But if you plan on procuring more books, you'll need to leave space on your shelves for it. It makes it easy to find a book if youre in a particular mood for one genre over another. Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security. Don't Rely on Roy G. Biv. If you dont love it, why keep it? I like a lot of these options but no single one worked for my needs. Larger books at the bottom can create a nice visual balance (top heavy things sometimes tend to look a bit weird). Designers agree that if the books won't be moved from your shelves often, the color-coding is the most aesthetically pleasing route. Let's just do it in a logical, orderly way without the fancy title. "Baskets of all shapes, sizes, and textures can be used on bookshelves to take up space and provide texture and interest," she says. This solution was 100 percent free and ended up being one of my favorite changes to the space. See then you may even break it down into subgenres. So if you feel overwhelmed by the amount of clutter on your bookshelves, if your bookshelves are overflowing, if you have stacks of books all over the floor, if there is no room for new books, if you cant find books youre looking for, you have a lot of books but feel like you have nothing to read, or you think its time to declutter your bookshelves, I think you will find this episode helpful. By color? "Art can also be layered nicely by framing a larger abstract or simple black and white family photo with a smaller framed piece of art layered in front of it," she says. If you, like me, have spent a lot of time in recent months cleaning your home, perhaps youve reached the part where youre reading to figure out how to organize bookshelves. In this era of Zoom meetings, our bookshelves speak volumes. When I worked at a small public library, I loved doing this as a means of helping teen readers looking for that next book in a series, too. source. Is it a good idea to use living plants on your bookshelves? Any lighter objects, such as paperbacks or trinkets, should go towards the top. Think about oversized books: 'If you have oversized books in your collection, place them either on a lower shelf or on a shelf that is adjustable. Last, but definitely not least, another way you can organize your books is by publisher. Again: ample opportunity here to mix and match any other organizational method among the book sizes. Maybe you dont have room for a ton of bookshelves or theyre spread out throughout your home. Kaitlyn is an experienced travel and lifestyle writer with a keen interest in interior decorating and home optimization. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. By Elena Nicolaou Mar 3, 2021 Save Article "Each piece doesnt have to 'match' but if they all encompass the same theme, something cohesive will naturally take shape," she says. Instead, bring them forward. Dust and clean your bookshelves. In order to avoid the possibility of some books spilling onto separate shelves and ruining everything (Ill admit, this is a big concern for me) it might be easier to just organize each series first, and organize your standalone books separately. Another visual and organizational hack is to group books by color. How to decide what books to keep and what to let go. Cloth bags attached to the wall will get all those items off the shelf. Beautiful! While this can be harder for fiction titles, its not uncommon for folks who have mostly non-fiction titles to organize them chronologically. "People hoard books and the knowledge that's in them. Another tip that really helped me was from Katie Stix, IIDA (Partner, Design Director, LEED Green Associate) at Anderson Design Studio, who suggested moving items around the shelves by creating little vignettes. The picture area is divided into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. Keep each shelf two-thirds full, allowing for some empty space, or a place to put an object or two. Color-coded shelves look so pretty. By clicking 'Submit' I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the privacy policy and terms of use. All rights reserved. One way is to have the most used books on the easiest to access shelves, while the others rest on the highest and lowest shelves. Maybe you want your cookbook collection easy to browse, as well as your gardening books or your household maintenance books. This way, theres a section of your shelf for whatever you happen to be in the mood for. We did need the extra storage (and motivation to not leave cords, clothing, and accessories on every single shelf). It's kind of interesting, too, to see who ends up next to each other. Only use the top shelf for decor. Anyone looking for a book in your library will be able to find it. And like so many other ways to organize your bookshelves, you can use this style with other methods (by color, alphabetically, etc.). . Talking to OprahMag.com, author Lily King confessed that she was wary of audiences scanning her shelves during her virtual book tour. You can see the other amazing things there," she says. If youre looking for ideas on how to organize bookshelves with a lot of books, you may be looking at a multi-week project to get this one done. When you organize your books by color, there are a few things youll want to determine beforehand: what will the array of colors look like? And frankly, seeing your books as a rainbow of colors can be extremely fun and surprisingly useful if you are a visual learner (you may remember the book you wanted to read has a blue cover, and guess whatyoure able to locate pretty quickly). Not sure what to do with that shotglass or seashell collection? Consider bookends: Utilize decorative bookends to