Looking for realistic sheet music storage ideas? Wondering how to organize your piles of sheet music that have gone out of control?
If you’re a musician, you probably know how frustrating it can be to have your sheet music collection scattered all over the place because you just don’t have any storage space. Even if you own only a few solo pieces, without a proper storage solution, storing and organizing your sheet music can quickly become a struggle.
Luckily, there are many different ways to store sheet music, and today we’re sharing our 10 different sheet music storage ideas to inspire you. Depending on your budget and needs, we hope you can find a solution that works best for you.
If you have a large collection, you may also want to consider mixing different storage solutions.
So, if you’re ready to take control of your growing collection of music books and achieve the organization you deserve, let’s dive in!
Best Music Book Storage Ideas
File Cabinets
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If you have a large collection of sheet music, a basic file cabinet might be the best option for you. Filing cabinets provide an incredibly practical and space-efficient way to store sheet music.
Because they feature multiple drawers, you also end up with an efficient organization. You can first group the drawers based on genre or composer. With hanging file folders inside each drawer, you can further sort and organize the books based on level or titles.
One reason filing cabinets are an ideal way to store sheet music is that they prevent the sheet music from tilting. It’s usually the case when music books are stored on a shelf without adequate support.
If you’re considering storing your sheet music in cabinets or on shelves, we suggest checking out our list of the best sheet music storage cabinets and shelves.
Binders
One of the easiest ways to store sheet music is to use binders. This method especially works for solo pieces that don’t belong to any category in your collection.
A classic 3-ring binder would perfectly work, but you can also purchase a binder specifically designed for sheet music like this one.
When you’re storing sheet music inside binders, it’s important to use sheet protectors to prevent damage to your music.
If you get binder dividers, you can also organize sheet music by genre or composer. This will make browsing through music so much easier and faster, and keep your music organized inside the binder.
Record Player Stands
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If you are looking for more aesthetic-looking sheet music storage solutions, vinyl record player stands might be a great option.
These stands not only provide ample storage space for your sheet music but also add a stylish look to your room. They come in different sizes and styles, so you can easily choose one that is both functional and will match your decor.
What’s great about them is that record player stands mostly feature multiple shelves that also make organizing music easy and practical.
While the shelves can be used to store sheet music books and folders, the rest of the open space can be decorated with plants, picture frames, or other music equipment to make it look cuter.
A Classic Sheet Music Cabinet
If you enjoy the traditional or vintage decor, a classic sheet music cabinet might be just what you’re looking for. Back in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, sheet music cabinets were found in most homes. These cabinets typically have multiple drawers or compartments.
They don’t have the same popularity today, and there aren’t many brands making them anymore. However, with specialized compartments and drawers, they offer vast storage space and an excellent organization system that is hard to find in modern furniture.
They also look charming and can add an elegant touch to your space.
If you aren’t going to with a second-hand antique sheet music cabinet typically found on eBay, we love this one by The Music Stand. It comes in different beautiful finishes and features sideless drawers to make the retrieval of sheet music effortless.
Another significant advantage is that it comes fully assembled.
Magazine Holders
For a more budget-friendly and convenient solution, you can just buy a bunch of magazine file holders. Magazine holders are not only great for storage but also organization. You can label them by genre, composer, or era, and they can be easily stored on a shelf or in a closet.
Make sure that you have enough material to fill one holder. Otherwise, you might start to fill the empty space with music from different categories and end up with a more confusing storage system.
Floating Shelves
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Shelving provides a practical and budget-friendly sheet music storage solution. You can easily install several shelves on any wall to create a dedicated sheet music storage space.
A benefit of using shelves is that it allows you to easily see and access your collection. When you store them in cabinets and drawers, you have to open and dig through them to find what you’re looking for.
However, you might also like to keep it clean and have your music books out of sight. In this case, close storage solutions like cabinets, drawers, or boxes might be better options for you.
While storing music on shelves, try adding some bookends to keep everything upright and prevent any slouching. You can also buy moveable shelf labels like these and magazine holders to organize the open shelf space and make the use of space more efficient.
Bookcase
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Using a bookcase is a practical and common way to store and organize sheet music. Similar to shelving, holding your music collection on a bookcase makes everything visible and provides easy access.
A nice and stylish way to use a bookcase is to make it surround the piano. Beyond providing plenty of storage, this idea turns your piano area into a stunning focal point while creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
Bookcases also provide a lot of flexibility in storage. A lot of bookcases come with adjustable and removable shelves, so you can easily group and store your piano books in different sizes.
Plus, most of the time, depending on your space and needs, you can use a bookshelf either vertically or horizontally.
Rolling Carts
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A rolling cart may be a great storage option for musicians who need to move their music collection between performances, rehearsals, or different rooms.
Using a rolling cart with multiple shelves will also help with organization. The shelves of the cart may provide a first layer of grouping, and you can organize music on each shelf with magazine holders or file folders.
Don’t forget to label each shelf for easy access!
Piano Bench Storage
If your piano bench has a storage compartment beneath, it can be an excellent space to store your sheet music. You can keep your most frequently used sheet music on the bench and easily access it while practicing.
Digital Storage
If your physical music books have grown out of control, it may be time to move some of them to digital storage space. Digital storage also comes in handy if you’re frequently traveling and have to take all your collection with you all the time.
In recent years, I’ve been mostly storing my sheet music digitally, and it’s really been a game-changer. I store all my digital sheet music on an Ipad Air and have a sheet music subscription to Virtual Sheet Music that allows me to buy sheet music either for free or at an insanely low cost.
If you are interested in sheet music subscription services, you can read about my favorite ones in this post.
We hope you like these sheet music storage ideas.
How do you store your sheet music? Do you have any other ideas to add to this list? Please share them in the comments below!
