Hide Your Valuables Where No One Would Ever Look!

I’m always trying to find the best place to stash cash and valuable jewelry where a thief would never find them. My closet was always my go to place. One day, the closet door starting to stick a little and become hard to open. To investigate where it was sticking, I open and closed the door several times and gave it a good wipe down. That’s when I thought about a secret hiding place where no one would even think about looking. A stash pocket on top of the door, recessed to the interior of the door, unable to be noticed. I’ve always had it pictured in my head how it would work and I now have finally executed it! I recently discovered this site and making my first instructable for this unique hiding spot was my inspiration to finally see this project through

NO ONE WOULD EVERE THINK TO LOOK THERE!

Supplies

Any door - preferably indoor - closet is my choice for privacy

Catch-All Car pocket - Buy 3. You’ll want 1 for your new door safe and 2 for the car. This is the best car accessory ever! I manage to drop everything between my car seat and console. Reaching for my phone/chapstick/etc. between the seats is always challenging and dangerous while driving. I’ve had to pull over and stop so many times to dig down there. The car pocket catches everything, (way more fries than I care to admit) just pull it forward or backward like a drawer and retrieve! You’ll even find stuff you didn’t know was lost!

Drill - drill bit for pilot hole, bit for screws

Sub Compact Reciprocating Saw

Wood Rasp

Dremel with grinding stone

Wood Glue

Hammer

Screwdrivers

Screws

Step 1: Choose Door and Remove It

I prefer the closet door. I can close my bedroom door for privacy while accessing my new door top safe. Any interior door as long as it’s not solid. With hammer and small screwdriver, remove hinge pins. Remove door off hinges.

Step 2: Measure Pocket

Measure Car Pocket for top of door cut-out area and the interior door bracing to hold pocket in place. Mine measured 15” across, 4” deep, and was very flexible at the top opening. I’ve had these pockets in my car for 8 years. They are very sturdy, but have a flexible narrow squeeze to fit between the seat and console in the car. Mine opens to 2” and fits perfect when squeezing into the less than 1” narrow opening inside the top of the door.

Step 3: Cut Out Top of Door

Mark the length of the area to cut out. The sides of my pocket have a slant to them, I made the opening an inch longer on each end so I can grab onto both ends of the pocket and pull it up and out of the door. I’m short, sometimes it’s easier to pull the pocket up and out rather than trying to reach down into the pocket on top of the door.

Drill a starter hole. The wood was deeper than I thought it was going to be. It took a minute and finally found the hollow core! My Multi Pro 3” saw blade could not do the depth of cut needed. My old jigsaw was not cutting very good. I think the smallness of the 12volt reciprocating saw helped handling the cut easier, though still left a rough opening. Square out the cut with a large wood rasp then smooth with a grinding stone on the Dremel.

Step 4: Interior Bracing

Use scrap wood cut to fit interior snuggly. I cut the scrap wood pieces at 15% to match the slope on sides of pockets. I did not assemble the bottom all the way across because of bracing already inside door. Drill pilot holes for 4 screws. Using wood glue and screws, assemble 2 “L” brackets, one for each side. Coat brackets with wood glue, attach brackets inside door top with screws. Allow glue to dry before inserting pocket.