Creating A Family Book Inventory!

Books, books and more books! If you don't already know, our family loves reading and anything and everything to do with books!

 

This love, coupled with a love of op-shopping, meant that we had to begin keeping an inventory of the books we own to save doubling-up on 20c and 50c literature bargains!

I have found over the years that any system that I try to implement with a big family, needs to be fairly simple. Just enough information, easily accessible, easy to comprehend and easy to follow through with.

 

 

 

This system is no different. I have simply chosen a small notebook that can fit into my handbag. This makes it easy to have on hand, should we just happen to 'find ourselves' visiting an op-shop somewhere!

 

My eldest is a bookaholic like his mum, and so together we spent a couple of hours the other week setting up our bookshelf and inventory list. It was quite fun!

 

 

I thought I'd share with you the steps we took to create our book inventory so you can create one of your own for your family if you would like to.

 

 

Step #1.    Choose a suitable notebook

This can be any size, shape or colour that you would like. It can be lined or  blank.  You can even keep a computerised inventory if you would prefer. I like the simplicity and portability of a notebook.  

                  

Step #2.     Organise your books

You can organise them however you like. Alphabetically, in series, by Author, etc. We chose to organise by Author. We used one page per Author (leaving a couple of pages in between the next Author, for ones we knew we'd collect more of).

 

 

Step #3.      Make a note of the books you own

As said above, we use one page per Author and list all of the books we have from that Author below, whether the books are in a series or just individual pieces doesn't matter. As we purchase new books from our op-shopping adventures, we simply add it to the existing Author, or create a new Author page, and add it to the book shelf in the correct place.

 





It really is such a simple system for our family, and it is one that I'm sure we will be using for many years! I have even begun collecting some Enid Blyton novels for my nieces and I've added the ones I've bought so far to a page in the back of my inventory book, so that I can keep a track of ones I have for them! I'm collecting some books for my mum too, and have done the same thing!



I have a board on Pinterest called 'books, books and more books'. Check it out and follow along, I add to it fairly often!

 

 How does your family keep a record of books you own? Are any of the books in the photos above ones that your children love?