The best kid’s book storage ideas

kid’s book storage ideas

by Arabella Horspool |
Updated on

Are you fed up with your front room being a storage space for all your children’s books, and are you in need of some new kid's book storage ideas? Here at Mother&Baby, we’ve come up with the best kid’s book storage ideas for your little one's room so you can put your DIY skills to the test, but we've also included some ready-made kid's bookshelves just in case you wanted to cheat.

When looking for children's book storage, it's a good idea to measure the space you plan on putting it, even if you're simply window shopping at the moment. You should also keep in mind the rough amount of books you're looking to store, as some cases may not be able to hold the number you need.

The best kid's book storage ideas at a glance:

Best kids' bookcase: Frozen Disney Kids Sling Bookcase - buy for on Amazon
Best toy and book storage: Liberty House Toys Wooden Bookcase Dolls House - buy for on Amazon
Best for low bookcases: Great Little Trading Co Crompton Low Bookcase - buy on Great Little Trading Co.
Best wooden bookcase: Dunelm White Kid's Bookcase - buy on Dunelm

We've compiled lists on everything from space-saving storage solutions for nurseries to what we're exploring now - the best children's book storage ideas; check them out below.

The best kid's book storage ideas 2024

Best kids' bookcase

Let their imaginations run wild while reading and once your little ones' are done, get them excited about tidying up with their very own Frozen Disney Bookcase. Turn it into a game by having them transform into their favourite Frozen characters like Elsa or Olaf, and collecting all the books before they're magically turned into ice.

One reviewer said: "It's not put together yet as it's a Christmas present but looks nice. The only downside for me was when I got it delivered it was in the box showing what it was, so I had to do a quick dash from my door to upstairs as my two girls where at home and it was a surprise."

Pros

  • Easy to assemble
  • High-grade material

Cons

  • Quite small
Size:13.8D x 15.6W x 15.6H cm

Best for young children

magic storage bookself
Price: £108.99
Alternative retailers
Target$108.99View offer
Walmart$114.52View offer
Wayfair$114.32View offer
Overstock$132.59View offer

If you don't have time to be creative enough to come up with your own kid's book storage idea, then you can just purchase this incredible garden-themed kids' bookshelf. Not only will it help you turn your child's bedroom into an enchanted garden, but it'll also store away toys, books and keepsakes. Don't worry, putting up this bookshelf is quick and easy; simply follow the step-by-step instructions.

A parent reviewer said: "This bookcase is simply lovely. It is sturdy, fairly easy to assemble (took me about 25/30 min with a little helper!) and has great shelf height. The colours and pictures are charming - they're perfect for a toddler or a young child (my little girl is two). She can see all of her books with ease of access and she loves making her selection off of the bookcase for story time or bedtime reading! I highly recommend it and wish I'd found it sooner!"

Pros

  • Large pull-out drawers as well as shelves
  • Can be wiped clean

Cons

  • Paint can scratch easily
Size:11.5D x 22W x 96.5H cm

Best book storage bins

Save 26%

Are you looking for a kid's book storage idea that is multifunctional? Not only can these toy boxes be used to put away whatever you like, but they can also be neatly folded and stored away themselves.

A reviewer wrote: "They look great and hold almost all the things I need them to. They were very easy to put together, and are really sturdy. I store baby clothes and nappy changing bits, in the smaller one. And the larger one stores almost all the toys for when my granddaughter comes to stay. Probably could fit the ball pool balls in it too, but I prefer to keep then separately. Very good value for money, and I highly recommend them. Delivery was superb."

Pros

  • Lightweight and easy to manoeuvre
  • Foldable so easy to store

Cons

  • Reviewers say it could be sturdier
Size:18.5 x 11.22 x 15.75 inches

Best toy and book storage

We don't know who is going to love this bookcase more, you or your child. This white doll's house bookcase is everything that your nursery is missing. The different compartments will fit all types of books and any stylish knickknacks in it, which will tie in with the décor of your little girl or boy's room perfectly.

A reviewer said: "I bought this for my 5 year old daughter. She had been asking for a doll house and it’s the perfect size to fit her barbies plus lots of house accessories that we bought her to go with it. I felt this type would be much better than a plastic one and I’m so glad me made that choice as it’s a nice quality and didn’t take long to build. You could really personalise it to the child’s taste and style and it’s a nice project to do together."

