Creating A Cozy Home Library

Walking into a bibliophile’s home can be a minefield littered with stacks and piles of books scattered throughout their home, on every surface, and even on the floor! If it’s time to clean up your act and your home, the best place to start is at the root of the problem! What better way to organize your books than creating a cozy home library!

Inventory

Before you start putting up shelves and buying more bookcases, take inventory of your book collection. Go through each room in your home and gather all your books in one space. You may need to commandeer the dining room for a few days while you go through the process. Go through all your books and decide which books you wish to keep and which can be donated or given away. Take stock of damaged books and determine if they can be salvaged or need to be tossed. Anything with mold should be discarded immediately so your other books won’t be damaged. Donate or give away duplicates and books that have not held your attention.

Proper Placement

Cookbooks should be kept in the kitchen, craft and hobby books can be stored in your craft room. Store books where they will be used most. Everything else can go in your library space. If you have too many cookbooks or craft books to reasonably store in those rooms, pare down to the books you use the most. Everything else can be placed on your library shelves.

Select Your Library Space

A sitting room, a spare bedroom, or even just a corner of your living room can be transformed into a cozy library space. Walk around your home and figure out where you’ll get the best natural lighting and where you’ll be out of the way. A quiet area will ensure you will want to spend time there and won’t be distracted by the daily chaos of home life and act as a retreat. Once you’ve decided on a space, start prepping your area for transformation. Remove all furniture from the area and use painter’s tape to begin roughing in an outline for where you want to place your shelves and your reading chair or lounger. Find a configuration that will be most pleasing to you.

Construction

If you are purchasing bookshelves, pay attention to weight limits. Choose shelves that are made of sturdier wood and can hold up over time. If you are assembling the shelves yourself, follow all manufacturer instructions and ensure to anchor the unit to the walls to prevent accidents and injuries.

Categorizing

Once your shelving is set up, it’s time to get your books on those shelves! You may want to categorize your books by genre, alphabetically, or by another means. Figure out what method will be best for you. You may want to download a home library app to help you keep track of your collection.

Décor

Don’t forget to add some personal touches to your new library space! You may want to apply wallpaper to the bookshelf backing or add strip lighting to add ambiance. Add some potted plants, a few knickknacks, and some framed artwork to tie the space together. To create a visually appealing space, break up rows of books with those knickknacks and add pops of color throughout the shelves. Place a Bluetooth speaker or white noise machine in the space to help set the tone for your library. Set up your favorite reading chair, love seat, or floor cushions, and grab a cozy throw blanket for a truly relaxing experience. If you love tea, set up a small tea cart with an electric kettle, your favorite mug, and a tea tin as well!