Living in an RV presents unique challenges, especially when it comes to organizing your book collection. In such a compact space, maintaining order is not just a want but a necessity. How do you keep your favorite reads accessible and neatly stored? This post will guide you through practical, space-saving tips to ensure your RV remains comfortable while keeping your books ready to read. Get ready — let’s change up your space! Caveat: I am a person who loves both digital ebooks AND actual paper books. This post is all about keeping your paper books organized in your RV.
Assessing Your Book Collection
Before you start organizing, it’s crucial to evaluate what you currently have. This first step will set the tone for a more organized and functional RV space. Here are some actionable ways to start assessing your book collection.
Categorize Your Books
Begin by categorizing your books. This might seem like a time-consuming task, but it makes the entire process more streamlined. Here are some ways to sort your collection:
- By Genre: Separate your fiction from non-fiction, mystery from romance, and so on. This not only helps in finding books quickly but also in planning your storage.
- By Size: Consider the size of your books. Grouping them by dimensions can make it easier to fit them into designated shelves or storage spaces.
- By Frequency of Use: Keep your most-read books easily accessible. Those you reach for less often can be stored in less convenient spots.
- By Newness: Perhaps you are prioritizing your most recent OR your oldest acquisitions. You might group in order of when you purchased them so that you meet your reading goals.
Think of this process like arranging a wardrobe. Just as you wouldn’t toss socks in with formal wear, organizing books by category ensures you can always find what you’re looking for.
Declutter and Donate
Once your books are categorized, it’s time to declutter. Holding onto every single book is tempting, but space in an RV is limited. Consider if you have the luxury of storing books off-site in long-term storage. If so, you can have a rotation system with your books, which we will talk about further down in this article. Here are some tips to help you pare down your collection:
- Go Through Each Category: Evaluate the importance of each book within its category. Ask yourself if it’s something you’ll read again or if it holds significant sentimental value.
- Create a “Maybe” Pile: If you’re unsure about certain books, place them in a separate pile. If you don’t miss them after a set period, it might be time to let them go.
- Donate or Sell: Consider giving your books a second life. Charitable thrift stores are a great place to donate books. Libraries, schools, churches and community centers often welcome donations. Maybe your neighborhood has a tiny library that can use some more books. Websites and apps like eBay and Facebook Marketplace make it easy to sell those you no longer need.
Decluttering isn’t just about getting rid of things; it’s about making room for what matters. In the end, your book collection will be more useful to you and contain what’s important to you. Now, let’s figure out some ways to maximize the limited space you have in your RV.
Choosing the Right Storage Solutions
Once you’ve assessed your book collection and decluttered, it’s time to focus on how to store those books in the most efficient way possible. Space is a precious commodity in an RV, so choosing the right storage solutions can make a world of difference.
Built-In Shelving and Custom Solutions
Built-in shelving offers the dual benefit of maximizing space and providing a permanent home for your books. Custom solutions designed specifically for RVs can make use of those often-overlooked nooks and crannies. This option is highly dependent on if you are willing to make permanent changes to your rig.
- Space Efficiency: Built-in shelves make use of vertical and horizontal space that might otherwise go unused.
- Stability: When you’re on the road, the last thing you want is your books flying everywhere. Built-in shelves offer a more secure way to store your books.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Custom shelving can be designed to match your interior decor, making your RV feel more like home.
Installation Tips:
- Measure: Before starting, take accurate measurements of the space where you plan to install the shelving. Don’t forget to consider, if you have slide outs, where they will be when brought in and will it interfere with the placement of your built-in shelves.
- Use Lightweight Materials: Opt for materials like plywood to avoid adding unnecessary weight to your RV.
- Secure Properly: Make sure your shelves are securely fastened to withstand movement during travel. Use brackets, screws, and anchors where necessary. Also, how will the books stay in place in the shelves? Two options: add small eye screws where you can attach bungees or a small bar across the books made from a dowel.
Using Vertical Space
In an RV, using vertical space can be your secret weapon for storage. Think beyond traditional shelves and consider creative, vertical storage solutions.
Ideas for Vertical Space Usage:
- Hanging Shelves: These can be installed on walls or the sides of cabinets. They’re great for placing lighter books and keeping them within arm’s reach.
