When I was younger, I dreamed of living in a house with a huge library. You know the kind – floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, rolling ladders, books tucked into every corner. It was my idea of paradise.
These days, my dream library looks a little different. After moving several times and living in a small apartment, I’ve become much more selective about the books I keep. Instead of endless shelves, I have just a few carefully organized bookcases and, as it turns out, the way I organize them says quite a bit about me.
Which brings me to the point of this post: my bookshelf organization system.
Alphabetical for the Win
Every shelf is organized alphabetically by author. If I own books in a series, they’re shelved in reading order. I like knowing exactly where every book belongs. Browsing is fun, but searching shouldn’t feel like a treasure hunt.
The To-Be-Read Shelves
A couple of my bookshelves include a novel I’m 80 pages into, a couple of nonfiction books I bought with great enthusiasm months ago, books I picked up because I liked the covers and haven’t opened once, and books from my recent book hauls. These are the shelves of optimism. Every book represents a future version of me who’s convinced she’ll finally read that nonfiction book or pick up the gorgeous novel she bought because of the cover.
They all live together in their own slightly guilty corner, like they’re on probation until they prove themselves worthy. Every time I go looking for my next read, they’re there silently reminding me of all my ambitious shopping decisions, but keeping them front and center also means they actually have a chance of getting read.
The Nora Shelf
Yes, I have a shelf that only contains Nora Roberts books. It’s only about half full, and I haven’t read every book on it yet. My goal is to fill the shelf with Nora Roberts books that become favorites. Apparently I’m the kind of reader who thinks one favorite author deserves her own real estate.
The Craft Shelf
Knitting, writing, creativity – if I’m interested in learning how to make something, the books end up here. Apparently I collect hobbies almost as enthusiastically as I collect books.
The Personal Improvement Shelf
Nearly an entire shelf is devoted to personal improvement books. I’m choosing to believe this means I’m optimistic rather than a constant work in progress.
The Library Book Pile
Library books have their own section. These books are separate from my bookshelves and go in a pile on one of my tables. They don’t get shelf privileges because I know they’ll be heading back to the library soon.
The Favorites Shelf (and Future Bookstore Collection)
Recently I decided to stop donating every book I finish. Instead, I’m keeping my favorites because someday I’d love to open a bookstore. It might be years away, but every good bookstore has to start somewhere.
My Complicated Feelings About Color-Coded Shelves
You’ve seen those shelves. Rainbow-ordered, aesthetically stunning, and absolutely useless if you’re trying to find a specific book in under ten minutes. I understand the appeal, but I don’t have the discipline (or the matching book jackets) to pull this off myself. Plus, I tend to remember authors and titles, not what a book looks like. I’d never be able to find anything if my bookshelves were organized that way.
Maybe my bookshelves aren’t the grand library I imagined when I was younger, but they’re perfectly suited to the reader I’ve become. They’re organized enough that I can always find what I’m looking for, messy enough to remind me that reading is supposed to be fun, and filled with books that reflect who I am today.
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