Face Mask Storage Rack

Looking for a way to organize face masks for easy grab-and-go, or home-and-remove? Today I’m showing a simple mask storage rack you can make using dollar store items!

Good morning, good morning!!

I’m in a GREAT mood today – which is actually quite contrary to my cranky week.

Maybe it’s the Fall weather, maybe it’s that my window box over my garage is looking so spectacular (I think anyways) or maybe it’s because I’ve (finally) finished SO MANY outstanding projects that a weight has lifted.

On that note, I was kind of constipated this week as well (TMI?) so that weight is also lifted. lol. Gross I know, but we’ve all been there – don’t lie.

Also – today’s project is so AWESOME, and I haven’t seen anything out there like it, so I might just be at the front end of design genius…

A face mask storage rack!!

Yes, in this world of Covid-crazy, I needed a place to keep masks that was close to the front door for grab-and-go ease, but also had a disposal bin to put the dirty masks that need laundering.

With three of us coming and going to work and school, we go through about 15 masks a week, which is exactly the amount we have – so it was really important that I keep track of them. I don’t want to be doing laundry any more often than necessary, particularly just for a load of a few masks.

SO, I created a mask storage rack:

Actually, I made a few versions of a mask rack to see which I liked best by my front door.

This one is just a small planter box from the dollar store, stained and with a hook attached to the side.

I say planter box because it was already lined with plastic which is perfect because you don’t want any germs soaking into porous wood right?

I liked it, but I could see dirty hands stuffing masks in and getting my walls all dirty.

Grand total for this mask rack: $10. ($4 for the box and then $6 for the hook – no stain, sanding, finish etc included since I had all of those on-hand)

I upped the ante on the next mask storage rack by adding a backer and a fun little detail to the front.

Keeps my walls clean and looks cute even when filled with clean and dirty masks:

This is the version I decided to keep for myself to hang by the front door, but it was not the most popular version when I posted the options to Instagram.

(I apologize for my photo quality – I took all of these with my iPhone and should have taken the time to set up my camera)

This version of the mask storage rack was the one that got the most likes online:

So this is the version I’ll show how to make.

Mask Storage

I picked up these galvanized canisters from the dollar store.

Not pricey at all and the perfect size to hold several dirty masks. I liked that it was tin because it means that it is easily cleaned (inside and out) so no germs can linger.

You can use any of these containers really… even a shower caddy with a command hook will work.

I sanded off the label on the front of the coffee tin with 320 grit sandpaper, then primed and painted both the container and the hook I wanted to use.

I cut some ½” plywood that I had in my garage down to 10″ wide by 12″ tall and gave it a coat of dark walnut stain.

It’s a bit darker than I’d like, but again, I was making these mask storage racks as prototypes and so I wanted to use what I had on-hand instead of going out and buying all new. I think “special walnut” would have been a better choice – it’s a bit warmer with undertones of red.

Once the stain was dry, I coated the board with triple thick polyurethane (my favourite finish). This keeps the wood from being as porous and makes the board easy to wipe down.

I added a hinge to my first version of the mask rack, but it proved to be more work than it was worth, and once you attach your tin to the board, it shifts slightly and then the lid won’t fit tight. I’d say skip this step.

Then it’s just a matter of attaching the painted tin to your board – screwing in from the back of the plywood – using ¾” screws. Pre-drill with a metal bit to make life easier.

That’s it! You’re done!

I added the lettering to the mask rack with adhesive vinyl and my Silhouette Cameo, but it’s just frills. I made a few versions of this without any writing for those that don’t want it.

I know black is boring and a brighter colour tin would have made these images more “pinnable”, but I really wanted something unobtrusive for my front hall and black is a colour that recedes from sight. I wanted my mask rack handy, but not “loud”.

After I posted my prototype mask storage racks to FB, I had several requests to buy them. There was also the suggestion of adding more hooks for families that need to house masks for several members.

It’s been a busy couple of days (with this and other projects), but I have several ready to head out the door!