Turn An Old Nightstand Into A Stylish Pet Feeding Station With Hidden Toy Storage

If you are a pet owner, you are familiar with the constant struggle that is cleaning a pet-friendly home.  And while most of us have resigned ourselves to a lint-rolling routine and daily vacuuming, there is also the concern of what to do with your pet's toys, food, and other necessities. Luckily, there is a pretty simple DIY hack that turns an old nightstand into a fur-baby feeding station.

To try this yourself, you will need to either use an old nightstand you have at home, or procure one. You can get some for pretty cheap or even free on Facebook Marketplace, a local yard sale, or a secondhand store. There are a few different methods out there, but the simplest is to keep the top drawers as functional drawers and put the pet food bowls in the bottom drawer. 

To make the drawer functional, you will want to attach a piece of plywood to the top portion of the drawer while still allowing it to close fully. Cut out measured circles in the plywood with a saw so that the bowls can sit flush and the drawer can close with them inside. You can then refinish the outside to your liking. In most cases this will require some sanding, as well as filling in any scratches or dents before finally repainting and adding new hardware. Since the two top drawers are still functional, you can use them to store toys, treats, or any other dog-related objects. 

If you already have toy storage handled, this could still be a great project for you with some minor alterations. TikToker @rockycanyonhome did a similar DIY, but instead of keeping the two top drawers functional, she removed the bottom portion of the top drawer to make room for a food bin. She then secured the drawers so that they could no longer open.

To access the food, she removed the top of the nightstand and reattached it using hinges so she could lift it up to access the food and close it back up when she was done, keeping the dog's food contained and hidden away. While this does take a bit more work and use of some power tools — though they are ones you would commonly use for household repairs — it can be a paw-some alternative if you are looking for a way to make your doggy dining room a bit more aesthetic.

However, if you really don't want to do any additional work, more people are selling furniture with pet storage in mind. You could purchase this Roomfitters pet feeding station furniture option and skip the fuss of a DIY. That way, you have an aesthetic way to feed your dog or cat, all while matching your design and decor.