Do you own piles of books in your house, and you wonder how to organize a home library?
The habit of book-hoarding is pretty common in this modern era. But that is not the reason for you to make clutters at home.
There are always some valuable tips and tricks to sort those papers and have a neat library. Scroll down to see the full details!
Crucial tips for arranging reading areas at home (Source: extraspace)
How To Organize A Home Library? A Quick Answer
To arrange home libraries, people should bear in mind seven crucial tips. First, assess the collection included and place books where you need them.
Then, you might want to use the vertical space and put similar books into sub-sections and sections.
Besides, focusing on both function and fashion is helpful. Do not forget to use a cataloging app and arrange your children’s books to inspire them to read.
How To Properly Organize Home Library? Tips And Tricks
1, Estimate the collection
Before organizing anything, the first rule is to know what you have. In this case, assess what is included in the collection.
Suppose that is a vast collection of your entire life; you might want to decide which should be kept and which you should get rid of right away.
If you get confused between those two choices, think about the latest time you use the papers.
If you have not touched the books for such an extended period, that means you should donate them to someone else needing them more.
Besides, toss moldy or damaged books. With some duplicate copies or boring novels, I suggest giving them away.
Of course, as a bibliophile, I know it is hard to leave any book behind. But, as one said, “When one door closes, another one opens.”
Remember to edit the collection continuously, and you will have the desired organizing process.
On the other hand, when doing the collection, it is up to you to decide the extension of your home library.
You only can have one husband, should have a few suitcases, and need ultimately to reduce the number of plastic containers. But, in my experience, never is too much with books.
2, Put books in the right place
There is nothing wrong with putting books in each room of the house.
But, my advice is to place them where you need them most. For instance, novels for bedtime reading should lie in the bedroom. At the same time, cookbooks or cooking magazines go in the pantry or kitchen.
3, Make use of vertical space
After you have known the place to store the books, it is time to create or buy bookcases and shelves to display them. Putting the focus on vertical space is a valuable tip while decorating.
Just compare a 20-inch tall bookcase with a 20-inch short one, and you will know the difference.
The previous can store more books without invading much floor space.
Hence, always maximize the potential storing place by choosing the tall bookcases and installing shelves to the ceiling.
Some want to show up their collection, so they choose bookcases with glass doors. That can even prevent the books from dust and create a sensation of a larger room.
4, Put the same books into sub-sections and sections
How to organize a home library?
To cease the tiring and long-lasting finding process, think about grouping the same books.
That means when you arrange your collection, sort them into categories like non-fiction and fiction.
The fiction group divides those papers into minor genres such as literary, mystery, romance, etc. Alphabetize them by author or the books’ name after that.
The non-fiction group subdivides them into genres like art, travel, economics, history, biographies, and others. Then, break those small sections by theme.
Following many experts, when you put similar books into groups, you will have a deeper insight into the types and the numbers of the book you have. That makes the keep-or-cull process run more smoothly.
5, Focus on function and fashion
No matter which style you pick up for your reading area, keep in mind to balance fashion and function.
In case you pay too much attention to the color or the trendy styles, there is a high chance that you can not seek the books you need quickly. My solution is to beautify it with simple decor. For instance, you can use just one to two colors to arrange your bookshelves or cover them with white paper.
On the other hand, forgetting the stylist aspect is not intelligent. A library with a beautiful gallery-like look is much better than a cluttered or chaotic statue.
In my case, I like using decor items such as a sculpture, a treasured memento, or pottery to make the place more impressive.
6, A cataloging app
In some cases, you might get confused with hundreds of ideas for decorating your favorite library.
Hence, you do not know which one to opt for. My advice is to find help from a librarian, an app, or a website about the subject.
Some well-known book cataloging apps you can refer to include LibraryThing, Libib, BookBuddy, and others.
Plus, never forget the Goodread if you are a book lover.
There are thousands of valuable rates and comments about almost any kind of book on this free site. Perhaps, you can find some to add to your collections.
7, Arrange your children’s books
Suppose you have children; it is great to give them a mini organized home library and instill their reading love.
Besides framed artwork or lovely toys, books could be beautiful items to improve their intellectual ability.
Plus, following some studies, putting books at home can positively impact the children’s future education.
How To Organize A Library At Home? 7 Essentials You Should Have
Once you have known how to arrange your libraries successfully, it is helpful to know which essentials should be included in the area.
They are large and high bookcases, comfortable chairs, a lamp, a large window that can be opened, small tables, a fireplace, and some pieces of greenery.
1, Bookcases
First and foremost, bookcases are indispensable in any library. Plus, suppose you have a lot of books to display, think about the giant shelves you can use. It is pretty similar to the public library.