Pros

  • Multipurpose - great for toys or books
  • Long lasting wood

Cons

  • Flat-packed so assembly is required
Size:H1150 x W830 x D300 mm

Best book storage for small spaces

Bee Smart - kid’s book storageAmazon

If your children like to take all their books from one room to another and leave them in one BIG pile, then we've found a fun way to encourage them to tidy up with this adorable storage cart. They'll love piling in their picture books and pulling the cart's cord to take them on a journey to the garden.

A reviewer said: "I bought this for my granddaughter aged 21 months. She just loves it. It’s wooden, made well, easy to put together, colourful and although not that big, it’s enough to fit a couple of teddies, and other small toys. She spends ages pulling it around the house and patio by its string. I would thoroughly recommend this as it's good value for money; I can’t praise it enough."

Pros

  • Eco-friendly material
  • Available in different animal designs

Cons

  • May get too heavy to manoeuvre (depending on what you put in it)
Size:31 x 25 x 21 cm

Best children's bookends

Mousehouse Gifts - kid's book storage ideasAmazon
Price: £23.99

Have you built your own kid's bookshelf? If the answer is yes, then all you'll need to do is add some accessories to it to make sure that every book stays in place. This handcrafted and three-dimensional set would make a great addition to any playroom or nursery.

One reviewer said: "We bought these as as a present so I can't comment about sturdiness yet, but what we can say for sure is our grandson will absolutely love them! I Can't fault them as they came quickly and they are well made, nicely painted and came well packed (it didn't matter too us but I'm sure some people would like them to be gift boxed but then that would add to the cost). We would definitely buy from this company again - in fact may well buy coat pegs."

Pros

  • Handcrafted with care
  • Vast range of designs to choose from

Cons

  • Quite light
Size:20D x 9W x 20H cm

Best wooden book storage

Durable, washable and lightweight, there’s space for all the kid's books in this bookcase. It might not be the biggest DIY project, but at least it's easy to assemble. Your children should be able to start storing their books on the same day that you get this delivered.

One reviewer wrote: "This is great for toddlers. It holds between 12 an 20 picture books depending on the size of each book. It looks really lovely when filled with books and our 20 month old grandson was very excited when he first saw it. I would really recommend it."

Another reviewer said: "Brilliant book shelf no issue at all, it doesn’t come with any instructions but I manage to fix it by looking at the pics."

Pros

  • A great little bookshelf for your toddler
  • 4 shelf bookcase 

Cons

  • Quite deep so small books may get hidden
Size:29.5D x 63.5W x 70H cm

Best cute bookends

Sass and Belle - kid's book storage ideasAmazon
Price: £35.83
Alternative retailers
Walmart$32.74View offer

How adorable are these Bear Camp bookends? If you've put up some shelves to store all your kids' books, then a bookend comes in handy to make sure that they stay in place. Plus, they make a fantastic keepsake that they could hold onto for a long time.

A reviewer put: "A lovely set of book ends with a gorgeous mountain bear design that suits the nursery - such nice calming colours and a great finish. It's perfect if you want something a little bit different to more generic cars/jungle/sea theme for nursery bookshelf. They are very similar to other bookends in that the bottom is wooden so they will not hold big books or a large stack without slipping, but I think this is the case with most bookends for children, they are not designed for heavy weights. I was impressed with the fast delivery too!"

Pros

  • Affordable price
  • Fun 3D design

Cons

  • May require regular dusting
Size:14 X 30 X 9cm

Best for low bookcases

You can't go wrong with a classic-looking bookcase and this one from the Great Little Trading Co is low to the ground, meaning that your toddler or small child can easily access the books they want independently, without asking you for help.

A happy reviewer said: "First of all unpack it and be totally impressed by the care and thoroughness with which the components were packed. So rare these days to find a product with this sort of quality. Assembly was easy and the finished article looks great and suits the room and purpose perfectly. One of the fixing components snapped during assembly (probably my fault), one phone call, no quibbles and next day delivery. Job done. Really pleased with a well designed and carefully manufactured product with real quality. It's certainly worth the money."

