How to Store Books In Your Home

Book lovers tend to want their favorite titles right where they can see them: on their bookshelves. But there's more to storing books than just setting them on bookshelves and forgetting about them. Dust, humidity, sunlight, and other factors can damage books, sometimes beyond repair. Whether you're storing books for display or preservation, we've got all the tips you need to protect and preserve your investment. Here's how to store books properly, both on and off the shelf.

Storing Books on Bookshelves

Unless they are coffee table books, one of the best places to keep your books is on a bookshelf in the main area of your house. You can follow a few guidelines when storing your books on shelves to keep them in their best condition while displaying them.

The Dos of Storing Books on Bookshelves

The first thing to consider is the placement of your bookshelf. To allow for air circulation (which books need to keep them in good condition), position your bookshelf near an interior wall but leave enough space for air to circulate. Placing a shelf next to an exterior wall may cause the temperature to fluctuate too much.

Sunlight can fade the covers, so make sure that the books aren't getting any direct sunlight when you're putting up your shelves. The Library of Congress advises that books should have minimal exposure to any light, so darker is better when it comes to book storage.

When it comes to cleaning, keep your books and their spines dusted. Over time, the acidic elements in dust can damage paper. Leaving dust on books can also attract pests and allow for mold growth, which will ultimately ruin the books. Don't use cleaning products with fragrances, as they can break down the fibers of the paper.

If you have books that are coming apart or are very fragile, use a container or some other type of support to hold them together.

The Don'ts of Storing Books on Bookshelves

In addition to keeping your books away from light, don't crowd them on the shelves. Overcrowding can compress books and break down the spines, damaging their structural integrity. Try to keep books of similar sizes together and ensure they're not leaning. If necessary, use bookends to ensure that all books stand up straight.

Keep the dust jackets on! You can remove the dust jacket while reading a book, but always keep it on to protect the covers when the book is on the shelf.

Orientation matters! Avoid the common mistake of storing books with the spine up. This can lead to the pages loosening and eventually breaking away from the binding. If your books are too large for vertical storage on shelving, the best way to preserve them is by storing them horizontally.

Methods of Storing Books

With the dos and don'ts in mind, there are a myriad of ways you can store books for display in your home, including:

• Bookshelves
• Cart storage
• Cabinets
• Monochromatic display
• Grouped by color
• Basket shelves
• Table storage
  

Overflow and Out of Sight Storage

To keep your stored books in their best condition, there are a few steps you can take. First, make sure your books are clean, dusted, and ready to be stored. Then find clean boxes that are the right size. (Avoid ones that were previously used to store food, as they might attract mice or bugs that will destroy your books' paper pages.) Your best bet? Waterproof plastic containers.

Fill your boxes, wrapping each book in a paper towel or bubble wrap to prevent damage to the cover (or books sticking together), and stack the heavier books on the bottom. Books can also be stored upright with the paper edge facing upwards. Add some small silica gel packets inside the boxes; you can save them from other purchases for moments like these. Once the boxes are full and tightly packed, close or seal them up with acid-free packing tape.

Decide where to place your boxes. Avoid a humid basement because the moisture may encourage mold growth. And steer clear of any area that frequently floods or experiences extreme temperatures. Heat can cause book bindings to melt or crack. Place the boxes on a shelf (in case of water leaks).