Secret Book Hiding Spot

Turn an ordinary book into the perfect hiding spot for small objects. This project will probably take 45 min-2 hours to complete depending on how big the book is.

Gather Materials

Required:

Hardbound book
Knife
Pen/pencil
Ruler
Duct tape

Optional:

Magnets
Double-sided tape

Choose a Book

Choose the book you want to use. This should be:

Hardbound
Blends in on your bookshelf
A book you don't mind destroying

Trace the Area You Want to Cut Out.

Trace the area you want to cut out. If you plan on hiding a specific item in this book, trace out the item so it fits snugly. If you just want a generic hiding place, use a ruler or something similar to trace out a rectangle to match the book's margins.

Start Slicing

Use the knife to cut out the traced area. BE CAREFUL! Avoid getting too close to your fingers as you cut.

This part is the most time consuming, so be patient and take your time. It took me about 20-30 minutes of cutting before I was able to make it all the way through.

Keep on Cutting

If you are cutting out a specific shape, it is best to only cut as deep as you need to completely hide the object. If you are hiding something thin (like a key), you only need to cut out a few chapters worth of pages. Since I didn't have anything specific to hide, I cut all the way through the book.

Clean It Up

Cutting through all the pages usually results in the "walls" being messy and jagged. Use the knife to clean up the "walls" and make it look neat.

Magnets! (Optional)

You can use magnets to hold the top cover to the pages if you want. Put the magnets under the first page and cover to hide them from view.

The Cover-Up (Optional)

If your book has a cover, you can put it back on and use double-sided tape to hold it in place.

Tape It Together

Use duct tape to tape the "walls" of the hiding spot together. You should also tape the walls to the back cover if you cut all the way through the book. This will keep the pages from flapping around when the book is opened.

Make It Look Pretty

Use more duct tape (or other material) to make everything look nice on the inside. Try to keep it wrinkle free and smooth.

Use It!

Hide whatever you want in the book and put the book on the shelf. Now you have a neat little hiding spot