6 Creative Ways To Organize Your Cookbooks In Your Kitchen

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People who love to cook have a way of accumulating a lot of cookbooks, whether they're handed down by the family, gathered one by one over time, or scooped up at an estate sale. A curated collection can be a constant source of inspiration for meal ideas and favorite recipes that can be made again and again. They also happen to be excellent kitchen decor. The more books you own, however, the harder it is to organize them so that they're at arm's length when you need them without getting in the way when it's time to prep dinner.

Here at Chowhound, we know the struggle of stashing a stack of cookbooks, so we found six creative ways to organize them all in one place. Whether you collect indispensable retro titles or prefer to invest in high-end books from the world's fanciest restaurants, there's a shelf, crate, or cart in this list that'll be perfect for corralling your collection.

If your kitchen is lacking in the shelving department, one eye-catching way to keep all your cookbooks in one place is by collecting them in wooden crates. There are many different sizes and colors to choose from, and you can even paint them to match your kitchen decor. ROSOS Wooden Crates are large enough to fit a decent-sized stack of books. They also come with rope handles, which adds to the rustic effect while making it easy to move the pieces around when you want to rearrange the kitchen or you need the space.

Crates are not particularly expensive to buy new, but if you're on a budget, you can also often find old wooden crates at flea markets and yard sales. Just make sure they look strong enough to hold a few heavy cookbooks. Wine is also often shipped in wooden crates, so ask your local bottle shop to hold a few for you. They'll often do it for free, but it's also a great excuse to order a case of wine.

Another option for cookbook storage is a small kitchen cart on wheels, which works like a mobile shelf and looks cute to boot. It's a good option if you have enough room to tuck it into a corner, next to the fridge or stove, or under an overhanging countertop.  The YASONIC 3 Tier Rolling Cart comes in a couple of different colors that will work in most kitchens.

If you have a small kitchen like in a studio apartment, a cart with multiple tiers will give you some space to grow your cookbook collection if you want. You can also use one of the tiers for other items like glassware, plants, or other books. As a bonus, since it's got wheels, you can move it around at will. If there's no floor space, however, a cart can become just one more thing to trip over, so you might want to consider some type of shelving.

If you're not into the whole cottagecore look of wooden crates, wire baskets are another option that look a little more modern industrial. These Spectrum Utility Wire Baskets are large enough to hold several books, and with a few LOUZAGO Wire Shelf Loop Clips. They can also easily hang on the wall as floating shelves. A wire basket can also live on a shelf or slide into a cabinet, and they're easy to stack. 

The only downside is that larger sizes that can fit multiple books can be a little pricey. The Spectrum Utility Wire Baskets we mentioned run anywhere from $16 to $24, depending on the color (for an extra $10 to $20, you can get a whole rolling cart). However, these products often turn up at secondhand stores and yard sales, too, so keep an eye out if you're an avid thrifter and you can probably get one for cheap.

If floor and counter space are at a premium but you want to be able to show off your cookbook collection, consider installing a few book racks or ledge shelves. Both are narrow designs that will hold your works flat against the wall so that the covers face out. Book racks are often marketed for children's nurseries to hold a big collection of bedtime stories, like the one in the photo above, but they work just as well in the kitchen and come in many neutral colors. 

The G&W Gruwald Nursery Book Shelves come as a set of three, which can hold a moderate-sized collection of cookbooks. Meanwhile, narrow-ledge shelves like these AZSKY Rustic Wood Floating Shelves are great for showing off smaller collections. Both of these models are excellent for displaying books and have shallow profiles, so they won't stick out if you mount them in high-traffic areas like the kitchen. The drawback, however, is that they just don't hold a lot of books, so if your collection is large, you'll need a different solution.

If space is no object and you have a large collection of cookbooks to prove it, spring for a baker's rack for some stationary shelving. Commercial kitchens tend to have lots of basic wire baker's racks like this Amazon Basics 5-Shelf Adjustable Heavy Duty Steel Wire Rack. But if you want something with more of a homey vibe, a unit like the SUPERJARE Kitchen Bakers Rack is a stylish option. This model also has an outlet on the top, which is perfect for a microwave or stand mixer, and the books can live on the bottom shelves.

If you like the look of wire shelving but you don't have space for a large, free-standing model, go for a smaller version. The MZG 220 lbs 2 Tier Storage Rack is a great choice, with an average rating of 4.4 stars on Amazon. You can easily tuck it under a hanging countertop or into an unused corner or gap in the cooking area.

Of course, nothing beats traditional bookshelves when it comes to storing cookbooks, so look for unused places to install a shelf or two in your kitchen. The area over the sink usually has a gap (often for a window) that can accommodate a shelf across the two cabinets on either side. Many kitchens, especially in old houses, also have odd-shaped corners and openings that are perfect for narrow shelves.

Corners are also a great place to sneak in some shelving. The VASAGLE Corner Shelf Wall Mount, 5-Tier Floating Corner Bookshelf can artfully hold at least as many books as Ina Garten has written without eating up any floor space. Plus, you won't have to worry about the shelves sticking out into your workspace since they're tucked into the corner. Just make sure you have permission to install shelving from your landlord if you don't own your home so you don't get hit with any damage fees when it's time to move out.

If you love the creative energy that you get from reading cookbooks, channel that ingenuity into finding the perfect storage for your collection. Whether it's racks, crates, shelves, or a cart, the best solution is the one where you can quickly find exactly which book you need whenever the mood strikes.