[Reading Goods] 10 Recommended Items for a Better Reading Environment

Reading starts with the environment

Reading in cafes or book lounges is a wonderful experience, isn't it?
But, of course, you can't go out every single day. Sometimes you want to enjoy reading on a rainy day or in the middle of the night. Building the right environment is crucial for making those reading times more fulfilling.

When reading a good book, you want to be in a good environment.
So, this time, I would like to introduce some environment-enhancing goods for reading that I have actually used and found effective!

1. [Relax with natural light] BALMUDA The Lantern

The first item is an LED lamp that sets the mood for your reading space.

When reading, lighting is very important, isn't it?
If it's too bright, your eyes get tired easily, and if it's too dark, it's hard to see... Plus, depending on the sunlight or the position of the lighting, the book might end up in a shadow...
Doesn't that happen when you read at home?

Especially in my case, I have many chairs and cushions placed around my home, and I change where I sit to read depending on my mood. Because of that, there were times when it was dark and hard to read the text depending on where I was sitting.

That is why I purchased the BALMUDA The Lantern.

BALMUDA is an appliance manufacturer that expanded its market share explosively after releasing The Toaster, a kitchen appliance, but for some reason, they also sell LED lamps. (Personally, I feel like they should have expanded along the kitchen appliance line, but...)

I had several criteria when choosing a lamp.
・Must be rechargeable and portable
・Must have adjustable brightness
・Must have a good design
・Must be a domestic brand ← Important

It turns out that the BALMUDA The Lantern perfectly matched these criteria.

The good thing about this product, besides its design, is that you can easily adjust the brightness and color temperature just by turning the knob.

When you turn it on, you can intuitively adjust the brightness and color temperature from low (dim/warm) to high (bright/white), so you can set it to match the brightness of the room or the atmosphere of the place you are using it.

Of course, it can be used not only as a reading light but also as a lamp for the bedroom, and I think it would be very useful for its original intended use, such as camping, so having one is definitely convenient!

It is also nice that you can choose from four colors: black, white, gray, and red.

2. [Recommended for travel] Glocusent Clip-on Light

Following BALMUDA, the next item is also a reading light.

Although it is also a light, this one is strictly for reading.

As you can see from the product image, its feature is that it can be attached directly to a book with a clip, so the placement or your posture does not matter at all.

When you try to illuminate a book while lying on the floor or in bed, you need light from below, but general desk lights can only illuminate from above, so I couldn't get a sufficient light source.
However, since I bought this, I have been able to read books anywhere.

Because the light itself is attached to the book, you can read with a constant brightness not only while lying on your back, but also while walking around the room or doing sit-ups.

Honestly, this is revolutionary. If you love reading, you absolutely must have one.

The length of the head is just a bonus, but it can be extended, and the direction can be adjusted flexibly to some extent.
You can choose from 5 levels of brightness and 3 types of color temperatures: warm white, daylight, and neutral white so you can set it according to your environment.

Also, the clip part also serves as a simple stand so it is appreciated that it can be placed and used depending on the location.

Furthermore, it is incredibly light, weighing only 46g. Even when I actually use it attached to a paperback book, I hardly feel the weight.

There are 4 colors: black, white, purple, and blue. It is inexpensive and doesn't take up space, so it's great to use them separately for home or travel! It seems that similar products are also available from multiple manufacturers, so it might be good to choose one that suits you.

3. [Super Versatile Marker] Ginza Yoshida Book Darts

One of the things I absolutely carry with me while reading. That is these Book Darts.

What are Book Darts? Many people might wonder, but
simply put, they are clip markers.

However, unlike ordinary clips, because they are made by bending ultra-thin metal, they don't add any bulk even if you attach multiple ones to a single book.
If you mark expressions or lines that caught your attention in the work with these Book Darts, it will be obvious when you look back at them later.

