Hiiiii! Have I got some fun projects to share with you today! If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen sneak peeks of the triple bunk bed I built for my neighbor (a mother of triplets!). Of course, I had to make each of the girls a bunk bed caddy so they’d have a place to stash their books, drinks, and other nighttime necessities. I’m calling it a DIY Bunk Buddy. This project cost me next to nothing because I dug through my wood pile and made it out of scraps!
The Scrap Wood Challenge
I invited a handful of my DIY builder friends to participate in a Scrap Wood Challenge – we were to dig through our scrap wood piles and make something awesome. The only stipulation was that the wood had to be from our scrap pile – no new lumber allowed. We could purchase fasteners and paint/stain new, but all the wood we used in our projects had to be what we already had on-hand. Be sure to check out all the scrap wood projects below.
Many thanks to our friends at Beddy’s, who so generously provided the triplets with their bedding sets. I’ve been so happy with my daughter’s bedding on her sliding barn door loft bed, I just knew Beddy’s would be perfect for this triple bunk bed as well. Beddy’s is an all-in-one zip up bedding system that makes changing the sheets and making the bed so much easier. If you use my coupon code “HOUSEOFWOOD” you’ll get 15% off!
I had some plywood left over from my mobile workbench project, so I used that to make these bunk bed caddies. This project couldn’t be easier – it’s the perfect beginner-level project if you’d like to get your feet wet in building things. You simply cut all the pieces out (times three, in my case!) and assemble with wood glue and brad nails. Piece of cake.
I bought these Bunk Bed Ladder Hooks from Amazon and attached them to the bunk buddies so they’d hang right off the side rails of the bed. Super functional and totally adorable!
The triplets’ mother has always color-coded their things – from pacifiers to sippy cups – each girl has her own color. They’ve identified with these colors from birth, so of course, I had to paint the bunk buddies in their signature shade!
Want to build your own DIY Bunk Buddy? Feel free to download and print out the plans by clicking the gray button below.
We’ve got a couple more things to check off the list before I share the plans for the triple bunk bed – but stay tuned, they’re coming soon! We’re going to switch out the ceiling fan with this one by Stile. It has a smaller profile and the blades aren’t exposed, so we don’t have to worry that the girls might get beheaded in their sleep. We have three of these fans in our house and we’ve been really pleased with them.
*Edit: Triple Bunk Bed Tutorial here!
Want to see more awesome scrap wood projects? Click the links below. We’d love to see your scrap wood projects too – if you post on social media, please tag #scrapwoodchallenge so we can see your creations!
Check out these other awesome Scrap Wood projects:
Check out these other awesome Scrap Wood projects:- The House of Wood – DIY Bunk Buddy (you’re here!)
- 3×3 Custom – Scrap Wood Trivets
- Ugly Duckling House – Mini Garden Deck
- The Created Home – Animal Coin Banks
- Her Toolbelt – 3D Pixel Art
- The Kim Six Fix – Outdoor Drink Stakes
- DIY Huntress – Scrap Wood Coasters
- Mr. Build It & Mrs. Style It – Bent Plywood Headphone Stand
- At Charlotte’s House – Buffalo Check Tray
- Sawdust 2 Stitches – Scrap Wood Wall Decor
- Bower Power – Pallet Baseball Hat Rack
- Pneumatic Addict – Table with Epoxy Resin
- Anika’s DIY Life – DIY Spice Rack
- 100 Things 2 Do – DIY Can Crusher
- Hazel + Gold Designs – Patio Table Drink Holder
- Reality Daydream – Scrap Wood Shoe Cabinet
- House Becoming Home – Modern DIY Clock
- Chatfield Court – Wooden Garden Obelisk
Love this project? PIN and SHARE it!
As a grown adult, I want to make one of these for my bed. ? Love it, Jen!
CUTE. Great hop, Jen!
How sturdy is this?
Absolutely love this! Thanks for setting up this challenge! So fun to see all the unique projects.
Why are you so smart?! These are adorable! And obviously… love the Nancy Drew! Thanks for putting this together and sneaking me in! xx
Um…I’m gonna need these to be called Bower Buddies and have you build them for ALL our beds 🙂
xo – kb
Yes! Genius!!! xox
A great idea and so cute in their bright colors! Thanks so much for putting together this fun challenge.
These are very cute! I’m curious about the bunk beds themselves. Do they have enough clearance for the girls to sit up in them? They seem shallow, so I’m curious how the girls fit- if they can sit up and read in there and how they fit to get out of bed.
Hi Amanda,
Yes, there’s about 34 inches from the bottom slats of one bed to the underside of the bed above, so the clearance would depend on how thick your mattress is. The girls have twin mattresses that are a standard thickness and they have plenty of room between each bed.
Do you have a 9′ ceiling for this project? I have 8′ so the most clearance I have is 24″. I love this project but worry it might be too cramped for the kids to sleep in.
This is such a fun idea! I can think of so many ways to use it too! Thanks for setting up the fun challenge!
Hi just wondering where did the bunks themselves come from? I have triplets and in need of that bunk.
Hi Learline,
I built the triple bunk bed. You can find more info about them here: https://jenwoodhouse.com/triple-bunk-bed/
Hope that helps!
how do you make the curves on the sides without it being all crazy and uneven looking ???
Mark the circle with a compass or the curved lid of a plastic container like a sour cream container. Use your jig saw or similar saw to cut out the circle. However, don’t cut all the way to the line. Cut almost to the line. Then use a sander and sand it the rest of the way to the line.
So cute! Also glad I’m
Not the only one to color code my kids lol.
Blue, green, yellow, red and orange.
So they always know who’s stuff is who’s and I always know who left their mess laying around ?
please help me find the hardware needed to hang this buddy box . Thanks
Hi Jan,
The hooks are from Amazon. Here’s the link again: https://amzn.to/39fDk9X Hope that helps!