How you store books in your home will not only make your spaces look better but will make your life easier as you'll say goodbye to rooting around trying desperately to find that one paperback you just know you have. Somewhere.
We've pulled together a quick and easy guide to getting to grips with your book storage and turning them into a stylish feature.
Before you can get working on storing and displaying, you need to declutter your books. It's not an easy task, but it will be a rewarding one, perhaps in ways you hadn't considered just yet.
Once you've decided which decluttering method to use for your books, make sure you move them on swiftly to prevent inadvertently creating even more clutter. You can donate or give to friends and family but, if you want to make a little something for your world, sell your books at World of Books instead, and receieve an extra 15% on top of the trade value to boot. It can be easily sprted from an app on your phone, and they'll even come and collect the books straight from you if you want.
With those books now out of the way, you can focus on making the most of your remaining collection.
Where to store books
Now that you've sorted through your books and are left with only the ones you are committed to keeping, it's time to find the perfect location.
Where are you planning on storing your books? The most important thing to be aware of is that with books, as with so many things in life, out of sight usually means out of mind. Aside from those kept for sentimental or seasonal reasons (like Christmas or birthday books), try and avoid putting your tomes in boxes, drawers or in the loft, both to avoid being forgotten about and to prevent them from becoming mouldy.
Bookcases are the obvious choice, but you can also get creative with KALLAX units, displaying on coffee tables and utilising niches and shelves. Don't forget about utilising the kitchen - open shelving is perfect for easy access to cookbooks.
Ways to organise your books
Next up comes the actual arranging of the books. Whichever way you decide to sort them, be prepared to stick to this unless you want things to look or feel messy quickly once you remove books to read or add more in.
Here are a few of the easiest ways:
- Colour - it's a classic, and looks great, especially in otherwise minimal rooms. Don't worry about getting too het up on exact shades flowing perfectly otherwise you'll never be happy!
- Alphabetisation - by author name or title, this should make finding books easier but can look visually random.
- Theme – group together novels, biographies, fashion books, etc, and arrange these each as their own collections. This could be all one on shelving unit, utilising different shelves, or separated throughout a room.
Add some stylish touches
Whichever way you decide to arrange your books, keep a few design principles in mind to make sure the aesthetics are taken care of.
When possible play around with different heights and layouts. Perhaps have a row of similarly sized novels next to a pile of taller, thicker hardcovers. Leave in spaces for trinkets and artwork to add personality. Even a bud vase between books is perfect to break up the visual, and if you're hot on adding in flowers regularly, this will make the whole area feel fresh.
Finally, allow the books room to breathe. Space out books and objects, and allow the wall or back of shelving to be seen at times.
