You finally found the perfect tall bookcase for your living room. It’s sturdy, looks great, and holds all those hardcovers you’ve been meaning to read. But after you slide it into place, a nagging thought creeps in: what happens if someone bumps into it, or a toddler decides to climb the shelves? A tall bookcase that isn’t secured to the wall is a tipping hazard, plain and simple. The good news is that anchoring it is a straightforward weekend project that takes about thirty minutes and uses tools you probably already have in your garage. Let’s walk through how to do it safely, without making a mess of your drywall or your bookcase.

First, gather your supplies. You will need a stud finder, a drill with a drill bit that matches the size of your screws, a level, a tape measure, and a pencil. For hardware, you have two main options: furniture anti-tip straps or L-brackets. Anti-tip straps are often included with new bookcases and are the easiest for most homeowners. L-brackets require a bit more measuring but provide a very solid connection. I lean toward L-brackets for heavy bookcases, but straps work well for lighter units. Either way, use screws that are long enough to go through the bracket or strap and at least one and a half inches into a wall stud. Drywall anchors can work in a pinch, but screwing directly into a stud is far more secure.

Start by pushing the bookcase against the wall exactly where you want it. Use your level to make sure it is plumb from front to back and side to side. An uneven bookcase can cause the shelves to sag or the unit to lean, which defeats the purpose of anchoring. If the floor is unlevel, slide shims under the base until everything sits flat and level. Once the bookcase is happy, mark the wall through the pre-drilled holes in the brackets or straps. These holes are usually located near the top of the bookcase on the back panel. If your bookcase doesn’t have pre-drilled holes, you can drill your own into a solid part of the frame, avoiding any particleboard that might crumble.

Now it’s time to find the wall studs. Run your stud finder along the wall at the height where you made your marks. Most studs are spaced sixteen inches apart, but they can be tricky to locate behind plaster or textured drywall. When the stud finder beeps, tap the wall gently with your knuckle. A solid sound means you have a stud; a hollow sound means you are between studs. Mark the center of each stud with a pencil. Ideally, your bookcase holes align directly with a stud. If they don’t, you have a few choices: you can move the bookcase slightly left or right until the holes match the studs, or you can install a strong drywall anchor rated for at least fifty pounds. Drywall anchors are fine for lightweight bookcases, but for a tall unit loaded with heavy books, a stud is the only safe bet.

With your marks in place, take the bookcase away from the wall. Drill pilot holes into the studs where you marked. Pilot holes prevent the wood from splitting and make it much easier to drive the screws. Hold the bracket or strap against the bookcase and align it with your pilot holes. Screw the bracket to the bookcase first using the short screws that come with the kit, then move the bookcase back into position. Line up the bracket’s wall-side holes with the pilot holes you drilled into the stud. Drive the long screws through the bracket into the stud. Do not overtighten—you want a snug fit that pulls the bookcase tight against the wall, but cranking down too hard can strip the screw or crack the bracket.

If you are using anti-tip straps, the process is similar but a little more forgiving. One end of the strap screws into the back of the bookcase, and the other end screws into the wall stud. You can adjust the strap length so that it pulls the bookcase snug. Either way, once everything is screwed in, give the bookcase a gentle but firm shake. It should not wobble or move at all. If it does, check that your screws are biting into the stud and that the brackets are tight.

One last tip: anchor every tall piece of furniture in your home, not just bookcases. Dressers, wardrobes, and TV stands can also tip over, especially in homes with children or pets. The same technique works for all of them. And if you ever need to move the bookcase, the screws will leave small holes in the wall that are easy to patch with spackle. So go ahead and load up those shelves with your favorite reads, and rest easy knowing your bookcase is staying put.