Photo by Radu Marcusu on Unsplash

Even with the rise of social media, it’s never a bad idea to sit back, disconnect, and grab a good book to read. Having an at-home library is perfect for times like that, you’ve got your books right at your fingertips. If you don’t already have a home library, no problem. Create a project for yourself by doing a DIY home library.

What is a Home Library?

A home library is a designated area for your new books, old books, and anything else related to books. Depending on the size of your library it can also be used as a place to work and study.

Creating your home library doesn’t have to be hard but it does take patience and time. Figure out the size of your book collection to determine the space needed. How you design your home library from there is all up to the owner’s preference. But there are a few guidelines you should keep in mind.

Here are a few tips to remember when creating your DIY home library.

Finding the Perfect Spot

Maybe you have a room in your home that’s too small to be a classic “ family room” that would be a perfect fit, or you have a small corner in your room that would work even better. The size of your home library can vary depending on your book collection.

It is best not to place your books against outside walls because they are prone to temperature changes.These temperature changes can cause mold and mildew to grow which can spread to your books. Another area that isn’t best for your books is an area near food and drink. Food and drink can attract insects and animals that may damage your books.

Good spots to put your home library are under your bed or a corner nook. Creating a space under your bed that allows for your book collection to remain out of the way and protected. Dedicating a corner nook to your book is a great alternative if you do not have an entire room to convert into your home library.  You can place shelves in the corner that will fit your book collection.

Lighting Your Home Library

Another element you will need to decide on is what type of lighting will work best for your home library. Here are a few types of artificial light

• Task lighting – Task lighting often comes from a desk lamp. It increases the lighting only in a specific area.
• Accent lighting – Accent lighting focuses on a particular area or object, often known as highlighting.
• Ambient lighting – Ambient lighting serves as the primary source of light for a whole room.

How to Organize Your Home Library

All the hard work is done. You’ve found the right spot and you’ve decided what lighting works best. Now it’s time to complete the look by placing your books in an organized manner. Here are a few ways that you can organize your home library.

• Alphabetical order – Align the books from A-Z by author name or by the book title.
• Chronological order – Place the books ordered by the date of publication.
• By color – Arrange your books by a color scheme.
• By genre– Structure your books according to their specific genre.

Building this DIY home library might’ve just been the exact thing your home was missing. Guarantee your books stay safe and protected with homeowners insurance.

For more tips on putting together your home library check out the infographic below.

Surrounding yourself with books can have many benefits. To ensure all your hard work doesn’t go to waste, get homeowners insurance that will keep your books safe and protected in your home.

For more steps on how to create an at-home library, check out the infographic below.