It can also be used as a tiny bookmark.
With regular bookmarks, they sometimes fall out in your bag while you're carrying them, making you lose your place, but using this as a bookmark solves that problem.

I keep eight of these attached to my book cover, and by placing Book Darts on chapters or section pages, I canvisualize how far I can read within the time I have available.

When you're reading on the train while waiting or during a work break, don't you ever find yourself worrying about the pages ahead, thinking,“I have about 10 minutes to read, but I wonder how many pages the next chapter is...”Every time that happens, you probably flip through the pages to
check the number of pages until the next chapter, and then decide whether to keep reading or stop based on how much time you have.I think.

In such cases, by attaching Book Darts to chapters or section pages in advance,you can check the volume of the remaining pages just by looking from the top, without having to flip through the book or go back to the table of contents.
I use this as a guide to judge how far I can read and where to stop.

They are sold in two types, bronze and stainless steel,but I chose bronze because it develops a nice patina. Of course, stainless steel is also recommended as it is durable and resistant to deterioration.
Also,for those who think, “I don't need 50 of them!”, there is a 15-piece set,andfor cat lovers, there is also a version from the BIBLIO PHILIC brand,so please try to find the one that suits you best!

4. [The Ultimate Sticky Note Solution] Kanmido Coco Fusen Mini

I would like to introduceKanmido's Coco Fusen,which could be called the darling (?) of the sticky note world in recent years.

Originally, I didn't use sticky notes when reading books, but I was enlightened after seeing this person's post.

Before I started using note, I didn't have a way to output my thoughts on the books I read, and I only kept vague impressions in my memory about whether they were interesting or not, butI was worried, thinking, “If I've gone to the trouble of reading it, I want to record something. But I'm not the type of person who is diligent enough to keep a reading journal...”
At that time, I saw this person's post and thought,“I think I could manage to record my feelings with sticky notes,”so I started recording with them.

Since Coco Fusen comes in exactly four colors, I decided to categorize them like this:
・Red: Felt bright/happy
・Blue: Felt dark/sad
・Yellow: Surprised (enlightened)
・Green: Learned something new (expanded my knowledge)

When you finish reading and look back at the sticky notes, if there are many red ones, it's a book that cheered you up; if there are many blue ones, it's a book that made you feel dark; if there are many in total, it's a moving book; if there are few, it didn't resonate with you, and so on.You can see at a glance what you felt while reading.

The reason I chose the Coco Fusen Mini among the several options is,it's just thin and short. That's all there is to it.
Because it's thin, it fits the width of the text perfectly, and because it's compact, it doesn't flutter even when stuck on. It's also great that it doesn't take up much space when attached to a book cover!

The lineup of color patterns and sizes is impressive, andthere is a quite extensive variety, so it's nice that you can choose according to your reading style and purpose!

5. [Excellent Idea] Lihit Lab Book Stand That Won't Fall Over Even With One Book

When placing books on shelves without dividers or in sparse storage, I think most people use bookends to keep them stable.
But have you ever had them shift due to a minor bump, or found that bookends are too large to hold just one or two books upright properly?

By using this LIHIT LAB. book stand that keeps even a single book from falling over, you can stand up anything from thin books to thick books, even if it's just one!

The mechanism is extremely simple: when you insert a book, the bar rises, and the bars on the left and right secure the book in place.Therefore, unlike bookends, you don't need to adjust the position according to the thickness or number of books; you just insert them!

This simplicity becomes addictive.

Also, since this book stand series allows for horizontal connection, you don't have to use just one; you can line them up across your bookshelf.

If your home bookshelf is wide, books might fall over or pages might open and get creased if there are only a few books lined up, but it's great that you can stand them up securely just by inserting them.

There is a non-slip grip on the bottom, and actually, it is quite powerful.
It doesn't slide at all even if you push or pull it while it's placed, so it won't shift when you insert large books.

I use this book stand on the top shelf of a bookcase that doesn't have a lip, and because it is so stable, I was able to line up my books with peace of mind.

