HG Openhouse Blog

How do you organize your books? I tend to organize mine library-style. Grouping the books by non-fiction/fiction, then sub-grouping them according to genre or subject. Sometimes I place them alphabetically after that by author, but usually the final grouping is by size.
Yesterday I was doing some fall cleaning. First I emptied the bookshelf completely, setting a few books aside to donate to others. Then, after dusting both books and shelves, I decided to try a new arrangement. I organized the books, as best I could, by color. This might not work if you have a large collection, but since I keep only my absolute must-haves and favorites it’s pretty easy for me to find what I’m looking for no matter how I line them up.

It’s fun to break up a line of books with some decorative elements as well. I usually display a few family photos, some decorative bookends, and a few select ornaments. Changing these up to reflect the season is a great way to give your old arrangement a new look even without changing the order of your books.

If you have trouble keeping your book collection under control, try weeding through your books at least once or twice a year and give some away. Use the library for quick reads. Treat mass paperbacks like magazines and pass them on to others when you are done. When you do acquire new titles for your collection, make sure you purchase any additional shelving needed to store them. Click here for additional tips on organizing your home library.

So what do you think looks better? (you can click on the photos to see the full bookcase)

Library style (bookcase to the left) or color-co-ordinated (bookcase below)? Or do you have another neat way for displaying your books I could try?