While many people are transitioning into a more digital world, a lot of individuals still prefer to use books, DVD players, and record players to enjoy their entertainment. The decision is truly up to you, but the physical space that many entertainment libraries consume can take a toll on your home’s organization, especially if you’re a serious collector. Rather than allowing your items to facilitate chaos, here are the best ways to organize your entertainment libraries.
How to Organize Your Book Library
Books take up a lot of room, especially if you don’t have the right storage solutions in your home. Whether you’re an avid reader, a first edition collector, or an academic professor, keeping your books organized and protected is the best way to ensure they stay in good condition. To give you some ideas on how to improve your home’s library, here are five ways to organize your book collection.
1. Go Through Your Collection
First, assess your entire collection. While you’ve likely been adding to your bookshelf for years, you probably haven’t gone through and really picked apart the contents for a while. See what you have and consider whether you actually want to keep everything that’s there. Put aside books that you no longer want for donation or resale. If you can’t part with anything in your library, that’s okay too.
2. Find the Right Space for Books
Next, consider how you’re currently storing your books. Are you using an old bookshelf tucked in the corner of a room or do you have your books proudly displayed for everyone to see? We recommend having the books somewhere where you need them the most. This may mean they’re scattered in different rooms, or you may decide to dedicate one location to all of the print you own—the choice is up to you.
3. Create Sections and Sub-Sections
Once you’ve gone through your library and determined where you’ll store your books, consider organizing them into sections and sub-sections. You can organize them by genre, author, title, or even color. Figure out what works best and don’t be afraid to try more than one method.
4. Mix Fashion and Function
If your bookshelf is in a public area, mix fashion with function. In addition to your book collection, add a few picture frames or decorations to turn your bookshelf into a multi-purpose display.
5. Put Some Away for Storage
When your bookshelves begin to overflow, consider putting some lesser read titles away into a self-storage unit. You can safely store books in climate-controlled units to keep them in pristine condition for as long as you need. Whether you need to store collectible books, outgrown children’s books, or a surplus of your favorites, The Lock Up Self Storage has you covered.
Organizing Your Entertainment Center
Electronics seem to be getting more digitalized every year, but many families still enjoy a more traditionally styled entertainment center. If you have a lot of gaming accessories, DVDs and Blu-Rays, and sound systems, take some time to organize your entertainment center for ongoing accessibility.
Consider Your Furniture
Do you have a bulky TV stand that takes up half of your living room or is your entertainment center integrated into your wall? Consider the type of furniture that you have now and decide whether it still serves you purpose. Renovating your basement or living room can be a great way to organize your entertainment center and increase your usable floorspace in the process.
Choose the Right Devices
There are hundreds of options for different types of electronics, but some of them have more than one built-in function. Go through your devices and determine whether you actually need them all. Store or sell duplicate items to remove unnecessary clutter.
Consolidate DVD and Blu-Ray Chaos
Next, consider your DVD or Blu-Ray collection. While some people still prefer to have the physical copies of movies in their home, streaming services make the excess clutter redundant. This is especially true for families who have more than one streaming platform. Between Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Peacock, Tubi, and more, you can find most movies somewhere online for free or to rent. Consider going through your DVD and Blu-Ray collection and consolidating what you have. You don’t have to get rid of them but transferring them to a self-storage unit will give you more space and a calmer living room.
Reduce Clutter
Finally, reduce the excess clutter that commonly surrounds an entertainment center. If you have things that
you don’t use, put them into storage, donate them, or sell them for some extra money. The less clutter you have displayed, the better you’ll feel when you sit down to relax with a movie or your favorite show.
Store Unused Electronics
As streaming services continue to dominate the market, many families are choosing to store their electronics safely until they’re needed. This is a great option for those living in smaller spaces or who are simply overwhelmed with all of the products available. By choosing a climate-controlled self-storage unit, you can put your unused electronics aside for now and access them whenever you want.
The Best Way to Organize Your Music Collection
Vinyl records, CDs, and cassette tapes all provide us with the opportunity to give our lives a soundtrack. If you’re
someone who prefers tangible music over streaming services, chances are you’ve accumulated quite the music collection over the years. To make sure that you know where your favorite artists are, consider organizing your unique collection in one of the following ways.
Genre Organization
One way to organize your music collection is by genre. This way, whenever you’re in a certain mood, you can easily find something that you’ll enjoy. You can further organize within the genre or keep things as is.
Alphabetize by Bands
Another popular option amongst music collectors is to alphabetize by bands. Again, you can use the band name, the lead singer, or even the record company for this type of organization. It depends on your preferences and how you prefer to search for your favorite song. Try out a couple options to see what you like best.
Correctly Store Vinyl
Regardless of how you organize your music, vinyl needs to be stored correctly to avoid damaging the record. Make sure they’re kept somewhere between 60 to 77° F and away from any direct sources of heat. Avoid storing your vinyl in direct sunlight and try to minimize exposure to humidity levels. Store vinyl records vertically and never stack them on top of each other. Finally, keep them an adequate distance away from speakers to avoid damage from the vibrations. For a more controlled vinyl storage environment, consider using climate-controlled self-storage units.
If your records, CDs, or cassettes are piling up all over your home, opt for a climate-controlled self-storage unit to keep things safe and easily accessible throughout the year. By choosing the right facility, you’ll be able to store your vinyl collection safely and efficiently, without having to worry about damages or theft.
Safely Storing Your Entertainment Libraries Off Site
After going through and utilizing the above organization strategies, you may find that you have some additional media with no place to go. As a collector, chances are you’ll want to keep these around, but if your home doesn’t have the storage for them, it can create clutter and disorganization from room to room. Instead of trying to decide what to keep and what to get rid of, supplement your entertainment storage with a climate-controlled self-storage unit at The Lock Up Self Storage. Moving your unused books, DVDs and Blu-Rays, and records to a self-storage unit will allow you to keep your collection in a secure, controlled environment.
The Lock Up Self Storage has several options for self-storage units ranging from small to large, so you can accommodate any size entertainment library. All of our units are climate-controlled to protect your books, movies, and records from temperature damage. The Lock Up keeps things secure with perimeter alarms, gated access, individual access codes, and CCTV. With available access to your unit any time, day or night, you won’t be locked out from accessing your favorite media. As your entertainment library grows, so can your self-storage unit. We have flexible leasing options that can be upgraded as time passes. To find a self-storage unit, contact one of the representatives at The Lock Up Self Storage by calling 1-866-327-LOCK or find a unit online today!
