If your house is full of kids’ books piling up in every corner after each birthday and holiday, you’re not alone. Finding a good way to store children’s books isn’t just about cleaning up – it’s about making books easy and fun for kids to use. The main idea is to pick a system that suits your family, keeps books in good shape, and helps your children enjoy reading more.
Even a small, tidy book collection can change a messy area into a cozy reading spot. When books are easy to find, kids can grab their favorites, find new ones, and even help keep things tidy by putting books back in their place. In this guide, we’ll talk about what to think about, what steps to take, and plenty of simple ideas to organize your child’s books so reading time is easy and inviting for everyone.
Things To Think About Before Storing Kids’ Books
Before you rush out to buy new shelves or storage bins, take a little time to think about a few main points. This will help you pick the best book storage for your child’s needs – and your home.
Child’s Age and How Easily They Can Reach
Your child’s age and how high they can reach matter most. For toddlers and small kids, make sure books are easy to grab on low shelves or in baskets. This helps them pick out and return books by themselves, building independence and teaching them how to care for books. For the youngest kids, it can help to keep most books in one out-of-reach spot and only put a few out at a time, so they don’t get overwhelmed and so you can teach them to treat books nicely.
Older children can handle taller shelves and a bigger choice of books. The main goal is to keep books at a comfortable height to make browsing easy and fun.
Book Sizes and Types
Kids’ books include everything from small board books to large picture books, thin chapter books, and big collections. Think about the range of book sizes and shapes when choosing storage. Standard shelves work for most, but you may want bins or magazine holders for odd-shaped books or books with sound buttons.
You can also sort books by what kind they are – such as board books, hardcovers, paperbacks, non-fiction, or early readers. For example, board books often do best in sturdy bins, while paperbacks fit nicely on shelves or in holders.
Space You Have at Home
Most people don’t have a special library room, so your available space can shape your storage choices. For smaller homes, try going up with tall shelves or using wall space for floating ledges. Over-the-door hangers and under-the-bed boxes can help if shelves are full.
Think about where you want kids to read and keep books handy. You might want one main “book home” and a few smaller places for books in bedrooms or living rooms. For example, bedtime books might belong by the bed, while non-fiction can stay in a playroom.
How Your Collection Will Grow
Kids’ book collections often get bigger and bigger. As you plan, leave room to add more books later. Choose storage you can add on to, like shelves that stack or link together.
It’s helpful to clear out old books regularly. Go through the collection every so often to get rid of any that are too damaged, no longer interesting, or have been outgrown. This keeps things under control and less messy.
Steps for Organizing and Storing Kids’ Books
After you’ve thought about the important points above, it’s time to start organizing. Here are some steps that can help you store your child’s books in an easy and practical way.
Gather All Books and See What You Have
Start by bringing every children’s book out from all over the house and putting them in one spot. This might look overwhelming, but it really helps to see everything at once.
Go through each book. Is it still a good fit for your child’s age? Is it in good shape? Is it still something your child enjoys?
Sort Books by Type, Age, or Theme
Once you know what you have, sort the books. How you do this is up to you and your kids. You can sort by:
- Type (board book, paperback, hardcover, etc.)
- Appropriate age
- Theme or topic (animals, holidays, vehicles, school, etc.)
Sorting by theme is helpful for making displays around holidays or for rotating different books in and out. For older kids, you might want to separate fiction from non-fiction.
Remove Damaged or Outgrown Books
This important step keeps your collection manageable. If a book is torn, missing pages, scribbled on, or your child just isn’t interested anymore, put it aside. You can donate good-condition books to others or give them to younger children.
Organize for Easy Choosing and Putting Away
Now it’s time to put your sorted books into your chosen storage. Try to make things easy to see and reach, so kids can pick books on their own and return them easily. For little kids, showing books with the cover facing out helps, since they know covers before they can read titles.
Don’t pack shelves too full – it makes it harder to get books in and out. You can use baskets or bins for smaller or oddly-shaped books. Mixing some vertical and horizontal stacks on a shelf can also make things neater and easier.
Create Special Spots for Books
It’s helpful to have a main spot for books, plus a few easier-to-reach places in rooms where your child reads most. For toddlers, keep the main collection high up while offering a small choice lower down in baskets or shelves.
By giving each type of book a home, you teach your child where things go, which helps keep the area tidy.
