As an avid reader, having a place in your UCF apartment to store or display your book collection is a must. Finding creative ways to show off the books you love can turn into a fun project that adds flavor and personality to your new apartment.
Create Space
Not every apartment comes equipped with a lot of shelving. To a book lover, this may seem like bad news, however, you can always add shelving to create additional space in any room you like. One option is to purchase a traditional bookshelf that fits your living space and book collection. Consider placing one large bookcase where you most like to read and then sprinkling the rest of your collection throughout your home. Additionally, you could install elevated shelving above your bed or strategically place floating shelves in multiple rooms. For more ideas on adding shelving to your University of Central Florida apartment, check out these fresh ideas for showing off your book collection from Apartment Therapy.
Repurpose the Space
In addition to adding shelving, you can also repurpose the existing space in your apartment to accommodate your book collection. Believe it or not, your kitchen can be a great place to store books. Place books in your unused cabinets, or if you have the freedom to redesign, unhinge the cabinet doors and cover the shelving with a layer of cloth. Talk about a unique way to display your book collection! If you don't have the option to do something so drastic, use the space between the cabinets and the ceiling for a decorative book display. Stack your books here or mix them in with your other kitchen decor. Be creative with the available space and have fun with it!
Storage Space
With such an extensive collection, consider an apartment with an exterior storage space. If your apartment doesn't have a great deal of storage space, consider alternative locations that could be converted into storage. Depending on the size of your apartment's linen closet, this space could be used as a hidden library. Here, the books will be out of the way but still easily accessible. By repurposing the existing space you can avoid having to purchase additional shelving. Alternatively, look for apartments with a private garage. While garages are typically used for vehicle storage, this space may also be used for additional shelving or miscellaneous storage. This is especially helpful if your book collection is rather large, because it will clear up space in your home while keeping your books in a safe, dry location. With such an open storage space you can easily add to your collection without having to worry about creating clutter in your home.
Reading, collecting and storing books in your UCF apartment shouldn't be stressful. Books are valuable and should be stored or displayed in a way that emphasizes their importance.