How to Repurpose Dresser Drawers Into Pillow Holders

In this instructable, I show you how to repurpose dresser drawers into pillow holders, book holders, or even a bed for a small dog or cat. Even if you don't need to repurpose drawers, the woodworking tips and techniques can be applied to other projects.

Orbital Sander

Zinnser Primer

Drawer Knobs

Wood Stain

Chalk Paint

After I converted an old dresser into a mudroom hutch, I needed to do something with the dresser drawers.

First, I removed the hardware from the drawers and sanded each of them with my orbital sander on all sides with 120 and 220 grit sandpaper.

I removed the hardware from the drawers and sanded each of them with my orbital sander on all sides with 220 grit sandpaper. Essentially, this roughs the surface in order for the paint to adhere.

I painted the face of the drawers with primer and leftover latex paint in my shop.

Then, I let the paint dry for about 24 hours and then used 220 grit sandpaper to sand the edges of the face I painted.

Also, I sanded these by hand in order to control how much paint I removed.

The goal of doing this is to expose a small amount of the wood on the corners/edges so that the stain can penetrate those spots. 

Dresser Drawer Legs

First, I cut 4 2x2s to 6″ with my miter saw for the legs and sanded them with 220 grit sandpaper.

Next, I applied wiped Dark Walnut stain on one piece at a time with a staining pad and wiped the excess with a rag. The stain darkens the paint color a small amount as you can see from the picture below. 

Then, I attached the legs to the drawers using brad nails and wood glue.

I cut 4 2x2s to 6″ per drawer with my miter saw for the legs.

Then, I attached the legs to the drawers using brad nails and wood glue. I applied glue to the wood leg, aligned it into the corner, and drove brad nails in from the top.

I applied Dark Walnut stain on one piece at a time with a staining pad and wiped the excess with a rag. I applied the stain to the inside of the drawer, the painted front, and the legs.

The stain darkens the paint color a small amount as you can see from the picture below. 

I hope this instructable provided you with value. Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions - I'm happy to help.

Be sure to checkout my YouTube channel and my website for more DIY tutorials.