For those of us who love the feel of a physical book in their hands and the smell of ink on paper, there’s nothing as comforting as a book. Even if you only keep a few favorites, and do the rest of your reading online, an artfully organized bookcase can be beautiful centerpiece in an office or living area.
Books are good for circulation
Before you begin to rearrange your shelves, take a look at your collection and cull through the books you don’t plan to read again. These can be donated to Salvation Army, Goodwill or other charity. Half Price Books will buy used books, but they also accept donations.
There are also several organizations that give your used books to underfunded schools, soldiers, prison inmates, and others. Visit my Helpful Links page for more information. For outdated technical manuals and books in poor condition don’t forget to recycle.
Sort books by topic, author, or even by color
When planning a fresh new arrangement, most of us think of organizing our books by topic, and author within topic. But if your bookshelf is mainly going to be used for display purposes, you may want to try organizing by the color of the book’s spine.
This means that you will put them back on the shelves in “rainbow order.” Use the acronym ROYGBIV to help. It Stands for Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.
Have no shelf control?
If your shelves are out of control, it’s probably best to take everything off, and sort them onto a table or the floor. As you remove each book, decide what the category it fits into. For example: health, relationships, history, business, sports, travel, spirituality, religion, science, reference, or other.
This method allows you to see how many of each type of book you have, so you can reserve the right amount of space on your shelves when you put them back.
This method allows you to see how many of each type of book you have, so you can reserve the right amount of space on your shelves when you put them back.
Let the creativity begin
Now for the fun part! Arranging your books is a creative process. Remember that not all books need to be standing upright with spines facing outward. Consider standing a hardcover book with a beautiful cover facing outward, slightly open, just enough to keep the book upright. Or place the book on a picture frame holder facing outward.
Lay some books on their sides to create visual interest, and break up the monotony of a solid row of spines. Place 3-5 books together, either vertically or horizontally with space on either side to draw attention to the area.
Stack book series, like the Harry Potter collection together, or books of the same height next to each other Try positioning them from tallest to shortest, or shortest to tallest within a category.
All shelves are not equal
Remember that all shelves don’t need to be equally spaced. Vary the heights to accommodate the books in your collection. Place the books that you access more frequently at a level that’s convenient to reach and easy to see. Bottom shelves are good for oversized books and books that may not be as visually attractive. If you have an enclosed cabinet built into your bookshelf, consider placing tattered and worm favorites out of sight.
Make it pretty
A bookshelf without some empty spaces, or some thoughtfully chosen accessories can lack appeal. Consider “decorating” your shelves with items related to your book categories. For instance, if you’re a genealogy researcher, place a framed photo of your great grandmother in that area. Love to travel? Display a souvenir from a memorable trip directly on the shelf, or on top of stacked horizontal books.
Bookends can also be themed, and can mark the beginning or ending of a category. If you’re interested in the Earth sciences use bookends made from cut, polished stone. Have you received awards for your work? Display them near your business books. If you don’t have decor related to your book categories simply showcase items that you think are beautiful, interesting, or special.
Put it into perspective
Step back every so often, and take a look at the shelves from a distance. If you don’t like the flow, go back and alter the arrangement until it feels right. Then curl up in a comfortable chair with a book you forgot you loved, and appreciate the fruits of your labor as you lose yourself in a good story.
