If you’ve been in the habit of carelessly stacking your books where there’s an extra inch of shelf space, it’s time to step up your organization game.
A strong book organization system not only makes it easier to find what you’re looking for, it also makes it more likely that you’ll pick up a book and read it.
You are reading: How to organize library books
Organizing your favorite reads doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming, either. We’ve put together a list of 12 easy and smart ways to organize your books; no professional library experience is necessary.
Pro tip: Before you organize your books, you can sort them. Here’s how to decide which books to keep or delete.
1. separate your hardcover and paperback books
Divide your hardbacks and paperbacks for a cleaner, more streamlined look on your bookshelves. It’s also a great way to organize if you’re a visual person.
2. organize your books by color
This organization strategy is ideal if you’re the type of reader who tends to associate certain stories with their covers, or if you’re just really into the idea of statement bookshelves.
The best part about this method is that you can get super creative: stack your colors, try an ombre pattern, or go for a rainbow look.
Pro tip: If you like to match the colors in your books, try matching your wardrobe as well.
3. don’t be afraid to stack books
Keeping all your books in neat rows is a thing of the past. If you want a handful of select books to stand out, stack ‘em. You can stack by theme, cover, or size, and keep stacks on their own or use them to break up a row. There’s no wrong way to do it.
4. organize books by genre or theme
Group your mysteries together, your travel memoirs, your 18-century English literature novels, your cookbooks, and so on.
See Also: Mary Ellen Taylor – Book Series In Order
Organizing by genre and subject makes it easy to find the right book for your current mood and interests, so you’ll know exactly where to look when you need to satisfy your WWII curiosity or want a little romantic story to spice up your Saturday night.
5. show your favorite books front and center
Instead of lumping your favorite books in with all their mediocre peers (then frantically scanning the shelves every time you want to reread them), display them front and center where they can shine.
6. organize your books alphabetically
Alphabetical organization works best if you remember book titles and author names more than genres and plot points. It’s also ideal if your collection of books is so massive it’s basically a mini library.
Even better than the sense of accomplishment you’ll get from organizing your books alphabetically?
the satisfaction you’ll feel when your friends stop by to borrow a book and know exactly where to find it.
7. organize your books according to how they made you feel
Maybe some books made you cry with sadness, while others made you laugh out loud at two in the morning. maybe you read such compelling books that you can’t get up from the couch for hours. maybe some books inspired you to pursue your passions, while others shattered your innocence. maybe you read books that changed your life and others that didn’t impress you at all.
If you tend to have strong emotional responses to books, this method of organization is a great way to categorize and distinguish what you’ve read.
8. group the books you haven’t read yet
Gather all the books you haven’t read yet and place them in their own special TBR (To Be Read) section so they don’t get lost among the other titles.
the best part?
See Also: The Best Iris Murdoch Books | Five Books Expert Recommendations
You always have a book or two (or maybe five) to turn to when you need a new read.
9. organize your books by height and size
Keep books of similar size and height together to give your collection a clean, tidy feel. the goal here is to create straight, even lines with the tops of the books; staggered rows are not allowed at the top of the mountain.
10. separate your books by author: contemporary or classic
This method works best if you have a diverse collection of old and new books. We’re talking Stephen King and Toni Morrison types, plus your Fitzgeralds, Austens, and Hemingways.
You can define contemporary and classic however you like: living and deceased authors, books written before and after a certain date, or books published in specific time periods.
11. organize the books according to the condition of their covers
This is another way to limit visual clutter on your bookshelves. Keep your torn, tattered, and weather-faded books all in one place, and your books with beautiful, well-kept covers in another.
12. separate fiction and non-fiction
Every bookstore around the world employs this method because it’s simple and classic. Just group fiction books together and store everything else in another spot. Easy.
for all the books that won’t fit on your shelves but you don’t want to say goodbye to, use clutter.
Simply schedule a pickup and pack your things. We’ll take everything from your home and transport it to our secure, temperature-controlled storage facility.
And when you need to retrieve that box of ’80s crime novels, simply browse the convenient online photo catalog of your stuff, click the item’s photo, and we’ll send it right to you.
See Also: An Irish Hostage – (bess Crawford Mysteries) By Charles Todd : Target