For anyone who has a lot of books, there’s always the question of how to store and organize those books. Here’s a list of 9 ways to keep your shelves in order.
If you don’t want your bookshelves to be a complete mess, you need to find a way to organize them—and as it turns out, there are almost as many ways to set up your shelf as there are genres to choose from.
1. Alphabetical Order: Simple and Straightforward
Alphabetizing is the most obvious way to organize a bookshelf, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice by any stretch of the imagination. This is one of those “oldies but goodies” that makes books easy to find and easy to put away since you don’t have to do any extra mental gymnastics to figure out where every single volume should go. Just check the author name and slap it in place.
2. Categorize by Subject to Satisfy Your Inner Librarian
While libraries love to sort by alphabetical order, they sort, first and foremost, by subject matter. (Dewey Decimal, anyone?) It’s a great way to keep a private library organized as well, particularly if you own a lot of books.
This method also helps a lot if you’re like me, wanting to go for a helpful and informative nonfiction book, and accidentally getting distracted by the tempting fictional titles right next to it. Keeping the two in entirely separate locations makes it easier to stay on target.
3. Color-Coded Aesthetic
If you’re more focused on the visual impact the shelf creates, color coding might be the way to go. It creates a clear and stunning rainbow effect that’s sure to draw the eye. Even if your books are a bit worn, organizing them by color is sure to brighten your bookshelf and spark a bit of joy every time you glance their way. (Do it! It’s the Marie Kondo Way.)
4. Proactively Plan: Sort by Read Status
The focus with this is less organizing the books you’ve already read, and more planning out the ones you want to read in the future. To do this, you can have a dedicated to-be-read shelf, or just a pile stacked up wherever is convenient.
For those who like to read multiple books simultaneously, you might even consider a dedicated “currently reading” section. (Assuming you’re not just heaping them on your nightstand.)
5. Accessorizing Your Shelf
Bookshelves don’t have to be all books. They can offer storage space for other items, such as pictures, vases, or knick-knacks. Alternatively, you can add objects that enhance the literature around it. If you have a favorite author whose books you want to commemorate, you can frame them on your shelf with special bookends or custom trinkets.
Maybe there are a few books that carry a special meaning for you that face proudly outward. If there’s one that reminds you of specific times or people, a sentimental keepsake or two can give that space a nice touch.
6. Turn the Hourglass and Go Chronological
Nostalgia can be a powerful thing, and it’s yet another way to organize your shelves. Whether you want to go by when you first read the book or when the book was first published, you can order your collection chronologically. It’s not as orderly as most other methods, and it’s certainly not one you’d want to find in a public library or bookstore—finding a particular title would be a headache and a half!
However, for a personal collection, it paints a definitive picture of the years gone by, old gradually melding into new.
7. Minimalism
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is minimalism: keeping purely what you most need or most want, and eliminating all excess. With this approach, you will likely be left with a lot of empty space on your shelves, as you’ll want to donate or sell any books that you don’t read or often refer to. Bookends will be a big help in keeping the shelf looking neat. If the books are few enough, you can simply face them outward and space them apart.
Part of the beauty of minimalism is the empty space, so you don’t want to fill it up with unnecessary clutter. If it feels too **empty, though, consider a few artfully-chosen houseplants or simple natural objects.
8. Get a More Global Perspective: Group by Geography
If your collection has a diverse array of cultural or international books, you might want to consider sorting them by country of origin. Have some ancient Nordic mythology here, and some Chinese cookbooks there. Depending on how broad your collection is, you could easily make your shelves a map of the world.
9. Arrangement to Fit Unique Shelves
Sometimes, you’ve got to work with whatever space you have—and if you’ve invested in a bookshelf with a unique shape or design, you have to organize your collection to accommodate. This might mean combining a few different methods above or coming up with an all-new approach.
Just be careful of shelving that’s a little too abstract. You don’t want to store your books in a way that’s hard to access or could damage their spines. At least, not if you ever plan to read them!
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Migz
K Lou
K. Lou is a writer born in the U.S. who found her way to Japan through a spiritual calling—or, more precisely, better access to tea. She writes about travel, culture, and the occasional creative piece, inspired by her enduring love of books. This love began in high school when K. Lou carried books around to avoid seeming odd while lost in thought. Once she started reading, she never stopped. With zero regrets, she continues to explore the written word and invites others to join her in celebrating its varied forms.
