The first shelving solution

That's an emu egg, in case you wanted to ask. The Bunnikins 'booky' bank was one I was given when I was quite young, under five likely. Same goes for the fluffy thing on a swing which I always loved and never knew just what it was. It swings, that's all I needed.

Half of the pirate section. There's a boat, a rusted toy pistol, three large rocks (the least colourful being the most important, a small jar of gold flecks, a small treasure chest with my grandmother's (never got to meet her) tiny perfume bottle in it and my jewelry container which I made out of clay in a ceramics class (you can only see it in the final shot and the pretty bit is inside - a shell painted on the inside in glaze).

The books for those who are curious.

I made the paired bookends when I was a tike. I was thinking about it and I'd have to guess I was around 10.

That's my painting on the left and Mum's of me as a kid on the right.

The art of makeshift bookshelves

There are many styles of new bookshelves, personally made and of high quality. But this is usually beyond the woodworking skills of most book lovers. Sometimes the cost of standard shelves is even too much, let alone obtaining the tools and materials necessary to make personalised shelves. So here are some of the best and worst solutions that many of us have come up with, some classic and some novel.

One note on makeshift bookshelves: Be careful they won't collapse under the weight of the books or due to unstable stacking. If possible, make sure any bookshelves made from multiple boxes or the like are properly secured and backing is attached.

Personally, I've been known to have classic style shelves and am looking down the barrel of needing such a solution again.

Made from other books - in this case encyclopedias.

Classic style: made from bricks and planks.

Alternate classic: Made from cinder blocks and planks.

Student style: made from crates. There are two main choices of crates, most tending towards the more available blue milk crate than the wooden crate.

Milk crate style.

The large wooden crate style made from spare planks. This particular one is a fancy version, not being made from spare fence palings.

Fancy style: convert the wine shelves or such like to bookshelves.

The bare minimum: Stack books on boxes. There is an option to whitewash the boxes to add a touch more class.

Display cases can be repurposed as book cases.

Storage boxes can be stacked or used singularly.

Magazine racks can be used as bookshelves but mostly for thin books.

Trolleys of most sorts can be used as bookshelves. The advantage of this is that they can be shifted easily whenever needed.

Clothes drawers can be used, either traditionally or like this. 

Repurpose other racks like shoe racks etc.

Interesting and unique bookshelves

Book bookshelf

Pac man bookshelf 

Rocking chair bookshelf

Round bookshelf

Chair bookshelf

Squashed bookshelf

TV bookshelf