DIY Storage Hacks for Kids' Books

Over the years, we have accumulated a lot of kids' books. I have still a healthy collection from my childhood, and I find it hard to say no when the kids ask for a book. I also have never tossed a Scholastic Clubs books order form in the recycle bin without buying at least one book. And the kids have developed a good habit of reading every night, so we like to have a variety of books available. 

Meaning: we have a lot of books.

We built our current home in 2018, and I (finally) came up with a few new ways to store our books that keep them organized and make selecting a book easier for the kids. 

Here my two favorite book storage hacks:

1. Ikea Spice Racks

We bought these Ikea spice racks for about $12 each, and they are perfect for storing kids' books. I think Target's Ledge Wall Shelf is basically the same thing (for around the same price). The books can be placed with the cover facing out - and at kid-height - so that it is easy for little ones to see and select a book.  

This is by far one of my favorite DIY hacks. And after more than a year in our home, the shelves are still in great condition and can hold a LOT of books (about three or four deep). 

2. Dollar Store Bins

I found these plastic red bins at a local dollar store, and they are perfect for organizing easy-reader books:

They do not hold a ton of books, but they make it easy to sort books by category. I made super simple labels (just printed on regular copy paper and taped them on the sides) so that it is easy to find the kind of book you're looking for.

It's not fancy, but it makes our evening reading a little easier. We also use regular bookshelves for the (many) books that don't fit in these storage solutions.

What's your best book storage hack?