My Record Player Setup, Reading & Listening Corner Reveal, + Vinyl Tips

2025 — it may be early, but I can already declare it as the year I fell in love with collecting vinyl, the entire culture around indie record shops, the satisfaction of variant pressings, and the retro ritual of spinning vinyl. I planned, prepped, and snapped photos of my record player setup and entire reading/listening nook a while ago and unfortunately, I outgrew it quickly. Like, really quickly. So today, along with the initial record player setup I’ve already shown, I have an updated vinyl listening corner setup to better house my growing record collection. I went a little wild and didn’t realize it was becoming a full blown obsession or I would have planned a little differently from the start. But, for casual listeners, my initial record player setup has been great and I’ve been so happy with it. In today’s post, you’ll find two similar record player setups for two different sized collections.

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**For the latest record player setup, scroll down through the post!

How I Fell In Love with Vinyl Records

I don’t know if I already mentioned how it all came about but (and this shouldn’t be a surprise) — I initially purchased Taylor Swift’s anthology for The Tortured Poets Department when it was finally released, primarily for the sake of commemoration. My mom had gifted Dave several old crates of her albums, many decades old, and so while he hadn’t really gotten into them, he did have a small suitcase record player in his man cave. We brought it upstairs and set it up on the dresser so I could listen to my single TS album and I enjoyed it so much — the deliberate intentionality of it all — that I decided I wanted to work on collecting (and only collecting) TS albums, exclusively. Dave surprised me with one and then gifted me the rest of her studio albums for Christmas, along with a new little suitcase player. Eliza fell in love with putting them on, I loved committing to full albums at a time, and Dave started dipping into the old crates of my mom’s albums. We were slowly becoming a retro vibing fam. I was sure I wouldn’t expand past TS, but before I knew it, I was like “well, I just want a few more that fit this very specific vibe that I can enjoy while I’m reading, working, and hanging out upstairs.” Think Lana Del Rey, Carole King, Natalie Merchant, etc. That thought then expanded to some easy listening, instrumentals, and then before I knew it, I was adding some of my nostalgic 90s alternative and so it goes. While I have an eclectic taste in music, I haven’t felt the need to incorporate all the albums I love — even from my mom’s collection — as I do want to be thoughtful in my chill-time curation, but I am 100% all in and I would be ashamed of how my collection has multiplied and expanded if I wasn’t so proud, haha.

That said, listening to vinyl (and the entire, careful and intentional ritual that goes along with it) has been so enjoyable and addicting. Dave and I upgraded our record players and we love going to small record shops in the towns around where we live — for date nights or family dates after church. And, as of this week, Eliza officially has her own suitcase record player in her playroom with a few of her very own vinyl records. I just ordered THIS acrylic stand for her player on Amazon with storage incorporated. I think it’s going to be perfect and the price and look are exactly it. I ordered the clear acrylic but it also comes in pink and green acrylic color options.

Initial Record Player Setup in the Reading Nook

I initially thought I would be fine keeping my record player and speakers on my dresser but 1. I missed the countertop space that I actually use frequently during laundry and such, and 2. I outgrew this little vinyl record storage holder pretty quickly.

So, I decided on a small/medium-ish record player cabinet with open shelving I was sure would provide more than enough space. It *says* it holds up to 350 albums and while I haven’t counted mine, it doesn’t come close. That said, it still holds a good amount, my addictive collecting psychosis just made me run out of space quickly 😉

I actually wanted a cabinet with sliding doors at first but couldn’t find anything close to the dimensions and look I wanted — now, I actually like the exposed vinyl albums.

So — the evolution of my little reading corner turned reading/listening corner? Here it is…

*Images in this section of the post were taken a while ago and don’t reflect the volume of my current vinyl collection. If the volume of vinyl records depicted in these initial photos were still accurate, I would have left my record player setup as shown.

Floor Lamp | Area Rug | Boucle Storage Ottoman | Record Player Storage Cabinet | Record Player | Speakers | Bird Art I | Bird Art II

I talked all about martini tables in this post HERE and featured some of my favorite inexpensive cocktail tables. I am still LOVING my small acrylic beverage table!

