Okay, so you’ve got a lot of books. Fantastic, books are great! What’s not so great, though, is attempting to figure out how to keep your massive book collection organized.
If you are a big-time reader, you know the importance of a well-organized bookshelf. It helps make your space more visually appealing, and, more importantly, makes it easier to find your next read.
In this article, we’ll walk you through various ways to organize books on your bookshelf, starting with the most popular option: book organization by color. Here are a few tips to help you organize your books by color.
Color coding options
There are many interesting options when it comes to arranging books by color. You can arrange your book collection using the hue of the cover.
You can also cover your books with colored wrapping paper for a more cohesive look.
The entire rainbow is your oyster
A colorful bookshelf can refresh your entire aesthetic. In terms of the color arrays, there are so many creative ways to go about a colorful bookshelf.
Memorize book covers
Arranging books by color is generally frowned upon because it isn’t very practical. It can be difficult to find the book you need if you don’t know the color of the cover.
However, if you are someone who tends to memorize covers, you’ll have no trouble finding what you are looking for.
Black and white will steal the show
When it comes to book spine color, black and white dominate. Expect several shelves of black and white spines, while some other colors won’t fill a single shelf.
Leave room for future purchases
Don’t pack your books too tightly when color coding. Be sure to leave some room on the shelf for future purchases.
That way, you can slide your new book into place without having to rearrange the entire collection.
Bookshelf Organization by Category
You can also organize the books on your bookshelf by category. There are numerous categories you can use to arrange your book collection on a bookshelf, including:
By genre
If you often pick books by the genre you are in the mood for, arranging your collection by genre is a great idea. You can categorize by fiction, mystery, young adult, graphic novels, etc.
By Author
If you’re uber-nerd with only a few favourite authors, arranging by the author is more intuitive than by genre.
By year
You can also arrange your books by the year they were written or published. In addition to keeping your collection tidy and organized, arranging books by year can be incredibly eye-opening.
By series
If you are a hardcore book series lover or have too many of them, you can group your books together by series.
Aesthetic Bookshelf Organization
With the rise of the #shelfie, many book nerds are exploring creative ways to create an Instagram-worthy book collection. There are many ways to organize a bookshelf for an aesthetically pleasing look.
Arrange by size
You can easily arrange your book collection by size, height, or width. You can experiment with the largest to the smallest, thinnest to the widest, etc., until you find a design that appeals to you.
Use shapes and patterns
Because books come in all shapes and sizes, you can also organize books in appealing shapes and patterns. You can make your bookshelf look like a pointy mountain of books or a sea of books.
Do away with unsightly dust jackets
Another great way to enhance the aesthetic of your book collection is by removing the dust jackets. If some of the books in your collection have unsightly dust jackets, consider getting rid of them.
Mix it up
An excellent way to improve the visual appeal of your book collection is by adding non-book items on the shelf. It can be anything as long as it elevates the entire aesthetic.
How to Organize a Bookshelf with a Lot of Books
So far, some of the organization methods covered in this article focus more on aesthetics. If you have a lot of books and not much in terms of room, aesthetics have to take the backseat. Here are a few tips on how to organize a bookshelf with a lot of books.
Declutter
If having too many books is causing clutter, perhaps it’s time to purge your collection. Consider removing some of them from the bookshelf.
Tidy up often
Tidying up frequently, say weekly or even daily, can help you keep your bookshelf neat and organized.
Use baskets and storage boxes
Use baskets and storage containers to store books you don’t read often at the back of the bookshelf.
How to Organize Deep Bookshelves
If you are looking to accommodate a large volume of books, deep shelves can be a great solution. But deep bookshelves limit access and, as a result, cause clutter. Here are a few tips to make deep bookcases function better for your home.
Keep your favourite at the edge of the shelf
Your book collection looks best closer to the edge of the shelf. They are also easier to access; just grab your favourite read off the shelf.
You can put the books you read frequently on the edge of the shelf and the rest behind to ensure that space doesn’t go to waste.
Use baskets and bins
The lack of optimal access is the source of most problems associated with deep bookshelves. You can improve the accessibility of a deep bookshelf with storage containers.
Put the books that you need to be semi-accessible at the back in a basket or bin, and all you have to do is pull it out to access them.
Leave the back empty
Some might say that having a deep bookshelf and not taking advantage of all the space defeats the purpose.
But maximizing storage doesn’t have to be at the expense of a tidy space. In other words, you don’t have to fill every nook and cranny available.
Conclusion
Due to the confluence of Bookstagram, Pinterest, and the rise of DIY culture, more people are now conscious of the appearance of their book collections. Feel free to use the organization techniques in this article to keep your bookshelf organized and aesthetically pleasing.