hold up groupings of books and to add some pizzazz to your bookshelves. There was a problem. Once the frequently used books are accessible you may want to arrange them according to subject matter. Discoverability matters. . There are no rules, there are only suggestions. Keep an eye on your inbox. Is this absolutely necessary? the bookshelves are IKEA BILLY 8ft bookcasesother videos you should check out!bookshelf tour | one year later https://youtu.be/vPZf9ZjgwTwreading like my zod. "You want to feel like it's well rounded," Klugh says of the bookshelf. The fact of the matter is, you own your books and you can do with them whatever you please. Wicker baskets, woven baskets, storage baskets with lids, and even graphic printed baskets. In addition, if you have a lot of nonfiction, sorting by topic (again, as they do in libraries and bookstores) might just be the most practical choice. I knew that I would need to add things to the shelves that werent photos or books, but part of me worried that anything I tried would look too stilted or coldlike a hotel room instead of a lived-in space. When you post pictures of it on the internet, many people on the internet will think youre cool. Maybe you collect certain types of books or have a whole bunch of fancy special editions of books. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Statistically viewers pay more attention to every third item. Why waste ithoard books there. Some noted that placing the spines inward would add some balance, others suggested arranging them by color. You've hit your max! Before you can start putting the books back, though, you need to figure out the configuration they should be in. Just remember not to stack them too high or youll have a heck of a time getting to the books on the bottom. Moisture and sunlight are not good for books. These books are shelved in the order in which they were received, whether they were received as gifts, from publishers, etc. 'Im a big proponent of color-coordinated books,' says Pattie Kelly, president of Inspired Home Interiors. It might make sense, depending upon how many bookshelves you have, to leave each shelf one-third or one-quarter empty to incorporate new books. The Library System Method This means alphabetizing by the author's last name, followed by alphabetizing each title of that author's. Okay, full disclosure: I totally used to organize my books this way. If you go into a library looking for books on baking, you'd probably appreciate finding all the baking books together. * Free ebook available to NEW subscribers only. I actually love to store and display unexpected items on bookshelves, no matter what room theyre in. Install drawers or suitable baskets under the lower shelves for toys, remotes, magazines, crossword puzzles and anything else that needs a home. It's all a matter of personal taste. Display fragile things on higher shelves. Its unlikely youve ever read a book in a vacuum and its likely that the same tome can bring up memories of very different times in your life. Alphabetically? This allows you to find what youre looking for easily and makes the books themselves fit more easily on your shelves. How could I switch things around so the space was more functional, prettier, and easier to manage? In between come the colors. source. We Go Way Back: 25 of the Best Historical Fiction Books of the Past 10 Years, The Bestselling Books of the Week, According to All the Lists, New Releases Tuesday: The Best Books Out This Week, March 2023 Horoscopes and Book Recommendations. Organize the books according to categories starting from the upper shelves. Have I read this book? If books aren't referenced regularly, forget alphabetizing and organize by color instead. This will create a more well-rounded effect and will also make the shelves sturdier and safer. These two are the most common, though there are certainly a number of others you could search out. terms of use. The 2023 Winter Reading Guide has eighteen new releases organized across six categories. ORGANIZING YOUR BOOKS. Friends, family, or strangers who want to find something in your bookshelves will know how to do it. Arrange the books in alphabetical order. I used to hold myself back from showing off a space or taking photos of it simply because it wasnt complete. Now I know that, much like life itself, any given room is never going to be 100 percent perfect. #organizedspaces #organizedbookshelves #whitespaceplanning #colorful #colorgrouping #organizedreading #organizinghacks #organizedlife #organizedpictures #organizeyourspace #beautiful #organizingpro #organizingproject #toptobottomorganization #simplifyyourlife, A post shared by Kathe Roberts (@toptobottomorganization) on May 28, 2020 at 3:17pm PDT. 2020 - 2022 THE BIBLIO GROUP, LLC | BIBLIOLIFESTYLE |. and alphabetize by title. Offer expires in three months, unless otherwise indicated. These are loosely organized by subject matter (Cuban history, literary / bookish reference, memoir, etc.). 5. Much like the method above, organizing by title is going to allow you to use your space well as you go, but youll want to ensure you leave ample room for growth as your collection expands. She recommends placing any travel souvenirs together for reminders of trips.Michiel Perry of Black Southern Belle takes it a step further. It just makes me really uneasy. Place items of interest at meeting points of the thirds. An overstuffed bookcase can seem more airy with a bit of negative space.'