Martini Table | Floor Lamp | Area Rug | Boucle Storage Ottoman

I literally sit here just about every night. If you missed a post about it a while back, my mom gifted me my swivel chair (the most comfortable reading chair ever!) I fell in love with, but it’s made to order (un-linkable) and we had to order it locally.

And speaking of finding comfort and joy in the quiet ritual of creating intentional peace, I am still LOVING my dimmable candle warmer and can’t believe it took so long to understand and get on board. I am such a fan of how long candles last with it, how well it works, the ambiance, and not having risk of fire or forgetting to blow out candles. This one is so pretty, holds all size candles, is adjustable in height, has multiple brightness settings, and has a timer auto-off function.

Candle Warmer

I also took a chance on a couple of Target candles (which I never purchase) because of their aesthetic, high ratings, and cheap sale price and am pleasantly surprised by the relaxing scents and especially the throw for their size! Consider me a converted believer. Here are a few faves…

Scroll & Tap to Shop

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Okay — back to the record player setup, I also installed THIS acrylic vinyl shelf to hold the “now playing” album sleeves.

Remember where I moved the little suitcase record player in my office? I added the same acrylic vinyl shelf to that space, too.

Accent Table | Chair | Suitcase Record Player | Acrylic Vinyl Shelf | VSQ Performs Taylor Swift Vinyl

By the way, I’m obsessed with VSQ covers, especially during work, but this one of Lana Del Rey specifically is fire.

The cabinet has to be assembled but I did it on my own in about an hour. It also comes with a power outlet which is a fantastic feature. And refreshingly, all pieces were in perfect condition, everything was nicely labeled, and there was extra hardware (just in case).

My Record Player

I did a lot of research before landing on the Fluance RT81+. The Fluance record player (and Fluance speakers) would probably be described as mid-range for serious connoisseurs but they are fantastic. The both come in different wood grains/finishes — Dave actually chose a record player in a dark wood grain in this same model. I still love the portability and convenience of our little suitcase players but when it comes to quality and sound quality, there is no comparison.

You can spin with or without the dust cover (or even opt to not install the dust cover) but I prefer it for protection and to keep it from getting dirty.

Books: 1,000 Record Covers | Taylor Swift Style | Taylor Swift The Stories Behind the Songs | Taylor Swift The Eras Tour Book (the only official book)

Record Player Setup Accessories, Faves, & Tips

See my cute Taylor Swift Eras art print? I found that from an artist at a Christmas market in NYC 😉

Gold Twig Frame

I keep all my no-bleed markers and pens and my reading light in this little lidded box.

Also necessities for my corner that I keep stored in the ottoman — THIS kindle pillow (currently on deal and with a coupon on Amazon!), THIS Kindle remote (also currently on deal and with a coupon!), and THIS heated throw blanket.

Floor Lamp | Area Rug | Boucle Storage Ottoman | Record Player Storage Cabinet | Record Player | Speakers | Acrylic Vinyl Shelf | Bird Art I | Bird Art II

I do re-sleeve my vinyl (outer plastic to protect album and inner rice paper sleeves for records that don’t already come in them) — here’s what I use.

• Outer Gatefold Sleeves
• Outer Sleeves for Standard LPs
• Rounded Bottom, Anti-Static Rice Paper Inner Sleeves

Books: 1,000 Record Covers | Taylor Swift Style | Taylor Swift The Stories Behind the Songs | Taylor Swift The Eras Tour Book (the only official book)

I think I’m going to write a post on the albums I find myself reaching for most often and what I love the most for working and reading. As an FYI, I have had incredible luck with record shops who sell on eBay, for new vinyl, used vinyl, hard to find vinyl, and imports. Also — on Discogs. My favorite shops that I’ve ordered from repeatedly are…

• get_importcds — they ship super quickly and everything has come in mint condition. If you order 3+, you get an extra 20% off your order. I order from them most often.
• COLLECTIFUL — I’ve gotten some great used finds (and new albums, too) for CHEAP. The used records have all come in amazing condition and they offer consolidated shipping discounts if you order more than one album.

