Tablet charging station

Create calm out of entryway chaos by making your own iPad/iPhone charging station and mail sorter – perfect for corralling cords, electronics, keys and sunglasses.

A few years ago I posted about a simple solution for storing and charging your iPad, iPod, iPhone, idontcare electronics. It was a wood magazine rack that I tipped on it’s back and then drilled holes through the bottom for cords to feed through.

It was great!

A bit big and bulky, and it was a bit more difficult to get your iPhone in and out – but it worked.

I don’t remember what I did with that tablet charging station? Maybe I had a garage sale and got rid of it? Sometimes I could kick my own ass for not thinking. lol

Regardless, I decided I wanted to build something similar, but where I could actually hide the charging cords in the back and create a sort of entryway solution – to hold keys, mail AND electronics.

This is what I came up with:

I call this the prototype instead of first screw-up – sounds more professional.

I cut up some ½” birch plywood that I had in the garage to create 2 tablet holders and then a smaller section to nestle iPhones in.

I added a box section to the back of the tablet charging station to tuck a powerbar and the lightning cords into so they wouldn’t be tangled up everywhere causing an eyesore.

The larger section is for mail – slightly oversized to fit those larger envelopes that sometimes come, but also perfect for dropping your keys or leaving your sunglasses.

Yes, there were a LOT of screw ups on this.

my pocket hole screws shot through the ½” ply and ended up sticking out the sides.
I didn’t need to use pocket hole screws at all – this iPad charging station would have been just as strong with wood glue and finishing nails

3. I didn’t account for the placement of my pocket holes, so you can see them on the wrong side of the wood (above)

4. the cord holes in the back are off-centre

UGH!

It would be a miracle to get one build perfect on the first try!

But my tablet charging station works – even with all the boo-boos.

No cords showing, perfect spacing for the different-sized electronics and a perfect place to store the mail that I never seem to get around to opening.

I stained the entire “entryway organization unit” and then used a coordinating paint along the edges to disguise that it’s plywood.

It’s (almost) perfect!

Tidy, compact, organized and save for a few hidden errors – pretty.

The dimensions for this tablet charging station are 12 ½” deep by 11″ wide, by 7″ tall. I can draw up building plans if you like, but really it’s going to depend on your needs; do you have 1 iPad or 6? Leave me a comment if you want the specs – I would be more than happy to draw them up if you want a version (but better) than mine.

Some other options to consider: