Ali Maldoff is a writer covering all things DIY, lifestyle, and food/drink on her blog Mint Sprinkles. Each week she gives us a different cool and easy project that we can try at home. We love Ali’s taste!

Let me start by saying that it hurts my heart to deface a book. I am a voracious reader, a lover of literature and I have the utmost respect for physical books in these digital times, but sometimes I just can’t resist the call of a DIY. I created this exact thing when I was a little kid; a sneaky little spot to hide my precious treasures from my little sister slash roommate. At the time, I was big into being a detective (don’t ask) and anything that could be repurposed into a hiding spot for my super secret clues, was. Recently recalling this memory, I thought that a book safe could actually be quite a handy thing for grown ups. Slid unsuspectingly into your book shelf, it could conceal cash and jewelry when you skip town for the weekend, or it could even have a permanent home on your coffee table, stashing matches to light candles, coasters for parties, or even the TV remote. Want to create your own book safe? Simple!

You’ll need:

  • the thickest hardcover book you can find (this is a good time to repurpose one you will never use again – say, a dictionary?)
  • a utility knife (ahh, be careful!)

What now?:

  • open the book about an inch in (or approx. 50 pages in)
  • trace a rectangular shape in the middle of the page, leaving about an inch along each edge of the page
  • follow along the traced lines with your utility knife, cutting as deep as possible but not all the way down to the back cover of the book. This will take a bit of time and a bit of elbow grease. You may only get through 10 – 20 pages at a time, but stick with it!

I also used decorative paper to create a spiffy little cover for my ugly old book. Unless you are already using an aesthetically pleasing book, this is key if you want to display it in a prominent spot in your home.