There are 3 colors: black, white, and brown..
There are 3 widths: 9cm, 14.2cm, and 20cm, and heights for A5 size and A4 size, so the wide variety of options is very much appreciated. By the way, this book stand is not just for lining up books;
it can also be used as a stand for tablets or laptops, so it is also recommended for storing gadgets for those who have many!

6. [Trending on Social Media] Tsundoku (Unread Book) Holder

This is also a product related to book storage, but don't most book lovers have at least one...? This bookshelf, which became such a hot topic on social media, is the
"Tsundoku Holder."Just as if you were stacking books on a table, this is a new type of desktop bookshelf that
stacks books horizontally.

The amazing thing about this product is the shift in perspective that turns your unread books into interior decor.Having books just sort of pile up on a table can feel "messy" (though I personally enjoy watching them pile up...), but by using this Tsundoku holder, you can
stack them neatly, instantly increasing the stylishness.

The shelf has 4 levels (including the top level), and for standard paperbacks of around 300 pages, you can store about 5 books per level. It is a product you assemble yourself by turning screws, and
you can change the number of shelves.If you want to put it on a shelf without much height or place it low on a table, it is possible to assemble it without stacking all the shelves. Since there are anti-fall lips on the shelves (excluding the top one),

even if you stack books carelessly, they won't fall to the other side and can be stored securely.

Also, although I don't use them, magnetic sheets for identification are included as accessories.
By using identification magnetic sheets like "Day 1," "Day 2," "Week 1," or "Week 2,"you can use them as reading task markers.
This might be convenient for people who want to read books systematically or set goals for the number of books they read.

There is a wide variety of colors, withthree colors: black, greige, and light blue.
With these options, you can match them to any room.
Since their use is not limited to just storing books,it might be quite stylish to place interior decor items alongside your books!
If you don't have one yet, please try to get one!

7. [The Classic E-Reader] Amazon Kindle Colorsoft

Honestly, I think no explanation is needed.
If I were to ask which platform you use for e-books, I suspect about 80% of people would sayAmazon Kindle.
It is an item that any book lover should definitely own at least one of, so please let me introduce it.

When I read, I am definitely a "paper person."
I buy paper paperbacks at actual bookstores, not online.
I choose them at the bookstore, imagine the volume from their thickness, and check the book cover and the condition of the pages before buying. Shincho Bunko and Hayakawa Bunko, in particular, have a certain charm that makes them fun just to touch.

So why did someone like me buy a Kindle?
It is becauseI want to carry around a large amount of knowledge and skills all together.
When I want to master a piece of knowledge or a skill (for example, management, marketing, PC skills, design, or construction techniques),I buy books on the same theme all at once and read them all.
It might seem wasteful at first glance, but even if you buy 10 books and 90% of the content is the same, there are often things written that differ by 10% in each.
By knowing all of them, while reading one book gives you one book's worth of knowledge, reading 10 books allows you to gain two books' worth of knowledge, increasing your proficiency.

However, with this approach, books end up overflowing in the house.That is when e-books come in handy.
You can storea vast amount of books on this device, and you can carry them around and pull them out whenever you want.In a sense, it is a dream-like item.

That is why I want to recommend Kindle specifically to book lovers.

In particular, what I purchased is aKindle Colorsoftmodel, which is a "quasi-color" model that expresses subtle hues even at low saturation.
Of course, it might be a bit challenging for books themed around color, but it provides enough color to highlight business books or check graphs.
Color is indeed important, andeven a slight change makes it easier for the content to sink in.

There is only one size, which is roughly a bit larger than a Hayakawa tall paperback.

It weighs about 200g,which is much lighter than carrying a tablet, andbecause it has IPX8-rated waterproof performance, you can read books in the bathroom.This is incredibly appreciated.

