Bookshelf Organization 101
Book lovers, avid readers, and collectors often face the same challenge: a lack of shelf space. As the number of books in your home increases through receiving recommendations or bookstore shopping sprees, it can lead to towering stacks in the living room, bedroom, and other areas.
Here, you’ll find helpful tips on organizing your bookshelves beautifully, decorating them to reflect your style, caring for your books, and storing them effectively until it’s time for a shelf rotation. Let’s make your reading space a cozy and inspiring sanctuary!
Ideas for Organizing Bookshelves
Bookcase organization is profoundly personal and depends entirely on your style and taste. Here are five simple and fun ideas to help you organize your bookshelves and create a wonderfully cozy reading space that you’ll love!
Arrange by Genre
Organizing your books by genre is an excellent way to group similar titles together, which is why this practice is common in libraries and bookstores. One shelf can be dedicated to your favorite science fiction novels, while the shelf below can feature your collection of classic literature.
One tricky aspect of this type of organization is the frequent blending of genres in books. This blending is incredibly popular today, as seen in the fusion of science fiction with political intrigue, as in “Dune” by Frank Herbert. Books like Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s “Mexican Gothic” merge horror with historical fiction, while Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” intertwines historical fiction with fantasy. Ultimately, it’s your decision on how to classify these works.
Organize by Color
A popular choice among interior designers and home stagers is to arrange books by their color. You can easily craft a stunning rainbow effect on your shelves or in a child’s bedroom, or select specific colors to match different holidays and seasons, such as yellow, green, and light blue for summer, orange, black, purple, and red for Halloween, or white and blue for winter.
Although arranging books by color is aesthetically pleasing, many bibliophiles dislike this method since it can break up series, and works by the same author or collection.
Organize by Frequency of Use
Do you have a book series you enjoy rereading each year? Or, are you studying certain novels for school and need to access them easily? These books, textbooks, novels, poetry, and short stories should be front and center on your bookshelf.
Keep them arranged on an eye-level shelf, organized by the order in which you’ll read them, size, alphabetically, or however you prefer. Avoid placing decorations in front of them so you can grab and go when necessary without knocking something off the shelf.
Arrange Alphabetically
The alphabetical arrangement of books is the most common method for organizing books within their respective genres, as bookstores and libraries also do. A, B, C, D, and so on through the alphabet—arranging your books in alphabetical order by last name can help you locate them quicker. You won’t have to stare at the spines of your books for half an hour in search of a Charles Dickens or Stephen King novel anymore with this approach!
Bookshelf Decor Items and Aesthetic Decorations To Buy
- Stylish bookends. Do you want to display books on the very top of your bookshelf? Enhance the design with bookends, whether they’re ceramic, metal, or marble.
- Mini potted plants or succulents. Introduce a touch of greenery to your shelves by incorporating small, low-maintenance succulents and plants. Plants with trailing vines always look beautiful cascading down from the top of a bookshelf.
- Decorative storage baskets. Minimize clutter and add texture to your bookshelf by adding a decorative basket to the bottom shelf. Whether it’s woven, linen-lined, or leather, you can easily switch out decorations and tidy up quickly if needed.
- Framed art or photographs. Add depth by placing framed photos or art against the back of your shelf or books to include personal touches throughout.
- String lights or light strips. Enhance the ambience of your bookshelf—and home—by adding string lights around the outside of the shelf or incorporating light strips to illuminate your shelves.
What Is the Best Way To Store Books?
Book storage is an art, as books are sensitive to several conditions. It’s always best to keep your books out of damp or humid environments, as this can lead to mold, musty odors, and warped pages or covers. You should also avoid storing them in plastic sacks or airtight bags. Books need to breathe, and these conditions can trap moisture within, promoting the growth of mildew.
Creative Ways To Store Books at Home for Shelf Rotation
If you enjoy rotating your shelves by season or mood, keeping your space tidy while caring for your books is essential. We’ve come up with some clever ways to store your books at home while keeping them organized. Under-bed rolling crates are always an excellent choice, providing a clean area for your books to rest until it’s time for them to be taken out, all without taking up necessary space in a bedroom.
Another clever option is a storage ottoman or bench. Lining the interior with cedar planks naturally protects the items inside from insects such as beetles and moths. Cedar planks also provide a clean, fresh scent to keep your books from smelling musty.
Do you want to have a spot for your favorite book at any given time? Hanging a floating shelf on the wall is an easy way for you to rotate displays. This is also a great way to maximize a small space by utilizing vertical wall space.
How To Store Books in a Storage Unit
When you know how to store your books properly, it’s an easy process that saves money and makes caring for books easier. Pack them in a sturdy, acid-free box, lying flat with lighter books on top. Placing heavy books on light ones can cause pressure damage and bending. Avoid overpacking by checking the weight every few books you load in.
Speaking of the weight of your books, keep in mind that overpacked boxes can collapse. You should fill any empty spaces with Bubble Wrap, packing peanuts, or packing paper to prevent shifting. To reduce the risk of mold, add silica gel packets to absorb moisture and label the contents of the boxes.
Books should be kept out of direct sunlight, as this can cause fading and make the pages brittle. They also need to be in a stable environment to avoid moisture exposure. A climate-controlled storage unit is an ideal solution to prevent book damage. These specialized storage units maintain a controlled atmosphere, with air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter, to prevent damage from external weather conditions.
Maintain Your Organized Bookshelf With Self Storage Plus
When you’re searching for the best storage for your books, you can trust Self Storage Plus. Our climate-controlled storage units help maintain the condition of your books and keep them ready when you need them next.
Our storage units offer modern security features and are also an excellent option for storing seasonal decorations, your offseason wardrobe, or items you’ve decluttered from your home.
Find a Self Storage Plus storage facility near you and rent a storage unit today! If you have any questions for our team, contact us online, visit our FAQ page, or read our storage blog for more tips.