Here is a cute little "whatnot" box made with stuff that you can find at your home center. It can be built with as little as a hammer. It is an excellent project to do with a kid.

Step 1: Materials

You are going to need 14 paint sticks and two pieces of 1x6 common pine, 8" long. If you do not have a saw have the store cut the pieces to length. If you are lucky of will find a 1x6 in the culls pile. That is the defect wood that is 70% off. It has a purple mark spray painted on it.

You can either pay for paint sticks that are blank or get free ones that have the home center logo. I like the free ones. They have character.

You can take a couple of sticks each time you go into the store. (For me its about four times a week.) You can try grapping a big bunch at once. If they give you grief about it just show them a receipt for the last big appliance you bought there.

Step 2: Start Assembly of Sides

Start by gluing and nailing a stick at the top and bottom of one side. These sticks are really thin and you will need a wire nails with a head. I recommend these.

Wire Nails

Step 3: 3 Continue Assembly of Sides

Place the two inner sticks so they are equally spaced. Then glue and nail in place. Now flip the box over and repeat this step, and the previous step on the other side.

Step 4: Assemble the Bottom

Start with gluing and nailing the two sticks on the edges. Make sure they overlap the side sticks.

Then place the remain four sticks and align them for even spacing. Then glue and nail them in place. You have finished the box.

Step 5: Remote Assembly

This is an excellent project to do with a kid but sometimes life doesn't allow those we love to be near us. This is an excellent project to do remote. Send the two wood pieces in the mail along with a gift card for the local home center. They can go out to acquire the extra stuff. Also get a gift coupon for their favorite restaurant so they can order lunch. You will order lunch from the same place. So you can have lunch together in different places. The power of video chatting.

Of course you will have to kit up the project for yourself.

Step 6: The Big Box

This is the big crate and it is large enough to hold file folders.

It is made with two pieces of 1x10 common pine 12⅛" long and 17 of the 5 gallon paint sticks. Now it is harder to collect these larger sticks so either collect them slowly, or if you're nervy enough try grabbing the whole bunch of 17 at once.

If they question you, and you live in a blue state, tell them you off to paint a sanctuary church with 16 of your friends,

If you live in a red state, tell them you and your friends are off to paint Trump's wall.