How I'm Making It Work - My Home Library on A Budget
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A lot of people assume because my current home library is in my parents' home (which I am currently residing in) my parents spend their money on my library and I get to sit there and look pretty just like my shelves.
Haha, surprise! I have and currently am paying for everything that goes into my library; besides the books people gift me of course. But all the furniture, shelves etc. are all coming out of my pocket!
Honestly, my library doesn't cost a fortune which is quite nice for me. And perhaps most of you who are curious and eager to own and build your own home library can save a little as well!
Today I'll be sharing how I build and continue to grow my home library on a budget!
I don't have a strict budgeting limit on my library, although I kind of wish I had planned one in the past. Evidently, if you can find great additions to your home library with cheap prices then that will do.
Since my library isn't fully done yet; or at least not in the way that I want it to be, I'll explain what I have so far.
For starters, a lot of the basic furniture that is in library are things that have been in my home for a while but needed a permanent place to be.
My white duo-side shelf which carries my board games, record player & records, funko boxes, and bookstagram props used to be in my old bedroom. I believe I got it from a family friend but it has been with my family for at least 8 years now. It used to be red, but my dad and I painted it white a couple years back when my room theme was white furniture.
My mom was super creative and put it in a spot where I can also use it as a side table and desk.
My brown small shelf that I use as another side table has also been at my home for years and never had a permanent spot until now. This small duo-shelf holds a handful of duplicate paperback books, and my oil diffuser. This shelf wasn't intentionally supposed to be in my library, but my mom suggested it'd be nice to have more shelf space so it stuck.
The rug itself has also been in my library for a long while. Before my laundry room was also my library, it was actually a family music room. The rug has been in that same spot for a little while - possibly since we moved in and has never moved anywhere else in the house. I do plan to get rid of it eventually and replace it with something else in the future; but for now, it has it's little home.
I also have a small curtain on the size of my Billy Bookcases that divides my Home Library and my laundry room which also isn't the cutest and doesn't match but it does get the job done. Just like the rug, it will someday be replaced, but until then, has a place where it is.
I believe those few things are the only furniture in my library that I didn't spend any money on since they've been in my house for a while.
One of my favourite places to shop is the thrift store. I like a good bargain when I can get it, which is why most of my books are used.
My library chair was from a thrift store, I believe I paid $20 for it and $20 for a couch cover since the seat is originally green. Now this option might be a little cringy for some people. Honestly, for myself, I was a little worried about secondhand furniture when it comes from someone I don't know -- I am a major germaphobe, mainly due to OCD. But my dad persuaded me and deep cleaned the crap out of that couch and eventually I became okay with it. It is indeed my all-time favourite chair, it's so comfy and so inexpensive.
I would highly suggest looking for bookcases at thrift stores as well. My dad and I tried as well but I am very particular with my shelves as I want them all to match -- again, OCD, but if I saw white Billy Bookcases or white Gersby Bookcases then I would absolutely purchase them at the thrift store.
My favourite thing to talk about is my bookcases. Now like I said earlier, majority of my books are used. If you want to know my suggestions on inexpensive books, I have a blog post about it which is linked here.
As for bookcases, they can be really freaking expensive from what I've found. When looking for bookcases, I noticed a lot of shelves run for hundreds of dollars which really isn't my cup of tea.
Fortunately, the amount of a bookcase from, let's say Walmart or Home Depot cost the exact same as all my white shelves together.
My huge Billy Bookcases are from IKEA, one of the places I swear by because their furniture is not only good quality but amazing prices as well.
I still have so much work to do to get my Home Library the way I want it to be, but so far, I am in love with it and I'm so thankful my parents let me use a room in their house to fill with books!
Since my library isn't fully done yet; or at least not in the way that I want it to be, I'll explain what I have so far.
For starters, a lot of the basic furniture that is in library are things that have been in my home for a while but needed a permanent place to be.
My white duo-side shelf which carries my board games, record player & records, funko boxes, and bookstagram props used to be in my old bedroom. I believe I got it from a family friend but it has been with my family for at least 8 years now. It used to be red, but my dad and I painted it white a couple years back when my room theme was white furniture.
My mom was super creative and put it in a spot where I can also use it as a side table and desk.
My brown small shelf that I use as another side table has also been at my home for years and never had a permanent spot until now. This small duo-shelf holds a handful of duplicate paperback books, and my oil diffuser. This shelf wasn't intentionally supposed to be in my library, but my mom suggested it'd be nice to have more shelf space so it stuck.
The rug itself has also been in my library for a long while. Before my laundry room was also my library, it was actually a family music room. The rug has been in that same spot for a little while - possibly since we moved in and has never moved anywhere else in the house. I do plan to get rid of it eventually and replace it with something else in the future; but for now, it has it's little home.
I also have a small curtain on the size of my Billy Bookcases that divides my Home Library and my laundry room which also isn't the cutest and doesn't match but it does get the job done. Just like the rug, it will someday be replaced, but until then, has a place where it is.
I believe those few things are the only furniture in my library that I didn't spend any money on since they've been in my house for a while.
One of my favourite places to shop is the thrift store. I like a good bargain when I can get it, which is why most of my books are used.
My library chair was from a thrift store, I believe I paid $20 for it and $20 for a couch cover since the seat is originally green. Now this option might be a little cringy for some people. Honestly, for myself, I was a little worried about secondhand furniture when it comes from someone I don't know -- I am a major germaphobe, mainly due to OCD. But my dad persuaded me and deep cleaned the crap out of that couch and eventually I became okay with it. It is indeed my all-time favourite chair, it's so comfy and so inexpensive.
I would highly suggest looking for bookcases at thrift stores as well. My dad and I tried as well but I am very particular with my shelves as I want them all to match -- again, OCD, but if I saw white Billy Bookcases or white Gersby Bookcases then I would absolutely purchase them at the thrift store.
My favourite thing to talk about is my bookcases. Now like I said earlier, majority of my books are used. If you want to know my suggestions on inexpensive books, I have a blog post about it which is linked here.
As for bookcases, they can be really freaking expensive from what I've found. When looking for bookcases, I noticed a lot of shelves run for hundreds of dollars which really isn't my cup of tea.
Fortunately, the amount of a bookcase from, let's say Walmart or Home Depot cost the exact same as all my white shelves together.
My huge Billy Bookcases are from IKEA, one of the places I swear by because their furniture is not only good quality but amazing prices as well.
I believe I paid around $100 for the two of them together and they are an amazing size.
If you're wondering why these shelves look a little different from the first photo, it's because I re-organized it recently.
These bookcases are the first thing you look at and because books and my interests in certain literature is almost like getting to know me without words, I wanted my favourites to really stick out.
That is why all the books, especially my Stephen King collection are really in your face. I thought this was very important and meaningful to me.
The shelf that is hidden by a little corner in my library is my Gersby shelf. Also from IKEA, I believe I paid $30 for this shelf and it's only a little bit smaller than a main Billy Bookcase put fit perfect in the corner that I wanted to add it in because the roof on that size of my library is a little lowered due to pipes above.
This shelf mainly holds books I don't mind people not seeing first because this shelf doesn't face the door.
I know, a lot of people are going to gasp when they see Harry Potter but I never grew up on HP like most did. I started getting into the world a couple years back but because I haven't had a very strong connection to it unlike most people in this community, I don't mind it being on this shelf.
This also has paperbacks that I've either never read yet or aren't a huge fan of.
I am incredibly thankful and appreciative.
I want to know what your Home Library is like! Or, if you don't own one yet, what is your dream Home Library? Let me know in the comments or on my Instagram!
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