Storage Ideas for Kids’ Books
There are plenty of smart and fun ways to store books at home. Here are a few popular options:
| Storage Type | Good For | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Floating Wall Shelves | Small spaces, showy displays | Great for getting books off the floor and making use of wall space. Can be put at any height for different ages. |
| Picture Ledges | Face-out displays | Shows book covers, making books more appealing to young kids. Great near beds for bedtime stories. |
| Low Bookshelves | Toddlers and young children | Lets kids grab and return books themselves. Look for rounded corners for safety. |
| Book Carts | Portable storage | Easy to roll around the house, so reading can happen anywhere. Usually has several levels. |
| Baskets or Crates | Odd shapes and board books | Can be placed on floors, shelves, or in corners. Comes in lots of materials and styles. |
| Magazine Holders/Boxes | Thin books or series | Stands slim books upright to keep shelves neat. Boxes can hold books for seasonal rotation. |
| Under-Bed Organizers | Extra storage | Stores books you don’t need to access daily. Good if toy shelves are already full. |
| Over-the-Door Hangers | Vertical storage | Uses closet doors for book storage. Clear pockets make books easy to see. |
| Window Seats/Reading Nooks | Dedicated reading spots | Built-in benches with storage underneath make a cozy place for reading. |
| Leaning or Divider Bookcases | Modern look/big spaces | Ladder shelves add style and can break up a big room. |
Ways to Make Organizing Fun
Besides just putting books away, you can arrange them to make reading even more exciting.
Organize by Color or Theme
You can line up books on shelves by the color of their spines for a bright, rainbow look. It might not be the fastest way to find a certain book, but it sure makes the area look cheerful.
Or, set aside sections for themes like animals or vehicles, or feature a favorite author. This helps kids spot what they’re interested in, too.
Display Books with Covers Showing
Try to show some books with their covers facing forward using ledges, face-out shelves, or small stands. Even if you mostly use classic bookshelves, put a few books on top of stacks facing out to catch your child’s eye.
Rotate the Books You Have Out
Don’t have every book out all the time. Store some away and swap in new ones now and then. This makes old books feel new and keeps things tidy at the same time.
You could switch out groups of books every few months or around holidays. This also helps keep the book area from getting too crowded.
Set Out Seasonal and Holiday Books
Gather books for winter, summer, or special days like Halloween or Christmas. Keep them in labeled bins and only bring them out at the right time of year. Put these seasonal books where kids can find them easily – like a special basket or shelf. It adds extra excitement and helps tie reading to different times of year.
How to Keep Kids’ Books Organized Over Time
It’s not hard to organize children’s books, but keeping them that way is a different story. Here are some easy tricks to help:
Regularly Check and Remove Old Books
Like with toys and clothes, go through the books every few months to pull out any your child doesn’t use, are damaged, or have been outgrown. Changing books with the seasons works well if you rotate books.
Letting kids help decide what to keep or give away can teach them about making space for new things, too.
Let Kids Help Organize
Kids are more likely to keep things tidy if they helped set things up. Teach them where each kind of book goes and remind them to put books back after reading. Toddlers can start by putting books into baskets, while older children can help sort, stack, and decide what stays or goes.
Change Your Storage as Kids Grow
What worked for a toddler probably won’t suit an older kid. Be ready to swap out low shelves for taller ones or to start sorting by type or author instead of just board books and picture books. Stay open to changing things as your kids’ needs and reading choices change.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kids’ Book Storage
How Can I Stop Books Getting Damaged?
Keep books away from very hot, cold, or damp places like basements or attics unless you can control the temperature. Store books standing up (not leaning) on flat, sturdy shelves. Store heavy books lying flat. Leave a little space for air to move around the books. You can use dust jackets or clear covers for fragile books. Most of all, show kids how to turn pages gently and not bend covers.
Should I Sort Books by Age, Subject, Series, or Something Else?
There’s no single right way. Sort by what helps your family and gets kids reading – by age if you have kids of different ages, or by topic, author, or book type if that works better. Try one way, and see how well it works for your kids.
Best Storage Ideas for Small Rooms or Shared Spaces?
Use wall shelves, slim bookcases, and door-hanging organizers to use more vertical space. Under-bed boxes help save space too. Give each child their own box or section, or use different colors. Book carts let you move books if you need the floor clear sometimes. Keep only a small number of books out in small spaces to avoid mess.