Of course, purchased Kindle books can be read anywhere with web access, so you can read them on a PC or a smartphone like an iPhone.
It is nice to be able to read anywhere even if you forget your Kindle.
Also,if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, you can read magazines and some books for free, so it is a must-have subscription!
I will post a link for a trial, so please give it a try.

To all of you who are strictly "paper people" for books.
I agree with you. But,Kindle is a must-have item to own,so please take a look at the details!

8. [Read Books in a Comfortable Posture] MUJI Table Cushion for Use on Your Lap

Now, from here on, I will introduce goods for reading books in a relaxed manner.
The first is a best-selling item from MUJI,a table cushion that can be used on your lap.

When reading at a desk or dining table where there is a solid table, I think you can place the book on the table or rest your hands to read in a comfortable posture.
However,when reading on a sofa, chair, or bench, don't you find yourself with nowhere to rest your hands, or having to place the book on your lap?
It is not impossible to read, but the position is low, andyour neck ends up facing straight down, which isn't good for your health,is it?

This item is a revolutionary table that solves those problems!
Since it can be used as a simple table anywhere, it is convenient not only for reading but also for PC work or doing small tasks.
When you sit on the sofa and place this table on your lap, it raises the height by about 5cm, so you can read books or work without looking down too much.
I often cross my legs and place a book on them to read when I don't have anything else, and I felt this was about the same height.

In terms of size, it is just big enough for a 13-inch laptop, so it might also be good for relaxing while working remotely.

There are three colors: brown, gray-beige, and navy, and it's nice that you can choose one to match your interior.
By the way, if you turn this table upside down and put it on the floor, it can also serve as a simple pillow, so I recommend it (lol).

9. [Creating a Reading Space] AO incense Hanada

Huh? Incense?, you might think, but scent is important.
Personally, it is a must-have item when reading at home.

When reading books at cafes versus reading at home, what is significantly different is the 'sound' and the 'scent'.
When you burn incense, it instantly changes from the scent of daily life to the scent of another world.

It is essential when you want to change your environment to read, so I hope you will try it.
Of course, I think it's better to choose the scent carefully, so please try them at a general store, and I would be happy if you could purchase them from the link below (lol).
Also, there are more and more stylish incense holders, so it's fun to choose one as an interior piece.
It wasn't on Amazon, but I use a Journal Standard incense holder.

10. [Feeling Like You're in a Cafe] Audio-Technica Record Player AT-LP60X

After scent comes 'sound'.
I'm sure you all have Bluetooth speakers at home, and you might also use smart speakers, stream music directly from your smartphone, or listen with earphones. Since I also have a hobby of playing in bands, I owned a fair amount of audio equipment.

However, the one I use when reading is a record player.
Why records? The answer is simple: because it's 'chic'.
The moment the record starts spinning and you drop the needle is really fun (lol).

Creating a reading environment also leads to creating an experience, so I think it's important to use items you don't usually use to create a sense of the extraordinary.
I mainly choose Lo-Fi tracks that are only distributed on records or tapes, but please try looking for your favorite tracks at a record shop. (Tower Records in Shibuya is easy to buy from and recommended.)

Note that the record player introduced here has the minimum necessary functions, and it is a model that does not output sound unless you use speakers or headphones.
When it comes to higher-priced record players, there are also Bluetooth-compatible ones and those with built-in speakers, so it's good to choose according to the scene you want to use it in.

Summary

How was this selection of 10 goods to create a reading environment?
As I wrote at the beginning, it is important to create a good environment when reading good books.

Of course, goods to make reading convenient are part of it, but I feel that building an environment that transforms the five senses into something extraordinaryis the most important thing, including the 'sound' and 'scent' I recommended at the end.
Besides this, I am quite particular about chairs and lighting, and the best environment for reading is gradually being completed.
I would love to introduce such interior items as well, but I started by introducing familiar items.

Please let me know if you have any recommended items, and if there is anyone currently looking for items, I would be happy if this selection of 10 recommendations helps.