Well hello to you my reader chums! Books are literally my favourite thing in the world and I'm guilty of having the world's biggest to be read pile as I want to read everything at once. 

Accumulating books can be quite addictive. In these days of e-readers and digital reading material, there’s something really special and immersive in turning a physical page, and the main way I like to read. It’s tactile, sensory, and somehow more mindful than staring at a screen.

If you’re part of the growing army of people who have rediscovered a love for actual books (which is 100% me always), you could well be struggling to keep them organised and catalogued. Here are some tips to help you out.

Finding Hidden Spaces

Fitting book displays into small living areas can be a bit challenging but there are options beyond traditional bookcases. Look for spaces in your home that you’re not using to the max, that you might not automatically think would be good for books. 

Corner bookcases slot into odd spaces that would otherwise be wasted, or you could go for leaning or ladder bookcases. Ladder bookcases can either be freestanding or fixed to the wall, and are shaped so they resemble half of an open step ladder, wider at the bottom than the top.

In hallways, narrow bookcases don’t take up much space but create interest as well as practical functionality. They make the hallway feel like part of the house rather than being merely a connecting passage between areas.

Modular bookcases are another way of stealing small areas to create useful and attractive book storage. You can often arrange and stack them to your own liking, going as tall or wide as you need.

Unusual Display Ideas

Thinking outside the box can help you make the most of small spaces, or shared areas that would benefit from a few boundaries.

If you have a family computer in the living room, you could make the workstation area into a more private space by cordoning it off with a bookcase. Choose an open-backed, traditional bookcase and turn it out from the wall next to the computer. Arrange books with the spines facing in alternate directions, so it looks attractive from both sides. You could use some of the shelf space for trailing plants for added interest and the illusion of privacy.

Over and around doors is another space you can use for book storage and display. Fit a normal shelf above the door, then fit narrow shelves down the sides. The effect is a slightly recessed doorway that looks good in lots of different settings.

For cookery books, put up shelves in the kitchen. If wall space is already at a premium, is there a space at the end of a run of floor cabinets you could use? A narrow shelf here, with a rail fitted in front would be a handy place to store favourite books so their covers face outwards. 

It’s a bookcase style that’s often used by libraries to display children’s books, and it works very well. You could even use it for kid’s books if you like to keep an eye on children and keep them amused, while you’re cooking. Put colouring books in there, or puzzles - whatever kind of paper activity they enjoy.

The Best-Kept Book Storage Secret

Books often feel like old friends. We know them well, have treasured memories of them, and don’t have to see them every day to keep the relationship special. So even when we’re done reading them for now, we want to know they’re close and we can call on them again in the future.

Self-storage is a great way of preserving a book collection, like a personal library you can visit any time you like. If you have just a few precious books, you can hire a self storage locker to keep them safe, or take a whole room for bigger collections and install your own shelving system. 

That’s the beauty of self-storage. It’s flexible and personal, and as long as you don’t drill into walls or floors, you’re free to kit it out as you like.

Another benefit of self storage space for book collections is the emotional space you get from your books. Revisiting them is like a fresh experience, and there are bound to be some you’d forgotten about that give you a whole new joy of rediscovery.

I love books for all kinds of reasons, from education to pure escapism, and finding ways to grow the collection and display them creatively is all part of the enjoyment. I'll always dream of having a library in my house and would love the pleasure of organising my mountain of books one day.

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I hope you enjoyed this post! Do you have any book storage tips?

Thank you for reading <3