If your shelves are crammed with books you’ve been meaning to get around to reading but haven’t, you’re not alone. Research found families across Britain are hoarding a staggering eight billion books – but one in five is unread. More than half of the 2,000 people surveyed said they hoard books because they feel emotionally attached to them, with a third keeping books merely because they hate throwing anything away. Damaging: Fifty Shades of Grey was not a book people thought would impress guests, according to the survey . But 16 per cent admitted they keep certain titles on their shelves to make them look more intelligent. Those deemed most likely to impress guests included To Kill a Mockingbird, Moby-Dick and the Bible. However, Katie Price’s autobiography, Fifty Shades of Grey and anything by James Patterson topped the list of books readers thought would damage their reputation. Popular: Classics including To Kill a Mockingbird and Moby Dick were popular books used to impress guests . The survey, commissioned by storage firm Shurgard in advance of World Book Day tomorrow, found the average home contains 158 hardbacks and paperbacks. In total, it said Britain’s book collection could fill Wembley Stadium 16,000 times. The survey found that while sales of e-books are rising, traditional books still remain firm favourites. A third of those asked said they hoard books because they hate throwing anything away and 20 per cent keep their collection to pass on to children. Duncan Bell, Shurgard’s operations director, said: ‘We were surprised to hear the innovative ways people store their books, but holding onto your books doesn’t mean they need to take over your house. ‘A self-storage unit could be a convenient solution for storing those classics for future generations whilst also keeping your hallways clear.’
Families across Britain have 8 billion books but one in five is unread . Half those asked said they become 'emotionally attached' to books . Many said they kept titles on shelves to look more intelligent . Favourites to impress include To Kill a Mockingbird and Moby Dick . Britain's book collection enough to fill Wembley Stadium 16,000 times .