I've been known to upcycle just because. But my favorite projects involve making things I really need. In this case, a coat rack.

Step 1: Why the Need?

Here's what the previous tenants generously left me. Not very practical for heavy, wet Chicago coats. So I took them (there were two) off the wall, thinking I'd just replace the little knobs with more practical hooks. Guess what they were covering? Huge holes. And there was no easy way to put them back up and also cover all the holes. So I procrastinated. And I also kept forgetting to buy spackle (hole filler).

Step 2: What You Need to Make It:

Then one Saturday, I realized that the vintage wood hangers and extra pallet wood leftover from two previous projects were begging to become my new, hole-covering coat rack! I went to the hardware store and bought the hole filler.

If you're prepared (unlike me), this really should be a quick project. Here's what you need:

1. Two strips of wood (matching lengths) and three wooden pants hangers

2. A drill that's ready to go (mine hadn't been charged in months)

3. The strength and patience needed to remove barbed nails from pallet wood

4. Screws and nails of different lengths

5. Pliers and more patience - turning the hanger hooks isn't hard. Not snapping them in the process is.

6. Beer. Whisky. Coffee. Tea. Pick your poison

7. Sand paper and stain

Step 3: Remove the Old Nails

While your drill is charging (!), tackle the nails in the pallet wood. See those copper barbs? They work. These things were really hard to remove.

Then, sand the wood and, if you want to, stain or seal it.

Step 4: Prep the Hangers

Because I wanted to use the hangers in an "open" state, I needed to turn the hook. Use a pair of pliers to do this. And be gentle.

If you break a hanger along they way, drink tea/coffee/wine/beer/vodka and watch Beautiful Oops.

Then drill holes through the hangers. Why bother? Because they are made of incredibly hard wood and they'll split if you just smash nails through them. Side note: Vintage = made to last.

Step 5: Put It All Together

Now you're ready to build it. In my original plan, all the hangers would have been open like the one on the left. But I snapped the hook off the one in the middle. So I ultimately turned it and bent the broken hook so I could hang it back on the hanger frame.

What happened with the one on the extreme right? Well, the hanger itself is constructed in a way that prevents it from opening all the way up. Sheesh!

The two little wooden hooks were on the wall in one of the closets in my apartment. I've never used them, so I took them down and added them to my new coat rack.

Step 6: And Done!

This thing took time and patience because I made mistakes along the way. And was surprised by a few things, like breaking a hanger. But ultimately, getting it up onto the wall was easy. And even though I filled the holes and cleaned up the wall quite well before I hung it, it still helps camouflage a not-too-pretty wall.