Pros

  • Sturdy pine feet
  • Two wide and tall shelves

Cons

  • Likely to outgrow it overtime
Size:H76.5 x W80 x D29.5cm

Best wooden bookcase

This kid's white bookcase from Dunelm is crafted from pine - and acts as a useful storage space to store your children's books and accessories. 81cm high, this bookcase features rounded edges for safety and comes with a one year guarantee.

One reviewer said: "I got this for my almost 3 year old daughters room as her shelves and playroom were being taken over by books. It is the perfect size and holds a great amount of books. We’ve fit approximately 50 books in of all shapes and sizes. Now my daughter can browse her books at her leisure and easily choose which book she wants for bedtime. It was easy to build and is very sturdy. A great price for a great item."

Pros

  • Rounded edges for safety
  • Includes responsibly sourced timber

Cons

  • May have to layer books on top of each other
Size:H81 x W58 x D18 cm

Best Argos book storage

If you're lacking in floor space in their bedroom or playroom, why not invest in this Habitat Scadinavia wall-mounted bookcase? It has four MDF shelves and a slick white painted finish; just imagine how lovely the book display will look!

A reviewer said: "A great addition to my little boys room. I built it in about 5 minutes and it can hold a lot of books. My only comment is that the gaps between the middle shelves are slightly smaller than the top and bottom shelf so they can only fit smaller books - and kids' books tend to be massive. But overall, I'm very happy and I would buy them again."

Pros

  • Available in white or grey
  • Neutral colour so compliments any décor

Cons

  • Some shelves are bigger than others
Size:H118 x W50 x D12 cm

Best book storage for easy access

This Maya bookcase/toy storage is the perfect storage solver for all your child's toys & books. With great level & simple access for your little one to find their favourite toys & books, making it easy for them to pack and tidy their toys, for when playtime or those fun playdates are over.

Pros

  • Clean cut finish and two-tone colourway
  • Perfect finishing touch to any nursery

Cons

  • Selling fast

Best Habitat storage unit

Keep your child’s room super organised with this pine Felix shelving unit. Capable of storing 9 little toy boxes in one creative design, and with great room for sensory to soft toys, this will help make everything feel organised.

Pros

  • Made from solid wood and MDF with a painted finish
  • Great for books

Cons

  • Three layer shelf
Size H83.9, W64.6, D46.3cmH83.9, W64.6, D46.3cm.

Best storage shelf for customisation

Looking for a contemporary storage unit? Then this is for you. With the perfect height, to help your little one has access to any toy or book they want, this shelving unit can be customised with the addition of Canvas Cubes or Rope Baskets.

Pros

  • Made from the best quality MDF
  • Durable painted finish 

Cons

  • Only has 4 compartments

Best book storage with wheels

A super helpful bookshelf designed with 360° rotating wheels, to make movement easy (for those deep cleaning days!). All wheels come with a brake, and lock to place the shelf safely anywhere. With 2 side shelves, the storage can be shifted by two times its size.

One review said: "Lovely mobile book shelf. Ideal to keep books tidy and no risk of heavy shelves falling on young enthusiastic readers."

Pros

  • Designed with 360° rotating wheels 
  • Great kids bookshelf for the bedroom, children's room or play room
Product dimensions<br>65.5D x 8W x 30H centimetres

Book storage ideas

Looking for some alternative or DIY book storage ideas? Here are our tips on how to create a kid's bookshelf with things that are just lying around the house.

1. Give an old toy box new life

Do you have an old toy box in the attic or a hand-me-down from a friend? Buy some new fabric and get crafty.

©Getty

2. Use a cardboard box

Set your little ones a challenge to decorate an unused cardboard box and then use it to put away their books.

©Getty

3. Washing basket

You've heard of a bookshelf and book box, but a book basket could be a cheap alternative to kid's book storage. All you'll need to do is make sure there's no dirty laundry in it.

©Getty

4. Use a shelf out of an old wardrobe

Instead of buying yourself a kid's bookshelf, use a wardrobe or a shelf out of it to help create a space to store all their picture books.

©Getty

5. Or any other wood you have

Similarly to the wardrobe, use any scrap wood to create a shelf. Remember to sand this down before using it and add a lick of paint or varnish to finish off the look.

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Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.

Our thriving mum community on our Facebook group #mumtribe consistently provides great insights into which products mums like best and why, helping us highlight the products that will meet your needs.

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Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby and Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who enjoys cooking and spending time with her many pets.

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