I had set up a little reading station for Master O’s in our front room. You can read about it here.
Our Reading Station
It was well-loved and used – probably too much. You see, very rarely were the books neatly packed in the bookcase like you see in the picture. As my son is only 3, he lacks the dexterity to put the books as they are meant to go. Some go back as they are meant to, others are shoved back every which way, waiting for the opportunity to come toppling out. So when we decided to do a shuffle of furniture this weekend, I took the opportunity to address this situation.
We decided to remove this small bookcase and replace it with some Ikea Expedit units to give us some more storage. Initially I was just going to use some of the shelves in these units just like a bookcase but as I started to put the books in place I cringed, thinking of the mess they would be in by day’s end.
Taking a break and brainstorming ideas over a coffee, I recalled how my library stores kids’ books. They have them in partitioned wooden boxes on legs, similar to this one I found on the net.
Super cute, right? Practical too. A kid could easily flip through the books and replace them when they were finished.
While I loved this idea and wanted it, I instead had an Ikea Expedit unit. Adapting the idea, I took some of the Lekman boxes we had purchased to go in the Expedit unit. I sorted through our books and broke them into categories and stood them up in the boxes. I made sure that I didn’t overfill the boxes so there was plenty of room to flip through the books.
Easy Flipping
Seasonal Books
All done!
I also used this idea in Master O’s room.
Toy Storage
Reading seat to go here
I had moved these Trofast units filled with his toys into his bedroom a little while ago. His little brother had been raiding, sucking on and trying to swallow his toys when these units sat in the playroom. I had been wanting to make the middle section into a seat with a chair pad and cushions. I had pictured him reading here and had used the sections below it as bookcases for his favourite bedtime books. They too got messy. Pulling out the Trofast boxes I had in storage, I packed the books away neatly with the hope that my kids’ bookcase cleaning days were over.
Master O’s favourite books in easy reach
I’m giving this system a few weeks trial to see if it works. I will let you know how it goes. In the mean time, I would love to hear how you store your kid’s books.
Linking up with some of these fun parties
Monday: Singing Three Little Birdies, I should be Mopping the Floor, Polly Want a Crafter?, Cherished Bliss, The Gunny Sack, Skip to my Lou, Craftomaniac, It’s so Very Cheri, Keeping it Simple, Creating Really Awesome Free Things, Alderberry Hill, Its A Blog Party, A Pinch of Joy, Making the World Cuter, Mad in Crafts, Sew Can Do, Sugar Bee Crafts, Tip Junkie, New Nostalgia, Ladybug Blessings, How to Nest for Less, Watch Out Martha, Clairjustinexoxo,
Tuesday: Coastal Charm, Today’s Creative Blog, Not Just a Housewife, A Bowl Full of Lemons , DIY by Design, Funky Polkadot Giraffe, Home Stories A to Z, Hope Studios, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Organising Homelife, Carolyn’s Homework, The Blackberry Vine, The Kurtz Corner, A Little Tipsy, Gingersnap crafts, Time Warp Wife, These Creative Juices, The Thrifty Home, Its a Very Cherry World, Cornerstone Confessions, Rae Gun Ramblings, Northern Cottage, Clean and Scentsible, Creatively Living , Kathe with an E, Ivy and Elephants, Romance on a Dime, The Real Housewives of Riverton, DIY Dreamer, Primp, JAQS Studio,
Wednesday: Oopsey Daisy, My Girlish Whims, Uncommonly Yours, Creations by Kara, Raising Homemakers, The Thrifty Home, Twin Dragonfly Designs, A Creative Princess, Sugar and Dots, Seven Thirty Three, Fabric Bows and More, Someday Crafts, Handy Man, Crafty Woman, Trendy Treehouse, Women Living Well, We are that Family, The Mommy Club , Raising Homemakers, Sew Much Ado,t Simple, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Beyond the Picket Fence, Free Pretty Things for You, DIY by Design, Bloom Designs, Mom on Timeout, We Like to learn as we Go, Family Home and Life, Savvy Southern Style, Fine Craft Guild, Embracing Change, HandyMan, Crafty Woman, Polkadots on Parade, No Minimalist Here
Thursday: House of Hepworths Delightful Order, Its a Keeper, The Frugal Girls, The 36th Avenue, Thrifty 101, A Glimpse Inside, Brambleberry Cottage, Bear Rabbit Bear, Michelle’s Tasty Creations and Crafty Ideas, Shabby Creek Cottage, Goings on in Texas, Happy Go Lucky, Raising Oranges, The Answer is Chocolate, The Taylor House, Crafty Scrappy Happy, Imparting Grace, Made in a Day, 52 Mantels, Loving This Crazy Life, Days of Chalk and Chocolate, Confessions of an ADD Housewife
Friday: The Shabby Nest, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, At the Picket Fence, Whipperberry, French Country Cottage, Thirty Handmade Days, Creation Corner, Finding Fabulous, Stuff and Nonsense, Fingerprints on the Fridge Naptime Crafters, While He Was Napping, My Romantic Home, Bacon Time With the Hungry, Hungry Hippo, Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons, Remodelaholic, Happy Hour Projects, Simply Designing, Simply Sweet Home, Tidy Mom, Young and Crafty, Serenity Now , Life as Mom, At the Picket Fence, Tatertots and Jello, Craft Junkie Too, A Little Knick Knack, Blissful and Domestic, Maiden D’Shade, Petites Passions, Bubbly Nature Creations, Here Comes the Sun, Liz Marie Blog, THe Grant Life, Craftionary, Redoux Interior, Common Ground, Just Us Four, Delicate Construction, AKA Designs, Family Ever After,
Saturday: Be Different Act Normal, The Girl Creative , Funky Junk Interiors , A Vision to Remember, Positively Splendid , Its Overflowing, Natasha in Oz, Shaken Together, Homemaker in Heels, Addicted to Decorating
Sunday: A Rosie Sweet Home, I Heart Naptime, Under the Table Dreaming, DIY Showoff, Nifty Thrift Things, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Homemaker on a Dime, DIY Home Sweet Home, Cherished Treasures, My 1929 Charmer
There Was a Crooked House 