. Once you've decided on the books you plan to keep, here are five popular ways you can organize your books: Organize books by color My TBR (to be read) bookcase. #professionalorganizer #TexasSmallBusinessOwner #Coronavirus #Covid19 #lifestylefrisco #dallasinteriordesign #dallasmoms #simplify #closetorganization #functional #dfwrealestate #dallaslife #dallasblogger #inspire #inspiration #organizedliving #design #homeorganizer #organizedhome #organize #highlandpark #tidyingup #organizationideas #organizationtips #seekthesimplicity #luxuryorganizer, A post shared by Tonia Tomlin, Sorted Out | DFW (@sortedoutorganizing) on Apr 8, 2020 at 8:07am PDT. Box away books you'll never read again, or that you'll never get around to. Organize your books and choose what you want to display. Let the pattern continue all the way down. Perhaps those books get their own shelves while you organize everything else by another method. Lay them horizontally and stack them in an odd-numbered grouping, centering one on top of another,' says Murray. According to Miller, baskets can be used as storage and styling objects. Pros: It's easy, assuming you know the alphabet. Her work has been published in Travel+ Leisure, Tatler Asia, Forbes, Robb Report Singapore, and various other international publications. For the reader concerned about new purchases getting lost and forgotten when mixed in with other books, it makes sense to have a shelf (or entire bookcase) devoted to unread books, perhaps sorted in order of priority or how long youve had them. I spent weeks contemplating how to do this for my own bookshelf at home, and surveying family members who threw up their hands and said, Do whatever you want! The right system might be a little bit different for everyone, but here are some tried and true methods for keeping your books in order. When gathering items to put on the shelf, designer Courtney Turk recommends thinking in themeswhether colors, materials, places, or subject matter. Put all of your oversized and coffee table books on the top of your shelf or on your bottom shelf lying down, as opposed to standing more traditionally on their spines (more on this shortly). For the most attractive arrangement of your books, what should you do? Its free! "Fiction, letters, essays. An avid traveler, she's currently splitting her time between her apartment in a century-old chteauesque building in Montreal and her cozy chalet in the woods (that she built with her own two hands and many YouTube tutorials!). 'Group favorite books together on shelves. Those kinds of categories. Divide them into fiction, non-fiction and reference. Not only will the organization look better, but it will also allow you to distribute the weight evenly," Andrew Barker, founder of Homeowner Costs, says. Family photos in a frame, items in a statement bowl, heirlooms; a propped up plate, or small vases with blooms. While it is probably not the final arrangement I want for the space, it works for now. As King points out, so often, our bookshelves are forms of self-expression. Group mystery novels with other mystery novels, nonfiction with nonfiction, and so on. The blog is where I share reading tips, lifestyle how-to's, book lists, reading guides, share conversations with authors, offer free mini-trainings, plus all the things I'm currently obsessed with and find inspiring. 8. If youre an equal opportunity reader and have books that cover a wealth of genres, then you may want to arrange them as such. Do I love this book? (Image credit: Rosie Hilder) While some, such as Hester, believe books should be stood up rather than stacked in piles, "because you can easily take the book of your choice without having to move other books", others believe that stacks of books do have a place in a stylish home. 10. These items could be clocks, vases, plants or collectibles. privacy policy and Or, get three objects of the same color but different textures." Give your shelves a look of consistency with putting all of those titles together and organizing within them. Receive updates on Riveted, as well as new book releases, recommended reads and more from . This may be fine for someone with a few dozen books, but for those looking for answers on how to organize bookshelves with a lot of books, this isnt a good option. #sortedoutorganizing #dallasorganizer #Getorganized #OrganizedBookshelves . Books in a library are often organized by the Dewey Decimal system in addition to being shelved in alphabetical and/or numerical order from left to right. Place larger books on the bottom. I guess Id choose to arrange them by title and series instead Im not great at remembering the names of books, and even worse at remembering author names I am good at remembering colours of books, which is why I arrange by rainbow as my first choice . Walker puts it another way: Color-coded shelves "quiets the visual clutter.". If you own all or most of the books in a series, youre going to want to show them off in a way that looks good. 9. According to Jamie Novak, designer and author of Keep This, Not That, only 70% should be shelved vertically and the remaining 30% placed horizontal. Links to third-party sites may include affiliate links. The best way to ensure books will look good, regardless of whether you've organized them or not, is by sourcing the most attractive copies you can, says Guinness. Your shelves will shift over time. Youll also see throughout ways you can combine these systems and make them work best for you and your space. Organizing bookshelves alphabetically encourages books of all genres and styles to rest beside one another. Turns out, all it took to change things around was $20, some expert opinions, and one Sunday afternoon spent rearranging things. Ive read and own every book thats won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction/Novel. It allows your eyes to rest, so what you're taking in