Books: 1,000 Record Covers | Taylor Swift Style | Taylor Swift The Stories Behind the Songs | Taylor Swift The Eras Tour Book (the only official book)
Area Rug | Boucle Storage Ottoman | Record Player Storage Cabinet | Record Player | Speakers | Acrylic Vinyl Shelf | Gold Twig Frame

Whatever record storage you decide on, be sure that it comfortably accommodates vinyl records in standing position, with plenty of space (preferably at least 13″ compartments) for pulling them out, where they won’t be smashed together.

THIS record cleaning kit is an essential (Dave and I both use ours every time we listen to our records) and I also grabbed THIS fine haired brush the other day and love it for quick fuzz sweeps!

Like I said, I’ll be back soon to share my next, expanded setup (my follow-up solution is supposed to arrive in a few days) and I’m hopeful that it will fit well in my bedroom reading corner. Fingers crossed!

Floor Lamp | Area Rug | Boucle Storage Ottoman | Record Player Storage Cabinet | Record Player | Speakers | Acrylic Vinyl Shelf | Bird Art I | Bird Art II | Martini Table

NEW, UPDATED Record Player Setup in the Bedroom Reading Nook

My vinyl collection grows almost daily, but the following photos can be considered current, as of a couple weeks ago, with my new, inexpensive record player setup and cabinet. The former cabinet was moved to Dave’s space in his man cave and after over-thinking it for far too long, I settled on a popular vinyl storage choice — the Ikea Kallax shelf unit (in the compartment option.) If you don’t have an Ikea around you, you can find it on Amazon HERE.

Floor Lamp | Area Rug | Boucle Storage Ottoman | Record Player Storage Cabinet | Record Player | Speakers | Acrylic Vinyl Shelf | Bird Art I | Bird Art II | Martini Table

I went with the simple white finish and while I had never assembled Ikea furniture before, the instructions — as anticipated — were daunting. Instead, I tossed them and looked up a YouTube assembly and used that as my guide instead. It was simple, straightforward, and I had the entire unit built by myself in about 30 minutes. It’s actually incredibly sturdy and I have zero concerns about support. I have so much room to expand and I’m thrilled with how much capacity it has!

It’s no easy finding a cube-style unit that has the proper depth to accommodate record storage and I compared the few I did find — this unit came out on top in terms of user reviews by a long shot. The depth also works well for my record player, which is a consideration not to forget about when you’re looking at record player cabinets and setup dimensions.

THESE cute storage boxes hold my cleaning supplies and accessories but if I eventually need to re-allocate that space to vinyl storage, it will be easy to move. They’re affordable as a set of two HERE.

Record Player Storage Cabinet | Record Player | Speakers | Woven Storage Boxes

Right now, my records are separated by my own categories and genres, and then alphabetically.

Because this unit is longer than my previous, I had more space to set out an acrylic record storage bin of vinyls that I’m cycling through most often/during that sitting. THIS clear record storage is heavy duty, has rubber feet that hold it in place, and I am so pleased with the quality and functionality of being able to thumb through my most played current albums.

Record Player Storage Cabinet | Record Player | Speakers | Woven Storage Boxes | Acrylic Record Holder Storage | Gold Twig Frame

As a note, this inexpensive unit does have a few visible screws so I found THESE matching white stick-on screw covers that come in a pack with several sizes. They’re cheap on Amazon and camouflage all the silver hardware perfectly. The stickers sheets are great for Ikea furniture, but other pieces with visible screws, also.

Record Player Storage Cabinet | Record Player | Speakers | Woven Storage Boxes | Acrylic Record Holder Storage | Gold Twig Frame

Record Player Storage Cabinet | Record Player | Speakers | Woven Storage Boxes | Acrylic Record Holder Storage | Gold Twig Frame

BTW — if you love an indie/folk vibe, Jack Van Cleaf was new to me but I absolutely adore this album. I also pre-ordered his next album that features a collab with Zach Bryan.

Acrylic Record Holder Storage

I am having the time of my life in this little setup as I’ve fully and completely fallen in love with and embraced every aspect of this hobby.

So, do you listen to/collect vinyl records? When did you start getting interested in them again/for the first time? I’d love to hear your faves/any tips you may have!