My son Ellis is almost 9 months old, and has started to really show an interest in books lately. Thankfully (owning a book store) I have a lot of books – but it’s starting to show! We have books everywhere. In the bedroom, on the floor, in the lounge room. I have a stash in my drawers, and one in the nappy bag. I’ve found books in the car and even one next to the toilet… after that I realised I needed to create an area for Ellis to not only store his books, but also a nice little spot for him to enjoy them.
Just one problem… we’re selling our house in the next few months and don’t want to put any shelving up! So I decided to create a really simple book nook for Ellis without using any shelving. Bonus – he can access all his books independently!
Step 1 : Finding a spot for the book nook
We have a pretty small house, so unfortunately aren’t lucky enough to have a separate playroom or play area, SO the book nook will definitely be in Ellis’ bedroom. We started by removing some toys that he has grown out of, and then rearranged a few pieces of furniture. Now we have an empty corner to work with!
Step 2: Creating a foundation for the book nook
After quite a lot of Pinterest-ing, I initially decided to get some kind of hanging canopy to jazz up the empty corner. I’m always on the hunt for a bargain, and while I didn’t see any canopies, I ended up finding this white play tent second-hand on Facebook Marketplace for only $30 – #winning! I like the way this play tent fills the space, but I think down the track once we move to our new house, I’d still like to swap the play tent for a canopy hanging from the ceiling as I just love how magical those look.
Step 3: Book storage
My ideal vision for a book nook would include lots of low, accessible shelving, so it was important that Ellis still be able to independently access and explore his books even without having any bookshelves. I also wanted the books to look neat and tidy, and easy to put away. I decided that baskets were the way to go! I used two main baskets for books – a plant holder basket from Kmart, and a wooden crate from IKEA. I then also decided to add an extra small basket from Ikea to store buggy books and other soft books.
Step 4: Putting it all together
Time to enjoy! We revealed the book nook to Ellis and he was so excited. We popped him down and he immediately grabbed a book out of the basket, crawled into his tent and started reading! Where did my baby go!?
Cue the waterworks from me when I walked in later to see Ellis and my husband sharing a beautiful story time moment. Our next step is to add some battery-operated fairy lights to the inside of the play tent for a little extra bedtime story magic.
Other options
So what if you don’t have space for a play tent, or are looking for a more portable solution? Try a rolling book nook! This trolley is from IKEA (I’ve seen similar at Kmart and Officeworks), and it’s perfect for a portable, accessible book nook! You can even add some toys or craft materials to create a portable entertainment station.
I hope I’ve inspired you to create your very own book nook! I’d love to see what you create – head over to my Instagram account @bookieboobox to share! Check our www.bookieboo.com.au if you’re on the hunt for some great books.
xx Karly