Most retailers sell a variety of storage bins, in various sizes. Try to get relatively small boxes, no bigger than 12 x 12 in. , or the bins will become quite heavy. It’s fine to store these books anywhere the temperature will be consistent and cool. Attics and garages will be fine in certain climates. Polyurethane plastic tubs should protect books adequately from insects and rodents who might chew up books.
Store book bins underneath the bed, at the backs of closets, or in the basement. [1] X Expert Source Caitlin JaymesCloset Organizer & Fashion Stylist Expert Interview. 16 December 2019. Try to store books indoors, if you can. Exposed attic spaces, sheds, and garages can have drastic temperature swings, which can be rough on the binding and paper. Consider renting a storage space in your town for storing books. If you have a lot of books, an indoor storage facility might be temperature-controlled and appropriate for some old boxes of books, while outdoor garages might be fine for your old paperbacks.
Anything lower than 50-60% should be okay for most books, but rare or valuable books should always be stored around 35%, indoors. If you’re really particular about keeping your books safe, though, Try to keep it even lower if possible.
If you are concerned about the distribution of heat in a particular room and the safety of your books, rotate them regularly to make sure a handful of books aren’t getting more exposed than others.
Never store books with the binding or spine pointing up. This will always crack the hinge, which will affect the life of the book.
If you find that some of your books have been infested with insects, the best way to clean them out is to place them in plastic bags and put them in the freezer for several hours to kill the bugs, then clean them thoroughly. Read the next section for more information about cleaning books properly.
The American Institute for Conservation (AIC)[5] X Research source collects rare artistic and historical works, and offers a variety of conservators you can enlist to guide you through the process of caring for them. [6] X Research source
Very old, leather-bound, or rare books should be handled while wearing latex gloves. Never eat or drink around old books that you want to protect.
Start dusting by removing all the books from your shelves and cleaning the shelves thoroughly, dusting them and wiping them down before reshelving the books. [8] X Research source
Don’t use water or other solvents to Try to clean books. If you have a very rare book that’s gotten dirty, take it to a book dealer in your area and talk about restoration methods. Most books should not need to be cleaned in any way other than gentle dusting. [9] X Research source
Natural, pre-treated wood and sheet metal are the best surfaces on which to store books. Storing books on shelves with synthetic paint or other chemicals can leech into the binding and paper, affecting the quality of the items. [10] X Research source
Stack book crates on the side, rather than bottom-up, so you can stack your books as if they were in a bookshelf. This makes them easy to access and peruse. Think of it as a DIY bookshelf. Crates allow you to organize your books into micro genres, keeping your cookbooks in one crate and your novels in another, putting them in adjacent spaces and rooms if necessary. They’re also movable.
Within genre, you can specialize even further if you want to. In the history section, store your military history books together, but differentiate them from your natural history books, European history, and other sub-genres. If you don’t have a lot of different genres, just split them into two big categories: Fun books and learning books. Put all novels, stories, and sci-fi in the first section. Put all your old school stuff in the other.
Aside from looking nice and organized, books can be supported better if they’re stacked next to books of a similar size. This helps to stabilize the covers and the binding.
Go by title, or go by the last name of the author when you’re alphabetizing your books. Generally, titles are easier to remember, but you’ll also end up with a lot of titles that start with “The” and “A,” which might be confusing.
Consult the color wheel to learn more about how to pick the right colors for interior decorating, books included.
