Hello everybody, and welcome to my second Sleepy Sunday post! (Now that there are two, this must officially count as a series…)

We all have those days when everything seems to go wrong, or the weight of the world seems just a bit much. For times like those, here are a few book-related comforts to help carry you to a better day.

1. A trinket or two

If you can’t visit Hogwarts, at least you can make your room smell like it! If you have a little money to spare, there are lots of shops on Etsy where you can find scented candles inspired by books. Whether you want your room to smell like a bookshop, or are looking for a character-inspired scent, you’re bound to find something you like.

This is one of the candles I bought from Etsy (from a shop called Geeky Candles Co) and it smells of rain. As you can see, I’ve gotten some good use out of it!

If you don’t like candles, Etsy also has a whole range of shops selling book-related items, including bookmarks, pins and stationary. I know shopping doesn’t necessarily solve any problems, but it’s not all bad as a temporary comfort. Plus, you’ll be supporting independent creators along the way.

2. Change up your book storage

For a menial task to take your mind off things, maybe tackle those growing piles of books, or give your bookshelf a whole new look. If you’re looking for ideas to store books in limited space, take a look at this article I wrote.

3. Literary locations

If you’re looking to go get some fresh air, why not go find some literature-related spots around your home? Maybe an author lived in your town for a few years; or maybe your city inspired a famous book or series. You might be surprised by what you find.

On a recent visit to Edinburgh, for example, I saw The Elephant House, where JK Rowling is rumoured to have written part of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

If you can’t find anything, why not take a trip to the local library? I can’t remember the last time I went to a library just for fun — yet being surrounded by books and people reading in silence doesn’t sound bad at all.

4. Write to your favourite character

This idea is inspired by a blog post by Sarah from Between the Pages, where she suggests interviewing your favourite character as one of her brilliant ideas for book bloggers.

If you’re feeling down but don’t feel like talking to anyone about it, try writing your thoughts to a character you like. Imagine what they would say in reply — who knows, they of all people might understand what you’re going through!

5. Revisit old favourites

One of the books I brought with me when I first went to university is the Harry Potter book, even though I’ve read it a thousand times already.

I don’t know about you, but familiar stories and characters make me feel better, and the books themselves come with fond memories of when I first found and read them.

Re-reading also lets you choose according to your mood. There are a lot of things going on in the world right now, many of which are terrible. Sometimes I feel helpless against it all. At those times, certain books can be a good reminder of the power of the individual, and of what people have overcome, and are capable of overcoming.

Think further back than your go-to favourites, to books you haven’t read in years, and see if you can find one to guide you to a better place.

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And those are five little bookish comforts for when you need them! Let me know if you try any of these out, and if you have any ideas of your own.

Thank you for reading, and until next time.

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