Bookworm alert! 5 steps to set up a home library
What's the story
If you are tired of stashing away your books into small cupboards, or have no idea what to do with the books you have, or want to flaunt your book collection in front of your friends, it's time that you set up a home library. Contrary to popular belief, setting up a library at home isn't a mammoth task. Just follow these simple steps!
Location
Pick a location to set up the library
Depending on the number of your books, you can choose an entire room, or just a wall. While almost any free spacious spot will do, areas like the basement and attic may ruin books due to the high level of dampness. They may in turn cause mold to grow on the books. Further, also avoid places that are exposed to too much natural lighting.
Storage
Decide the storing units for your books
Depending on your budget, you can have storage options ranging from gilded shelves, glass cupboards to ordinary wooden cartons converted to shelves. Since the goal is to store your books neatly and easily, your creativity and imagination matters here, and not necessarily the expensive items. If you have limited space for your books, opting for ceiling-to-floor, wall-to-wall shelves can do the trick.
Arrangement
Examine your book collection and arrange them accordingly
Go through your entire collection to determine which books can be kept. Once that is done, decide an arrangement best-suited to categorize your books. Some of the popular arrangement styles include alphabetical arrangement where the books are kept alphabetically by their titles or their author's name; allocating spaces for different genres; arranging the books according to their colors or sizes, and more.
Comfort
Make your library cozy and comfortable
Your library needs to feel like somewhere you can curl up with a good book for hours. For comfort, you can cover the floor with a throw rug and bring in a chair, a couch or a bean bag with pillows. Ensure good lighting to avoid straining your eyes. Artificial lighting is recommended, especially in areas where the bookshelves will be placed.
Tips
Tips for final touches
Further, you can also keep portable speakers or headphones nearby for audio books. If you have leftover space in the shelves, cover the gaps with flower vases or small decorative items until you find new books to keep in that space. Look after your library and keep it clean. An unclean library can attract infestation from insects and pests that can ruin books.