creative storage for book hoarders

My book hoarding is reaching new heights lately; both figuratively and literally. All the bookshelves in my home are at maximum capacity and there are stacks of hardbacks growing like stalagmites from my dining room floor.

Our home collection kind of exploded last week after, sadly, my favorite used bookstore shuttered its operations. But not before having a $1 sale on their entire inventory. I went a little nuts…

Also, a sweet friend recently delivered an old black Jansport overflowing with hardbacks — from some of my favorite authors, luck of all luck — to the flower shop. It was a happy day. Should you ever find yourself with a surplus of reading material and no place to unload it, I will gladly adopt it like a shelter puppy.

So what I’m trying to tell you is, I’m becoming the crazy cat lady, but I’m stockpiling books instead of felines?

Since our living space is relatively small with an open floor plan, I’m going to have to get crafty with ways to stash my stacks. I don’t want to spend lots of cash or take up too much valuable floor space. And if I can make it look like a cool intentional design element, all the better.

I turned to Pinterest, as you do, for inspiration to turn my book hoarding problem to a book storage solution. It didn’t disappoint.

fireplace as book storage | built-in wall storage | wine crate book case | modular bookcase | made-to-order copper pipe bookshelves | high-mounted bookshelves | floating shelves | DIY spool table | USA map bookcase | vertical bookshelf | window seat book storage

Responses

  1. These are gorgeous ideas! I just moved to a new place and I think I have the perfect fireplace which is not used like real fireplace to achieve the same effect as the storage shown above. Lovely ideas, indeed. Thank you for sharing! Sam, http://selfstoragehampstead.co.uk/ :)

  2. Me and my books, we are so in love with your ideas!!! I have no words to explain how thankful I am!

  3. Reblogged this on Angela's Corner and commented:
    I am a book hoarder too. I am trying pare down my collection now that I read more books on my tablet and my laptop. I even have books under my bed and I have no more room to put another book or magazine away. I am ready to get my house organized with no more clutter.

  4. Reblogged this on mydarlingflowers and commented:
    Don’t miss out book hoarders!! Picture you have those book shelves in your home.

  5. I’ve always wanted to have nice book shelves. The book shelves in this post are sensational. Love the ideas!

  6. http://xelinexxblog.wordpress.com/ look here & follow ! thank you! ;)

  7. Love this! Especially the shelves that are formed like a world map.

  8. Very clever – I especially like the fireplace “bookshelf”!

  9. Creative solutions are the best; I will take creative over cash any day.

  10. Love it! Definitely be keeping these in my mind!

  11. So cute! Love the fireplace one.

    http://www.khoasinclair.co

    1. I know! It really makes me wish I had a fireplace. Not for fires; strictly for shoving books in it. ;-)

  12. I need something like this but for bags & shoes lol

    1. Same ideas could definitely apply!

  13. I just found the blog I have been looking for. Absolutely love this :)
    Feel free to check out my norwegian – Scotland blog: http://www.peacetegn.com <3

  14. Sigh, all those books are what my dreams are made of. I store books in crazy random places, drives my husband NUTS!!

    But alas, I am a book hoarder. Love all these ideas!!!

    <3 Jules

    1. I feel ya, I have them shoved in every nook and cranny around our house.

  15. Great ideas, I will have to start unpacking all my boxes of books! Thanks for the post – XO

  16. Wonderful ideas! I love books even though I use an ereader most times now. Nothing beats the look and feel of real books. I know when it’s time to move my book collection to our finished basement I’ll be looking for some creative inspiration too!

    1. I just can’t get on board with the e-reader. I want to smell the book, and dog-ear the pages, and bend the spine. ;-) Used books are my favorite, because I love finding little notes from the previous reader in the margins.

  17. I’m not much of a book hoarder anymore due to having a Kindle, but these are all great ideas :) I have a small enough collection to fit in a bookcase that I painted turquoise.

    http://secondhandhoneymoon.net

    1. Some of my favorite pins I stumbled upon contained turquoise bookshelves! I love the idea of a super bright and happy piece of furniture, especially for storing such precious cargo as books. :)

  18. Thanks for sharing the images~ ideas I was definitely in need of!

  19. Amazing! My shelf looks pretty much like the second one, but there aren’t only books there but my fragrances too, which are the two things I’m most interested in:D

    1. Love that! I think you should artfully display all your favorite things. I love when women stash their designer shoes and handbags in visible bookcases and cubbies around their homes.

  20. Books are so essential, when I’m the first time in a new friends’ house, I always check out if they have a bookshelf and I’m totally disappointed if they have not…

    http://lucandrob.wordpress.com/

    1. This is a good litmus test for friendship if I ever heard one. ;-)

  21. Superb ideas!! The 48 states one might be one of the coolest I’ve ever seen…

    1. Isn’t it awesome?! I have no idea where to find one and it would probably cost an arm and a leg, but it’s my favorite of this roundup.

  22. Awesome ideas! I would love to find a more attractive way to stash my books than the random piles that seem to be sprouting up all around my room at the moment. These pictures seem like a great place to start.

  23. Ideas are great I like map and this round table for books)))

  24. Love the idea of organizing the books by color! Thanks for sharing

  25. I’m a definite book hoarder too!! I love the ideas/images here! Great ideas!!

  26. love these ideas

  27. I’m motivated to get organized. Thank you for sharing :)

  28. I love these ideas cause I am a book hoarder! Any ideas where to get these items??

    1. If you check out the links, there are specific details on some of the original sources. I think I’m going to try Ikea for some of the floating shelves and/or modular cases!

  29. LOVE these ideas! Thanks for the inspiring post!
    – Holly

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