“Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house.”
– Henry Ward Beecher (Once an American Minister)
So you just bought another set of books, and as it seems, your shelf is already piled high with many, and now you are just confused about where to place them.
Well, buck up; since you have clicked on this site, we will give you six excellent tips on how you can effectively store or arrange your collection.
You most certainly hate seeing books lying around, since, just like 50% of the other respondents, you too like to have them stored on a shelf (Source: Statista, 2019).
Well, if this is the case, go through this blog where I have explained how you can style a shelf with lots of favorite books and still have plenty of breathing space.
So let us check it out!
Sort Your Books
When you organize your books and learning space, you’ll see that the texts themselves will be much more available, efficient, and pleasant for you.
Here’s what you can do:
Start with dividing them into special categories, which we will do by sorting them based on their purpose and subject.
For instance, if you are a student, then sort them into categories for textbooks, that you regularly study, or the ones you just read in your free time.
And if you are a teacher, sort them based on the subject you are using them for, for example, one raw for history class, one for science class, and so on.
This way you’ll know exactly where to look for certain books when you have different classes.
Although it’s not quite the most traditional way of sorting them, there are also apps on the app store that can help you make a list and keep track of them.
However, this is only for those who are serious bibliophiles and have a huge collection.
The pie chart below demonstrates the percentage of readers based on their ages.
Choose the Right Shelves
Of course, books must have their own space so it’s inevitable that your first step in this organizing process should be choosing the shelves.
There’s no such problem as not finding the right furniture for you because you can literally find them in every shape, color, and style.
For example, if books are in a small room, you should choose the one with vertical space, which will not take up much of your area.
If there is no restriction on the available space, take a look at the modular style, which can expand as your collection grows.
Also, focus on the material of your new shelves such as metal or wood for heavier books and plastic design for lightweight ones.
Organize the Learning Space
If you are a teacher, don’t panic, it’s completely normal to be worried about what your students’ learning space looks like.
You should always try to find great school bookcases that will be specially designed for the area of reading.
That will include classrooms because they usually offer extra span and easy access to the texts as well.
We all love to see an organized study place where every guide is in its place, every further tool for reading is there, and they are easily accessible.
Teachers will tell you a secret: these shelves are especially helpful because you can store them based on how frequently you use them.
Books that you use almost every day should be put on the middle racks and at the front, easily accessible.
But those that you use less frequently should be on the top of the stands and at the back.
Prevent Their Damage
You should consider your books as a treasure you are obligated to preserve, and if you don’t do that, they’ll eventually become damaged.
For this, you only simply need to approach a place for your collection on shelves where they’ll be in a cool spot, hidden from direct sunlight.
If they are exposed to higher temperatures or some kind of moisture, it’s possible that the pages will turn yellow and the papers will appear much older.
Therefore, to prevent losing their actual shape, you can try using bookends to keep them upright on the racks.
When you have valuable texts in your collection, we recommend using a special cover for them or even storing them in special glass shelves.
Try to place a small dehumidifier near your bookstands, because it will help with protecting your books from excess humidity.
Do You Know? Reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by 68%.
Maintain Your Collection
Almost all of us are some kind of book addict, and we can get carried away and buy so many that one day we just notice that our shelves become crowded and messy.
That’s why we advise you to review your collection once a week or a month so that you can clean up the space by moving or giving away the ones you no longer need.
You have a choice of donating them to a libraryor gifting them to a charity organization.
But if you don’t want to throw them out, then pay attention to cleaning them properly so that they don’t become damaged after a short time.
Promise yourself that you’ll make it a routine for yourself to check out your collection and shelves every few months.
Also, you will make your learning space clean, organized, and aesthetically pleasing since this area will be the reflection of your dedication, education, and character.
Build a Reading Nook
If you lack motivation and will to read and study, you should think about building a reading nook as a way to make this more enjoyable.
If you decide to do this, make sure that this learning place also has built-in book storage.
Just think of what kind of impressive atmosphere you can create if you add some small yellow lighting, candles, or decorative pillows.
It will be an absolute delight to have this cozy corner in your house, where you can relax, drink your hot cup of tea, and read your favorite book.
Sometimes many of us neglect the importance of organization and cleanliness of our learning space.
That area should be as organized as possible, since there, you get new ideas and learn new things.
If you were asking yourself how you can store your books the right way, we hope these six tips helped you get some new ideas on how to decorate and organize your study space.
Books should always be preserved and kept in their best shape because they are the source from which we learn everything about this life.
