If you’re using battery-run gadgets or appliances at home, chances are, you have one drawer full of batteries of different sizes from different brands. These are all mixed up, and you probably don’t have any idea which one is charged and which isn’t.
Luckily, DIY battery organizers address this problem. They don’t only give you a single place to store all of your batteries. They can also help you keep track of which ones are discharged and which ones are working fine.
DIY Battery Organizer Projects
Below are three recommendations on how you can finally arrange your batteries at home.
1. DIY Solid Wood Battery Organizer
If you’re a fan of doing woodwork, this battery organizer is perfect for you. It is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a battery organizer that allows you access to all of your batteries, regardless of the shape and size you want. Be warned, though, this DIY project requires a lot of drilling.
What You’ll Need
Here are the tools and materials to prepare for this project:
- One six- or eight-foot 1 x 8 board
- Drill press
- Clamps
- Wood glue
- Forstner bit set
- Sandpaper
- Router and round-over bit
What You Need To Do
To create this solid wood battery organizer, simply follow these steps:
- Step #1: Cut
Cut your 1 x 8 piece into three 16-inch lengths. Make sure these are equal in size. Then, sand the surface and edges.
- Step #2: Glue
Glue together two of the three boards you made in the previous step. Ensure that the pieces are perfectly aligned before clamping them together and waiting for the glue to dry.
- Step #3: Mark
Next, mark the glued together boards where you will make holes using a pencil. Make sure to provide ample space between the holes to ensure the board won’t crack or break due to the proximity of the holes to each other.
Note: You can try putting the batteries upright on top of the board to see how big of a space they will take and how much space you have to allot for each. This will also give you an estimate of the size of the holes you will drill on the board.
- Step #4: Drill
Using a drill press, drill all of the needed holes on the board. Drill all the way to the other side of the wooden board.
- Step #5: Glue
Once done, glue the final 16” board to the bottom of the drilled board. It will serve as the base of your battery organizer.
- Step #6: Finish
Place your batteries on the designated holes on the organizer, and make adjustments if necessary. Finally, design your organizer using varnish or paint.
2. DIY Wall-Mounted Battery Organizer
Are you looking for a way to make batteries accessible yet organized for everyone at home? This wall-mounted battery organizer can help you with that.
It is perfect for parents with children asking for batteries for their remotes, consoles, or gadgets now and then. It’s also great for anyone who uses batteries quite quickly and wants a way to ensure they use older batteries before newer ones.
This battery organizer works just like a dispenser—you can only get the batteries at the opening at the bottom. There’s an area on top which allows you to drop new or used batteries on the top of the allotted pile for each battery type.
This ensures that you get and use the oldest available batteries first before working your way to the newer options in a pile.
What You’ll Need
Here are the materials you will need:
- One ¼” hardboard or plywood at 711/16” x 10 ½”
- Six ½” wood at 2½” x 8” (dividers)
- One ½ x 7/16 x 8”
- One ½ x 5/8 x 8”
- One ½ x 1 1/16 x 8”
- One 12 x 1 1/8 x 8”
- One 1/8” x 6 5/8x 7 11/16” plexiglass or clear acrylic
- #6 ½” wood screw
- Wood glue
Additionally, you will need these tools:
- Table saw
- Wood clamps
- Hole saw
- Drill
- Ruler and pencil
What You Need To Do
To create this project, simply do the following:
- Step #1: Create a Slot
Start by getting the six 2 ½” x 8” pieces and creating a slot at the bottom with a radius of 7/8”. It will help the battery come out more easily.
- Step #2: Prepare
Next, prepare the dividers and the bottom shelf. You can use the ¼” back panel as a guide on where to place the dividers; however, make sure not to get glue on the back panel board.
Note: You may use wax paper to ensure the glue doesn’t get to the back panel.
- Step #3: Assemble
Arrange the dividers along the bottom shelf. Use glue and brad nails to keep them in place. Start with the first divider, which will be aligned to the left edge of the back panel and bottom shelf.
Leave a 7/16” space, then attach the next divider. Put a 1 1/16” space this time around, and then put the next divider.
Next, go to the rightmost edge of the back panel and the bottom shelf. Attach another divider to this side, making sure to secure it with glue and a brad nail.
Then, leave a 1 1/8” inch gap, going to the left, and then place the final divider. Once done, it’s time to place the nail panels in between the dividers.
Their width should exactly match the spaces in between the dividers we placed previously. Glue each one to the bottom shelf and the divider/s beside them.
Note: The area with the biggest gap will NOT have a battery panel.
Clamp these together and wait for the glue to set and dry.
- Step #4: Attach
Once everything is done, attach the plexiglass in front of the setup you’ve finished so far. Make sure to align it on top of the dispenser; the bottom part, where you made slots, should be left open, as this is where you will be getting the “dispensed” battery.
Mark the areas where you will be drilling holes, and then screw the plexiglass into place using #6 ½” screws.
- Step #5: Final Touches
Finally, attach the back panel using glue and brad nails. Make sure to align it properly to the setup in front. Use brad nails to secure the dividers to the back panel as well.
3. DIY Organizer From Storage Box
Suppose you’re not a fan of woodworking but would love the chance to personalize your battery organizer. In that case, you can try using a storage box with removable or adjustable dividers to do the trick.
For this one, most of the base and foundation are done. All that’s left for you to do is to determine how the batteries can best fit in the toolbox and, of course, to design your very own battery kit.
What You Need To Do
To do this effectively, you would want to pool together the batteries you have at home. Then, place them inside the storage box and figure out how to best remove and/or add dividers to your battery kit.
Once you’re done, you can now design the box. You can try using washi tape and decorated paper to design the dividers and cover the bottom part of the storage box.
Conclusion
You definitely won’t go wrong with any of these DIY battery organizers. With these, gone will be the days of rummaging through your drawer to find a specific battery that you need.