How To Reorganise Your Bookshelf

Books…probably the most important thing to mankind after food and shelter. They bring us places, fill our minds with knowledge and put to words things we could only dream of. They are such wonderful objects to collect, but before you know it, your bookshelf is sagging from the weight of all the books you have accumulated over the years. While you are spending more time at home, perhaps this is the best time to give your bookshelf a bit of a tidy and *gulp* even get rid of some books.

Donate, pass on or throw

Everyone has a few books that — if we were to think about it — we would probably never pick up again. It is time to be ruthless and either donate them to a thrift store, someone who likes it, or throw it away. Just know that the book will just end up taking up space when a more precious read could have taken its place. If decluttering is too overwhelming, take it slow — maybe go through one shelf at a time everyday, and you will be done before you know it.

Get some extra storage

If you find it hard to throw away your books or find that you really do need all of them at some point in your life, perhaps it is time to look for some storage options. Here at Storefriendly we have a variety of storage options depending on how big your book collection is — from lockers to 120sqft, no collection is too big or too small. With 24/7 air conditioning, you can also be sure that your books will be kept safe from rot, insects, and mould.

The usual methods

There are many ways to go about organising your books — from alphabetical order of authors or titles, dewey decimal system (for the brave) and the more simple method of arranging via genre. Whatever you choose, just make sure it’s an organising system you can stick to and is easy to retrieve your books from. You can use cards to mark out the alphabets, numbers or genre titles so you have space to fuel your future book finds. If your work or hobby requires you to accumulate books, then perhaps a genre system with an added alphabetical arrangement within the genres could make finding your treasured titles more effective.

#aesthetic way

With the rise of booktube and bookstagrams, more and more people have taken to arranging their bookshelves in a way that is aesthetically pleasing. This method is good for people who are more visual. You could either sort your books out in a rainbow order or even ombré. You can also arrange them according to height and size for a pleasing, orderly look. To add to the aesthetic, you could even separate your genres with a booknook. These are magnificent miniature worlds that can really add magic to your shelf and there are many tutorials online to make your own!

Favourite books in the middle

This method is pretty self explanatory — have your favourite books where you can retrieve them the easiest. This is perfect for those who reread their books often, as it allows you to place unread books in their own spot so you know what to reach for when you are done.

Reading is such a calming pastime, the perfect start and end to a day. Thus it is vital to make your bookshelf an equally calming place to be around, instead of having to battle with falling books each time you retrieve something. While rearranging your shelf might be a bit of work, think of how neat and calming it will be in a couple of days!