- Wall-Mounted: Fabric wall pockets can hold books safely. Consider adding a floating shelf above your slide out for smaller paperback books.
- Overhead Compartments: Often found above beds or couches, these spaces can be useful for storage for your books. Caution: overhead cabinets might not be able to hold a lot of weight. You may want to only store a few paperback books in those cabinets if they are made from luan.
Installation Tips:
- Weight Considerations: Make sure the wall or surface can support the weight of the books and the shelf itself.
- Use Appropriate Fasteners: Anchors and screws should be chosen based on the wall material to ensure they hold up well over time.
- Accessibility: Place shelves at a height that’s easy to reach.
Portable Bookcases and Bins
For those who crave flexibility, portable bookcases and bins are excellent solutions. They allow you to adjust your storage as needed and works well if you want to avoid any changes to your RV.
- Flexibility: Portable bookcases can be easily moved around your RV, allowing you to change your setup whenever you please.
- Ease of Access: Bins and movable storage can be placed in accessible areas, making it easier to grab a book without rearranging everything.
Top Portable Options:
- Collapsible Bins: These are perfect for seasonal or less frequently read books. When empty, they can be folded and stored away. They can be fabric or silicon or something like a foldable crate.
- Plastic Bins: These are super easy to move around and can also go into your under-RV storage bays. They keep the books clean and dust-free.
- Modular Storage Cubes: These come in many sizes and you can get what fits your space perfectly. The best part about storage cubes is that you can store books and also other items in fabric bins. I use mine to store my books, miscellaneous office supplies, fabric, and yarn!
Organizing Books for Easy Access
Keeping books accessible in an RV, while optimizing space, can elevate your mobile lifestyle. Not only will you have your favorite reads at your fingertips, but you will also create a seamless and organized environment.
Labeling and Cataloging
Labeling storage areas and creating a catalog of your books can transform your RV into a well-organized library on wheels. Here’s why this step is crucial:
- Quick Access: Labels let you find books without rummaging through piles. Imagine needing a cookbook while in the middle of preparing dinner. Clearly labeled storage saves you precious time and effort. This is key if you are using bins.
- Inventory Control: A catalog helps you track what you have. This is especially useful if you’re a frequent reader or tend to lend out books or if you have a storage unit with your other books and you want to rotate what you keep in the RV. Keep a simple list on your phone or in a small notebook. Or use Goodreads! Free and easy to use, just create your own shelf. There are also more powerful apps and sites that can organize your library catalog.
- Maintain Order: Regularly organize and tidy your shelves.
Cataloging Tips:
- Alphabetical Order: Sort your list alphabetically by title or author. This makes it easy to spot a specific book.
- Genre Tags: Use tags or color codes for different genres. For instance, use blue for fiction, red for cookbooks, and green for travel.
- Digital Catalogs: Consider using apps like Goodreads to catalog your collection. These apps can help you manage your inventory digitally, and they often come with added features like reading lists and book recommendations.
Rotation System for Frequent Readers
A rotation system allows you to keep a small selection of books readily available, swapping out titles as needed. Think of it as your personal “library lending system” but within the cozy confines of your RV.
- Small Selection at Hand: Keep a handful of your current reads or favorites in a designated easy-to-reach area. This could be a small shelf near your bed or a basket by the couch.
- Rotate Regularly: Every few weeks, swap out the books in your current rotation with new ones from your main storage, if you keep a storage unit. Or grab new books from the library. Or sell books back to a used bookstore and use the credit to buy new-to-you books! This keeps your reading material fresh and exciting, much like rotating clothes in a wardrobe to match the seasons.
- Reduce Clutter: By limiting the number of books in the immediate area, you avoid the clutter of having too many out at once.
Establishing a Rotation:
- Weekly or Monthly Swaps: Decide how often you’d like to rotate your books. A weekly or monthly system works well.
- Themed Rotations: Plan your rotations around themes or genres you’re interested in. One month could be all about mystery novels, the next focused on self-help books.
- Rotation Reminder: Set a reminder on your phone or calendar to ensure you stick to your rotation schedule.
By embracing labeling, cataloging, and a rotation system, you can keep your book collection both accessible and organized.
