What a terribly un-funny title (sorry). It does the job though, which is to tell you that today I’m coming to you with some bookshelf tips! If you have more books than you could possibly store in an organised, Instagram-ready fashion, this post is for you, because I feel your pain.

1. Get some shelves

Wait, don’t stop reading! This isn’t some horribly obvious tip, I promise. When I say ‘shelves’, I don’t necessarily mean furniture that was specifically intended for book storage. If you don’t have much space or can’t put anything on your walls, why not consider some shelving units that you can lay or stack on the ground?

This was probably meant to be a wall-hung unit but it ended up on my floor.

2. Mix some decor in

If you have to have books lying around, make them a part of your decor. Pop a plant on top of one stack, or lean a photo frame against another; they don’t have to be in the way if you deliberately place them that way. If you have the time, you could even colour co-ordinate.

3. Improvise yourself some bookends

If you have some books that just won’t stay, why spend anything on bookends when you can use that money to buy more books (or food)? Try using something weighty like a paperweight, and put a larger, heavier book at the end of the line to make things easier.

You can’t see it, but the glimmer of red on the left is a perfume bottle. On the other side is an alarm clock.

4. Divide and conquer

This tactic is a little more desperate. If you don’t have the means to store all your books in one place, split them up. Stack a few across the back of your desk, or maybe on top of your wardrobe. Just don’t forget where you put what!

5. I’m sorry, but… donate some?

I know books are sometimes very hard to get rid of. My dad recently prepared a whole box to give away, and I took half of them (I’m not exaggerating). But organisations like the British Heart Foundation take donations for a good cause. Moreover, the books you buy there (some for A POUND) can be donated back!

If you’re unwilling to donate, at least consider lending some to a friend who reads really slowly. By the time they’re done, maybe you’ll have the means to store some more books.

Thanks for reading, and let me know if any of these tips was helpful to you. Until next time!