From Shelf to Shelf: Organising your Dorm Room Library

Moving into a dorm room at University brings a lot of excitement and new decor opportunities. One potential issue, however, is that of space. Even the most high-end halls tend to be fairly small, with only a couple of shelves for books. How does an avid reader go about managing this space efficiently? 

It is first important to let go of your dreams of curating a personal library

It is first important to let go of your dreams of curating a personal library. You can’t expect to bring 100 books to University, no matter how much you need each one! It’s so important to set realistic expectations when packing for University. 

Quality is so much more important than quantity. Maximise space by prioritising books that you really, genuinely want to read. I also like to bring a comfort book or two that I know really well. Pick the books that are highest on your to-be-read list and stick with those initially. Remember first term is only 10 weeks, so if there are any books that you’re desperately missing, you can definitely bring them after the Christmas holidays. 

Think about other, space-saving ways of reading. The Libby App lets you use your library card to access tons of e-books and audiobooks. This can be a great way to keep reading without having to store all of these books. The library at the University also offers a range of fiction for leisure reading which can be a brilliant source of books. Another idea is to purchase books from charity shops and donate them back once you’ve read them. This is a way to support local charities and save on space. 

Finally, get creative with storage. I like to keep a couple of books on my bedside table as well as filling up my bookshelves. You can also utilise any leftover under-bed storage space. That way, you can save your bookshelf space for your favourite books. 

That way, you can save your bookshelf space for your favourite books. 

There are so many ways to organise your book collection at University, so don’t be afraid to test different methods. But do keep in mind the limitations of your space!