57 Clever DIY Ideas For Old Dressers Without Drawers

Don’t throw that old dresser away! Even if it’s missing a drawer, or MULTIPLE drawers, you can still turn that trash into a treasure!

Do you have an old dresser without drawers and wondering what to DO with it? Take a look at these clever and CHEAP ideas to repurpose an old chest of drawers that is missing drawers or has no drawers at all – these upcycled, refurbished and repurposed before and after dresser makeover ideas are SO creative!

Updated on May 15, 2024

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Repurposed Old Dressers

Have an old dresser you want to repurpose?

If you have an old dresser without drawers and you’re wondering what to do with it, there are plenty of creative and down-right beautiful ideas for repurposing it.

Just off the top of my head, here are some ideas for that old, tired dresser:

Console Table: Transform your old dresser into a stylish console table by removing the drawers and adding a flat surface on top. This can be a great addition to your entryway or living room.
Bookshelf: Convert your dresser into a bookshelf by removing the drawers and adding shelves in their place. This can be a unique and functional storage solution for your books and decorative items.
Kitchen Island: Repurpose your old dresser into a kitchen island by removing the drawers and adding a countertop. This can provide extra storage space and a convenient workspace in your kitchen.
Bathroom Vanity: Transform your dresser into a beautiful bathroom vanity by removing the drawers and adding a sink and faucet. This can add a touch of elegance to your bathroom while providing storage space.
Plant Stand: Use your old dresser as a plant stand by removing the drawers and placing potted plants on the shelves. This can create a unique and eye-catching display for your indoor plants.
Pet Bed: Turn your dresser into a cozy bed for your pet by removing the drawers and adding cushions or bedding. This can provide a comfortable resting place for your furry friend.
Media Console: Convert your dresser into a media console by removing the drawers and adding shelves or compartments for your electronic devices and media storage. This can help organize your entertainment area.
Craft Storage: Repurpose your old dresser into a craft storage unit by adding shelves, baskets or bins in the empty drawer areas for your art supplies. This can help keep your crafting area neat and organized.

Now… PICTURES!

Let’s take a look at some beautiful and useful ideas for that old chest of drawers that is missing drawers…

Upcycled Armoire Into a Coffee Bar - Unique way to make a coffee bar for home - turn an old tall dresser, armoire or hutch into a repurposed / refurbished coffee bar for your kitchen or dining room - Gorgeous vintage rustic farmhouse look from an old chest cabinet — Upcycled Armoire Into a Coffee Bar – turn an old dresser, armoire or hutch into a coffee bar. What a beautiful old dresser makeover! See lots more repurposed furniture ideas and DIY projects to try for things to do with old chest of drawers and old dressers without drawers down below

When it comes to DIY repurposed furniture, I am always drawn to upcycled chest of drawers ideas for all the random antique furniture, thrift store finds or old dressers I come across or can get from family and friends who are about to throw them away (gasp!)

Like that coffee bar above – just GORGEOUS!

Just a note… we have lots of coffee bar ideas here

Ideas For Dressers Without Drawers

What can you DO with dressers without drawers?

There are so many things you can do with that old dresser without drawers! Here are just a few DIY ideas you’ll see in the pictures below: make a nursery storage cabinet, a TV stand, a foyer storage bench, a coffee bar, a stunning home office organizer – even as a kitchen island!

Like this do it yourself idea – How To video is down below.

The before and after is always so dramatic yet an easy enough DIY project to try for your home.

Here are more ideas for your old dresser – more of my favorite ideas below…

upcycled furniture before and after — Upcycled Furniture Before and After

My Favorite Old Dresser Transformations:

I know it’s tempting to just throw away old broken furniture, but what if you took the time to transform it into something beautiful, useful AND unique?

Like this repurposed old dresser that was missing drawers – they transformed it into an adorable storage cabinet in her baby’s rustic nursery.

Rustic Farmhouse Nursery Dresser Ideas - DIY Baby Room Furniture From Old Dressers Without Drawers — This dresser would be perfect in a rustic farmhouse nursery or baby room – can you believe someone was about to throw away this old dresser that was missing some drawers?

Just a note… we have more rustic baby room ideas here

Refurbished Dresser Ideas

I love frugal furniture makeover ideas and nothing makes me happier than finding a cheap old piece of furniture to repurpose or an antique piece of furniture that I can’t bear to part with!

Many think that an old dresser without drawers can’t really be refurbished and turned into anything useful, but, as you see, that is SO wrong!

Let’s look at more ideas…

Upcycled Chest Of Drawers

Did you know you can repurpose and upcycle a chest of drawers into a dollhouse? It’s one of my favorite DIY dollhouse ideas since it has more meaning than a plastic dollhouse found in stores these days.

This doll house idea is my favorite! What a wonderful use of an old dresser!

Old Dresser Into Bookcase

This is a simple idea for dressers without drawers – turn an old dresser into a bookshelf.

HOW to repurpose a dresser into a bookshelf? Simply find a cheap old dresser at a thrift store or yard sale and then turn into a book shelf like this:

Maybe you’ve seen kitchen islands made out of dressers before, but this was new to me. Take a look at these dressers turned into a kitchen island with cabinet space and more.

Upcycled Dresser Into Kitchen Island

This is something my in-laws have done – they found an old dresser that was missing drawers, beautifully refurbished the old dresser and – turned it into a kitchen island.

Notice the pet bowls at the bottom =)

GENIUS!

Old Dresser Into Coffee Bar Ideas

I’ve seen many pieces of old furniture repurposed into GORGEOUS coffee bar ideas like this:

What a great furniture makeover idea for ANY piece of antique furniture you have!

Repurposed Dresser Before and After

I am truly amazed at all the ways I see people refurbish and repurposed old dressers.

Like this next idea – turn an old dresser with some missing drawers into a GORGEOUS entryway / foyer table.

Make your room aesthetic TikTok style — Aesthetic DIY Room Decor Ideas

Painted kitchen cabinets before and after - DIY kitchen cabinet makeover ideas for painting cabinets in a modern kitchen, small house, country farmhouse style kitchen, apartment or condo galley kitchen or a 70's old kitchen cabinet makeover on a budget in popular paint color trends including grey, painted oak, cherry cabinets, knotty pine, chalk paint, espresso, two-tone, white painted cabinets, blue, brown and more — Painted Kitchen Cabinets Before and After

Old Dresser Craft Storage Cabinet

To me, this next idea for old dressers without drawers is one of my favorite home organization hacks – take an old dresser without drawers and put baskets in the drawers areas.

What a brilliant and CHEAP way to organize your craft room!

Home Office Cabinet

You can take that same concept of putting cheap baskets in an old dresser without drawers as a really inexpensive way to organize your home office, just like this:

Refurbished Dresser into TV Stand

How about repurposing a dresser without drawers into an entertainment center or flat screen TV dresser stand. You can even refurbish an old buffet into a TV stand (with or without drawers).

Short on cash, but want a pretty TV table / entertainment console to put your TV on, hold your cable and satellite box and all the other stuff?

Check this idea below!

Or this DIY dresser makeover idea – a free dresser someone was going to throw away turned into a TV stand!

Old Dresser To Rustic TV Stand

If you’re really crafty, and LOVE rustic country farmhouse decor like I do, you could add some barn style sliding doors to your old dresser to give a farmhouse touch to your TV stand, like this:

Idea: Put Sliding Doors On Your Old Dresser For a Farmhouse TV StandShow Me This

DIY Hidden Litter Box

An on-going problem for cat owners is – WHERE to PUT the litter box (especially if you live in a small house or apartment. Using an old dresser without drawers is a great way how to build a litter box enclosure – yep, make a dresser cat litter box!

Again, an old dresser without drawers to the rescue – turn it into a cheap and pretty little box cabinet like this:

DIY Repurposed Tall Dresser

Now, I LOVE this last DIY idea for refurbishing and repurposing a tall dresser or chest of drawers without drawers into something useful – take a tall old dresser and turn it into a storage “locker” for your kids to hold their backpacks, school stuff, shoes, etc.

Isn’t it gorgeous?!?!

Or this idea to take an old Thrift Store dresser that’s missing most of it’s drawers and turning it into a really useful storage cabinet in their baby’s room, like this:

Repurposed Old Entertainment Center

I’ve even seen people repurpose an old, useless entertainment center type of dresser cabinet and turn it into a GORGEOUS wardrobe storage furniture piece for their toddler girl’s bedroom.

Just look how cute!