For book lovers, there’s nothing more beautiful than a shelf full of their favorite authors’ works or overcrowded bookcases that hold their lifelong reading accomplishments — but what do you do when those books start taking over?
Whether you’re a minimalist or just want a tidier bookcase, homeowners with big book collections may want to step back, clear the decks, reorganize their stacks and add a few decorative elements to make their shelves shine.
That’s not to say that your bookcases should be devoid of books entirely to only hold decorative items without meaning. And there is a lot to be said for balancing your favorite objects with your most prized books. Showing some personality on your shelves is key to having a home that feels warm and welcoming, says Todd Saunders, CEO of Broadlume, parent company of FlooringStores and other home brands in New York.
“The best thing about bookshelves is that there are no rules. Whether you have nothing but books shoved on the shelves or you have a mix of books and trinkets, you can mix and match on each shelf to bring out your character,” Saunders says. “Browsing someone’s bookshelves is a bit like browsing through their history, their interests and their inner thoughts all at the same time.”
Here are some tips for prepping and rearranging your bookcases and shelves to maximize space while still enjoying the books that made you who you are.
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Empty your shelves. Yes, it will take time and it might feel a bit challenging at first, but this step is a necessary one, says Kristina Phillips, of Kristina Phillips Interior Design in Ridgewood, New Jersey. “Start with a clean slate,” says Phillips. “Designers are often asked about how to style a bookcase, and the rule of thumb is to keep shelves balanced, both with color and scale.”
Review your books. Many people own too many books or don’t read the books on their shelves. Set aside one to three hours to pull all of your books into one space and sort through them, says Thomas Giarraputo, vice president at Executive Cleaning Services in Huntington Station, New York. “This procedure clears the shelves of any unnecessary items and guarantees that only your most prized books are displayed there,” Giarraputo says.
Organize by genre. Former English major Caitlyn Parsley has a large collection of books, including travel guides for her blog, Intentional Traveling. To make searches for the right book easier, the St. Petersburg, Florida, lawyer recommends using genre as the organizing factor. “For true book lovers, organizing by genre is essential. For example, I have all of my American literature books together, my Shakespeare books together, my British literature books together,” Parsley says.
Add book-themed accessories. Personalizing your bookshelves and bookcases can let people know more about you as a person, says Nick Valentino, vice president of Market Operations for Bellhop, a moving service in New York. “The pride and joy of my book collection is my fiction section. I’ve got hundreds of novels. I also have a variety of displays, knickknacks and artifacts sprinkled throughout to break up the space,” Valentino says. “I have a Lord of the Rings Lego set next to Tolkien, for example. There’s an actual portrait of Dorian Gray next to my Oscar Wilde. These little thematic displays really make that whole wall one of the most eye-catching in my home.”
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Color coordinate. Edward Reay, co-founder of home renovation blog Build Fanatic in Vancouver, says a well-organized bookshelf needs “a meticulous approach to color coordination.” He recommends homeowners sort their books based on color and then form visually pleasing blocks of color by grouping similar hues. This suggestion is a bit controversial as some book lovers only want to display the books they’ve read and loved, or they may want to show off the beautiful leather spines or other bookish appeal of the tomes they’ve kept.
Play with height and depth. Brad Smith, an interior designer and CEO of Omni Home Ideas in Dallas, says a well-organized bookshelf has movement. “Varying the height of objects on shelves draws the eye up and down, creating a dynamic look. Use bookends, small plants or decorative boxes to add layers and depth,” Smith says. “Place some books vertically, stack others horizontally. This creates visual interest and allows each item to shine.”
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Add holiday flair. Smith says natural elements such as pine cones, greenery or a vase of seasonal flowers are ideal for adding a joyful touch. “As we approach the holiday season, a thoughtfully arranged bookshelf can not only organize a collection but also can serve as a festive focal point,” Smith says.
Hang some art. “The empty space within a bookshelf can be unexpectedly interesting by hanging wall art in between the shelves,” says Elise Nicpon, director of customer experience at Room & Board in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. “Taking five minutes to center and hang the frame gives the shelf an organized depth rather than just resting the art on the shelf.”
If this level of organization seems too much, lean into the cluttercore look, says Andre Kazimierski, CEO of Improovy, an on-demand house painting service founded in Chicago.
“If you are working with a more cluttered bookcase, just think about item groupings: What follows a theme, what tells a story,” Kazimierski says.
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How to Organize an Overcrowded Bookcase originally appeared on usnews.com