Plus, concerning the height, the bookcases should stretch to the ceiling to maximize the storage potential. That helps you find books quickly and impress your guests alike.
Of course, do not forget to purchase a small ladder. If not, reaching the papers on the top shelf might be a huge problem. The ladder’s wood grain and color should fit that of the frames.
Then, it’s time to fill the bookcases with your collections.
2, Comfortable chairs
Now it comes to a comfortable seating area. Suppose you have a small library, a simple step chair might be good.
On the other hand, nothing is more convenient than leather or velvet coaches with an extensive library.
You can take a break after long hours of reading.
Plus, no matter which type of seat you choose for the room, it must fit the space with a high degree of comfort.
And do not forget a thick blanket to wrap up when you have to read books in chilly winter evenings.
Step chairs or coaches for a home library (Source: kenarry)
3, A lamp
Lighting is the third aspect you must think about when decorating any room.
A lamp might be more beneficial than an expensive lighting system in libraries due to its soft light and handy feature.
Plus, whether it is a floor or table lamp, it will not disturb your relaxing statue for turning on like its peers.
Otherwise, a lamp might not be enough in large and modern libraries.
A chandelier is better at transferring the area into an elegant room.
The large crystals of the item can combine well with the natural light from a window to make gorgeous light fragments. In a second, you might sense heaven when sitting in such a room with your favorite books.
4, A large window that can be opened
How to organize a home library?
A large window is the next item you need because it saves much power and helps your eyes’ health when using natural light. Also, following some studies, those lights passing from windows can boost your mood and create better productivity.
What’s more, opt for an operable window so you can feel the fresh air and a cool breeze.
Sometimes, opening the window, looking at the blue sky, and listening to the calming sounds outside would cease many negative thoughts or tiredness in your mind.
Then, engross in your favorite books, after all.
5, Small end tables
You might need a light meal or a cup of hot coffee while reading your books from time to time.
That is when you should invest in a small end table. It can contain a plate and a cup.
Of course, there is no need to buy one if you are on a tight budget. It is just a plus for some, not a must in a library.
6, A fireplace
An elegant library should not lack a fireplace, which would make your guests jealous.
Plus, try to sit in a reading area, including a fireplace, and you can quickly sense the excellent feel appearing.
That is why taking one can improve your reading mood.
There are many kinds of fireplaces on the market, either fake or real. If your purpose is to impress your friends and beautify the room solely, picking up a fake one is my suggestion.
Concerning you prefer a real one for cold winter nights, opt for a ventless fireplace is a great choice.
It can be installed quickly, and it needs no vent. On the other hand, a vented fireplace forces you to add an extra flue and chimney, leading to complex construction.
7, Greenery
Recently, there has been a trend of purchasing extra plants to make new and environmental-friendly rooms. That is why you can think about adding greenery to home libraries.
Plus, those plants could give a bit of flavor to the area and prevent it from being dull and dusty.
Some red and purple flowers are worth buying alike for their attractive scent. They are expected to blur the difference between outside and inside.
Take a look at this video to know more about arranging home libraries:
How To Organize A Home Library? People Also Ask
1, How many books should be included in a home library?
It mostly depends on your need and the area’s size to know the correct number of books.
But, according to experts, a home library should contain more than 80 books to impact children’s literacy in future education positively.
After all, people who grow up in a house including lots of books tend to study faster at school.
2, How to arrange books in-home library?
Keep in mind six crucial steps when organizing libraries.
First, divide the books into two groups: paperbacks and hardcovers.
Next, separate those items into colors and stack them when needed. Organize them by subject or genre before displaying them center and front. Lastly, alphabetize them for a more straightforward finding process.
3, Which books should I weed out in libraries?
Periodically, you should remove some specific types of books.
They are the types that have been worn out or used by lots of people. Mutilated books should be released as well. Besides, I often remove the readers with a deteriorated printing quality.
Conclusion
To sum up, above is the complete guide related to the question, “How to organize a home library.”
Besides some tips and tricks like calculating your collection, placing books in the correct position, or others, you should invest in the essentials of a library. These include bookcases, chairs, lamps, a few minor end tables, a large window, a fireplace (fake or real), and greenery.
Hopefully, those pieces of information have helped you have a perfect library at home.
Tags: #Bathroom #Basement #HomeTheater #LaundryRoom #Playroom #Pantry #DiningRoom #Familyroom #Garage #Entryway #Gamingroom #Nursery #Soundproof #Kitchen #Library #Bedroom #Mudroom #GuestRoom #LivingRoom #HomeOffice
