Your Closet

Lay a plank of 44-inch 1-by-12 lumber flat on your work table. Measure 8 inches from one end of the plank. At the 8-inch mark, draw a 6-inch-long line that goes perpendicular to one long side of the plank. Measure an inch, and make a 6-inch line parallel to the first.

Measure another 8 inches from the second of the 6-inch lines, and mark in another pair of 6-inch lines perpendicular to the same side of the plank. Repeat another two times, so you have four pairs of 6-inch lines, spaced 8 inches apart. Repeat on a second plank of 44-inch 1-by-12 lumber.

Repeat on four planks of 26-inch 1-by-12 lumber, but this time there will only be two pairs of 6-inch lines on one long side of each plank.

Cut out the wood between the 6-inch lines with a jigsaw, so that you have 6-inch-long and 1-inch-wide slots along the sides of the lumber pieces. These slots will be mated together to form the pigeonholes of the shoe box organizer.

Paint all the slotted pieces of lumber, as well as two more pieces of 44-inch 1-by-12 lumber, and two pieces of 28-inch 1-by-12 lumber, which will form the sides, top and bottom of the shoe box, respectively. Let dry before assembling.

Stand the two 44-inch slotted planks up on their un-slotted edges, so that the slots are facing up. Space them 8 inches apart. Apply glue to the slots on these planks, as well as to the 26-inch planks.

Fit the four 26-inch slotted planks over the top, mating the two slots on the 26-inch planks with the slots on the 44-inch planks. Push all the 26-inch planks down until the slots are completely mated. This will create 15 pigeonholes with dimensions 8 inches high and wide and 12 inches long. Let the glue dry.

Apply glue to the ends of the 26-inch planks, then position the two 44-inch side panels over the ends of all the 26-inch planks. The side panels will be parallel with the 44-inch slotted planks.

Apply glue to the ends of the 44-inch slotted planks, as well as the side panels and position the two 28-inch top and bottom panels over the ends of all the 44-inch planks. The ends of the top and bottom panels will form corners with the ends of the side panels, creating a solid frame around the pigeonholes.

Drill two pilot holes, sized a little smaller than 1 1/2-inch wood screws, through the top and bottom panels into the ends of each 44-inch plank, then secure together with 1 1/2-inch screws through the pilot holes.

Touch up the screw holes with spackle, then paint over the spackle to finish the pigeonhole shoe box.