The Clever Egg Carton Hack For Twice The Storage On Your Deep Shelves

Avid book readers have likely all run into the same issue at some point: Maxing out on bookshelf storage space in their homes. When this happens, your options are either to purchase additional shelving, which isn't always possible for various reasons like a lack of space or budget, or weed out your literary collection (which even the most casual of bibliophiles can't bear to think of). Well, bookworms can take a collective sigh of relief that none of their prized novels will have to prematurely hit the donation bin thanks to a genius free hack that will bring about a fresh new chapter in your book storage game with an unexpected hero: the humble egg carton.

Becky Lee (@beckyleereads) shared on TikTok how she repurposed empty egg cartons as shelf risers to create a second back tier of books on her bookshelf. By stacking the egg cartons against the back of the shelf, she was able to gain just under three inches of height for the back row, leaving the book spines elevated and visible behind a front row. This book storage idea, which would work equally as well for any smaller form of media with a visible label on the side, like DVDs or CDs, will double the room for your library without spending a dime or paring down your collection. As long as you have a shelf with enough depth for two rows of books, this no-cost egg carton hack is the easiest solution to transform your book storage in seconds.

This genius book riser hack couldn't be easier – just begin with a clean, empty egg carton. Depending on the measurements of your book type and shelf, you may want to consider using different-sized egg cartons. A standard 12 egg carton is about 12 inches long by four inches deep and 2.75 inches high, while an 18 egg carton gives you a bit more depth at about 6 inches for larger books and deeper shelves. Additionally, a 6 egg container is only about six inches wide, meaning you can use this smaller carton to fill in extra space as needed. Alternatively, you could repurpose other packaging types, such as shoeboxes or narrow shipping boxes, as risers if they worked for the dimensions of your shelf and book collection.

Once you've chosen the size of egg cartons that works best for your books and space, stack them along the back of an empty shelf, lining up several in a row if you plan to fill the space as desired. Stack books on the back row of egg carton risers across the entire span, creating a bookend by adding a row of larger books or a horizontal stack if you plan to only use this technique on part of the shelf. Next, fill in the front row of books, opting for shorter chapter books if possible, so the back row titles remain as visible as possible. And there you have it – a two-tiered bookshelf perfect for doubling the book storage space on a single shelf using only a recycled egg carton. Go tell your favorite bookworm... we all love an excuse to stock up on more reading material!