If you ask any reader what their dream is, it’s to own a personal library. Whether it be in the spare room, a study or your bedroom, the feeling of running your fingers down the spines of several books continuously can be utterly satisfying. In the past few years, it’s been my personal goal to achieve a miniature library inside my bedroom, only because that’s where I spend most of my time. If I was not a student with major responsibilities, I could probably achieve it within a matter of a few months or a year, but being a student means you learn to improvise. These tips for creating a miniature library in your bedroom weren’t discovered overnight, but as we warned you, it could take some time before you see some results!
- Buy those books
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I know student life is hard and there’s so many required readings to complete, but it shouldn’t deter you from treating yourself every now and then. If you spy a series or novel you’ve really been wanting, and if it’s on sale, just make the purchase! Don’t worry about that tbr (to-be-read) list; just buy whatever pleases you so you’re constantly filled with magical vibes and books to read when you’re ready to start.
- Don’t buy more than one bookshelf
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Listen to me when I say one is enough, and if you want that overcrowded book look, just stack up your books on every open surface possible once your bookshelf physically cannot hold more. It saves you from purchasing another bookshelf and again, that money can be used for better stuff. *cough cough* Buy those books, buy those books, buy those books…
The way I style is by keeping two books by my bedside (one of which is usually my most current reads, and one of my favourites to get me out of a reading slump if need be), three on my desk (a trilogy), two on my reading chair atop my blankets, and all the extras on my miniature speaker system. Also, since I had to buy a woven basket for my Halloween costume just last month (Belle from Beauty and the Beast, surprise surprise!), I found that filling it with new books by the end of 2021 has unconsciously become my obsession. It looks really aesthetically pleasing besides my reading lounge chair, which means I won’t be needing that rolling 3-layer cart from IKEA just yet.
- Floating shelves
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Despite mentioning this plan includes a budget, another great way to turn your bedroom into a library is by having shelves installed into the wall. I don’t mean rows and rows along your wall (it certainly can be an option), but floating shelves come in all different sizes and sometimes the minimalist ones are the only ones you need. They’re great for filling in the spaces on your wall that look empty or if the space you live in has no room. I haven’t done this yet, but floating shelves have been on my list for some time.
- Book scented candles
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If you’re a person who just got yourself into reading and do not own many books or you’re just picky with what books you purchase, book scented candles do exist and work! I didn’t know they existed until two years ago and I have yet to rate one but my friend highly recommends them. She suggested Etsy since they have a massive selection of candles and even book-related merch. Book scented candles are a great way to create an illusion of owning many books because the biggest telltale of what makes a library is the scent; that aging, woodsy scent of a million process pages is absolutely irreplaceable.
In the end, the mindset really matters. If you already see your small collection as a library, you’re winning! A library starts from somewhere so it shouldn’t deter you if you have 10 or 50 books. By buying book scented candles, having one styled bookshelves, and randomly scattered books, creating the illusion can be a piece of pie. Never feel bad about treating yourself to a book every now and then because like Frank Zappa said:
“So many books, so little time.”