Bringing the Library Home

Our oldest son, Brenton (almost 4), has always loved reading. But lately it has been a struggle to get him to want to read, or at least to pick out a book. When we go to the library he excitedly picks out books to bring home and he loves reading them but books we already have? Pass.

After lots of thinking and some testing I finally figured it out, presentation is everything. Sure, he knows we have lots of books and they are right where he can see and reach but he isn’t really SEEING the books if you catch my drift.

At book stores and the library lots of books are turned to display the cover to entice you into grabbing it. For kids especially this tactic works like a charm. Unless I bring something to Brenton’s attention the books on display are the only ones he will grab.

So I did a test. Currently we use a cube organizer as our bookshelf. I cleared out a few cubes and put a few of his books on display. Suddenly he was grabbing them and asking us to read them with him or just hopping on the couch and “reading” to himself. Success! It was working! But the cubes really don’t have a lot of room when books are turned this way. How could I get more books on display without taking up valuable floor space?

Thanks to Pinterest I landed on picture ledges which conveniently we already had in our store. Now I can get more books on display and more importantly in Brenton’s hands being read. We have also started putting our books on rotation to keep them new and exciting, with the exception of a few favorites of course. Saves on space and keeps him interested. Win win.

What are some ways you keep your kids interested in reading? How do you display your books? Do you use ledges or shelves or a combo? Below is another style of book shelf we have. (FYI these are actually ours)

Upcycling in the Garden

Building a new fence? There will be lots of wood laying about – the old fence you took down, cut off’s from the new pieces, and even whole extra boards. So what to do with all that wood? Please don’t say firewood!

Don’t get me wrong, some pieces really are just destined for a big ol’ bonfire, but most pieces can be reused. Think planters, yard decor, furniture, and more. All it takes is a little creativity to turn something you may have discarded into a great conversation piece for your next outdoor get together.

You can upcycle more than just wood in your garden though. Have a planting bench? Use old glass jars to keep yourself organized. They can hold small tools, seeds, bulbs, or just scoop dirt. Keep hooks from other items no longer in use to hang bigger tools and your gloves from. Recess an old bucket into the top of your workstation for fast, easy clean up and less waste.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle” isn’t just for in the house anymore.