Easy Essential Oil Organizer DIY

If there was (an essential oils storage) problem, yo, I’ll solve it. Check out the (solution) while my EO’s diffuse it. Oils, oils, lady… Essential oils, oils lady…

Like what I did there? No? Well, my projects are slightly better than my rapping, so stay with me. If you’ve already started using essential oils, you know those little bottles can be tricky to keep track of or even corral in one place. Keep them in a drawer and you sometimes have to pull them all out to see which is which, keep them on your countertop and they can make your surface feel cluttered. Enter the essential oils grandstand.

You can make one of these little stair-step organizers as narrow or as wide as you need, depending on the size of your EO collection, and can paint them to compliment your home decor. Like it really natural? Skip the paint and seal it with beeswax. The only tools you need to make sure this project goes swimmingly are a set of clamps. If you have a power drill, you can screw it together, but you can also just use Gorilla Glue and take your time letting each step set before moving on to the next one. Hit up your hardware store (the one that makes the cuts for you) and the hardest part is already done!

Supplies
-two 1.5″ x 1.5 x 36 pieces of poplar
-two bar clamps
–Gorilla Glue
–sanding sponge
-2″ wood screws (optional)
-power drill and drill bit (optional)
-cardboard to cover work surface
-paper towel

Semi-pro tip: When picking out your boards, be sure you check that each piece is straight. Sometimes boards become warped and even a slight curve can muck up the clean angles you’ll want for this kind of project.

Start by getting each of your boards cut into three 10″ lengths at one of the larger hardware stores that offers this service. You’ll need six equal pieces total. If your oils collection isn’t big enough to need this much space, just shorten the length of your pieces.

Add a thin, squiggly line of Gorilla Glue to the center of one piece of wood. Too much will spill out on the edges and this type of glue expands as it dries.

Stick your first piece of wood to another piece of wood and align your edges. Clamp in place on a covered work surface. You may have to adjust your alignment after you clamp both in place. Getting things lined up in this step will save a lot of sanding or more cutting down the line. Wipe off the excess glue that spills out.

Let your glue set for 1 hour before adding your third block of wood. These three pieces make up the base.

Repeat the process with two more blocks of wood. This will be your second layer. Wipe off glue with a wet paper towel and then sand off any dried glue at the seams.

Once both sets of blocks are dry, line them up so that they are flush on one long edge, like stair steps. Glue, clamp, wipe, dry.

Then repeat this step with the final block so that it completes the top step of the stair step shape.

Once everything has dried and set, use your sandpaper block (or power sander if you have one) to smooth off the excess glue and possible rough edges. Wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust and paint or seal with beeswax.

Essential oils should always be stored out of direct sunlight, but even if your storage space is inside a kitchen cabinet, this organizer will give you easy access when you’re searching for your favorite scent.

Credits//Author: Rachel Denbow. Photography: Rachel Denbow and Janae Hardy. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.