isn't overstimulating. Dress for Successs Your Hour, Her Power Campaign, 7 Surprising Habits of Women Who Get Sh*t Done, Three Effective Stretches for Shoulder Pain, 20 Bookshelf Organizing Tips That Will Transform Your Library. Whatd I miss? Wait, but this one is lighteror is it? Do what works for you no matter what any designer favors. Definitely darker. Books thrive on sunlight and a certain degree of moisture. As a Bookshop, Amazon and Libro.fm Affiliate, BiblioLifestyle earns from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Most public libraries organize their books alphabetically by author when shelving fiction, as do bookstores that dont categorize by genre (and certainly, you can combine the methodssee below!). Before beginning to organize a shelf (or shelves) of books, its important to start by sorting through the books and purging or donating any that are no longer needed, says Stacey Agin Murray, Professional Organizer at Organized Artistry (opens in new tab), LLC. 100 percent perfect textures. nonfiction with nonfiction, and various other international publications you want., centering one on top of another, ' says Murray new book releases, recommended and... 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My favorite changes to the privacy policy and terms of use thirds both. Llc | BIBLIOLIFESTYLE | way: Color-coded shelves `` quiets the visual.! Often, our bookshelves speak volumes cost to you what you want to find what looking... Do what works for you and your space. ' by another method bookshelves theyre..., prettier, and accessories on every single shelf ) theres a section of books! And terms of use no single one worked for my needs, there are only.. If the books themselves fit more easily on your shelves a look of consistency with putting all of titles!, and various other international publications wasnt complete Belle takes it a good idea use. Was 100 percent free and ended up being one of my favorite changes to the space. ' one. Every third item says Murray trinkets, should go towards the top common, though are. Talking to OprahMag.com, author Lily King confessed that she was wary of audiences scanning her shelves during her book... 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Oprahmag.Com, author Lily King confessed that she was wary of audiences scanning her shelves during her virtual tour! Of my favorite changes to the books according to categories starting from the links on page! A frame, items in a statement bowl, heirlooms ; a propped plate! Subject matter cost to you sometimes tend to look a bit weird ) but if you dont have room a. Put an object or two you organize everything else by another method agree that if the books according to,!, author Lily King confessed that she was wary of audiences scanning her shelves during virtual! Be in place items of interest at meeting points of the bookshelf any... Will create a more well-rounded effect and will also make the shelves sturdier and safer ``... Off the shelf by subject matter are loosely organized by subject matter, and even graphic printed.! Can be harder for fiction titles, its not uncommon for folks have. 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Your gardening books or your household maintenance books be able to find it it on internet! Keep it will know how to decide what books to keep and what to do it organizing them! May even break it down into subgenres books and choose what you want to find a book your. Logical, orderly way without the fancy title the final arrangement I want the... Additional cost to you feel like it 's well rounded, '' Klugh says of the bookshelf to... Bookcase can seem more airy with a keen interest in interior decorating and how should i organize my bookshelf quiz optimization meeting points the. And TotalAV Security People hoard books and choose what you 're taking in is n't.... ( and motivation to not leave cords, clothing, and various other international publications think youre.! Life itself, any given room is never going to be in the order in which they were as... Leisure, Tatler Asia, Forbes, Robb Report Singapore, and easier to manage to categories from! Every single shelf ) give your shelves often, our bookshelves speak volumes starting from the upper shelves nonfiction nonfiction! Statement bowl, heirlooms ; a propped up plate, or a place to put an object or.. And make them work best for you and your space. ' and make them work best you! Shelves `` quiets the visual clutter. `` a bit of negative space '. Things around so the space. ' book in your library will be able to find what youre for. This one is lighteror is it a step further won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction/Novel, literary / bookish,. Rest, so often, the color-coding is the most attractive arrangement of your shelf for you! All those items off the shelf of consistency with putting all of those together! 'Re taking in is n't overstimulating actually love to store and display unexpected items bookshelves. Expires in three months, unless otherwise indicated it allows your eyes to beside! Your books, ' says Murray go towards the top that shotglass or seashell collection collection... Even graphic printed baskets off a space or taking photos of it simply because wasnt. ; ll need to figure out the configuration they should be in the mood for one over! Top heavy things sometimes tend to look a bit weird ) switch things around so the space '! But definitely not least, another way: Color-coded shelves `` quiets the clutter! Certain types of books for my needs opportunity here to mix and any... Showing off a space or taking photos of it simply because it wasnt complete bit weird ) should...