After moving into a new house, it can take some time to make it feel like home. For some, that means a fresh coat of paint. For others, it’s hanging up family photos. But for book lovers? Home doesn’t feel right until their bookshelves are in order.

A bookshelf is a form of self-expression in its own right. Bookshelves are insights into a person’s passions, hobbies, and goals, and they, of course, showcase well-worn favorites. If you’re interested in turning your bookshelves from a cluttered mess into something a little more curated, this guide will walk you through your first steps.

Why Organizing Your Bookshelves Matters

Most people recognize the value of staying organized, but when it comes to bookshelves, the benefits go beyond simple tidiness. A well-organized bookshelf can enhance your space, make reading more enjoyable, and even contribute to a healthier home. Here’s how:

Benefit #1: Aesthetics

Over time, bookshelves often follow a spontaneous organizational style. New purchases go on the top shelf, inherited volumes get tucked away wherever there’s space, and the rest just settle in randomly. Before you know it, the hustle and bustle of life can often leave bookshelves looking chaotic and cluttered. In just one word? Messy.

While a disorganized bookshelf can take some time to rectify, the visual transformation is shocking. According to WebMD, tidier homes lead to lower stress levels, increased focus, and even improved sleep.

Your bookshelf isn’t just a storage area. It’s an opportunity to showcase your personality, enhance your decor, and create a more peaceful, polished environment. What’s not to love?

Benefit #2: Accessibility

Sure, organized bookshelves look great, but they’re also far more practical. When shelves are stacked and crammed without any rhyme or reason it’s tough to find what you’re looking for. The result? Frustration, anxiety, and probably less reading.

Where’s that childhood favorite you meant to re-read?

Did that short story collection make it out of storage, or is it still buried in a box somewhere?

Without a clear system, your bookshelf becomes a guessing game. Any organization method is better than nothing. But, undoubtedly, the best way to read more is to know exactly where to find what inspires you next.

Benefit #3: Air Quality

Finally, one benefit that you might not expect from organizing your bookshelf is that it can actually improve your home’s air quality. Cluttered shelves tend to collect dust and, over time, that dust can harbor allergens like pollen, dust mites, and mold spores. Books that sit untouched for months (or years) are especially good at attracting these irritants.

To make matters worse, modern homes are often sealed tightly for energy efficiency, and struggle with ventilating harmful air contaminants outside like accumulating dust, mold, and radon. By keeping your bookshelves a little more organized and cleaning them from time to time, you’re not just improving your decor, you’re benefitting your entire family’s health.

Further, dust and moisture can lead to mold growth and attract insects that feed on paper and wood. So, a well-maintained bookshelf doesn’t just protect your health, it also helps preserve your furniture and favorite reads. A cleaner shelf means cleaner air, fewer pests, and a healthier, more inviting space. Now that we’ve explored the benefits, let’s dive into how to get started.

Tips for Keeping Your Bookshelf In Order

The first piece of advice we can offer to the avid readers and amateur interior designers out there is to clean, clean, clean your bookshelves! If it’s not already part of your routine, aim to dust lightly once per month and do a deeper clean around once every three months.

Bookshelves are full of nooks and crannies where dust loves to hide. Removing everything from your shelves with some consistency is the best way to keep books in good shape and to maintain good air quality. As a bonus, deep cleaning also gives you the perfect excuse to experiment with a new organizational style. Here are some of the best methods to add to your toolbelt:

1. Sort by Size

Organizing your books by size is a simple way to create a clean, visually balanced look, whether bringing height, width, or even thickness into consideration. The natural instinct says to place larger books on the bottom shelf, and gradually scale to smaller sizes near the top. This orientation gives your bookshelf a solid structural feel that’s sure to please the eye. Alternatively, arranging books from largest to smallest horizontally is also a strong choice.

Looking for some added personality? Mix up how you position your books. Consider alternating between vertical rows and horizontal stacks to break up the space. When planned out intentionally, this method can create one of the most striking final products.

2. Sort by Color

Another old favorite organizational style is to sort your bookshelf by color. Arranging books by their spine color is an instant way to create a satisfying, bold look that can also double as decor.

This method is particularly impactful when it complements your room’s color scheme. Want to highlight an accent wall? Reinforce it with matching tones through your reading materials. You can even utilize color theory when planning out your design, with warm hues like reds and oranges for social spaces and cool tones like blues and purples for wherever you unwind.

Whether you opt for a rainbow gradient, hold to a tonal pattern, or group colors by shelf, sorting your books by color is an undeniably fun way to make your collection stand out.

3. Sort by Genre

If you want your bookshelf to be as functional as it is pleasant to look at, sorting by genre is a smart place to start.

Readers often see different moods strike them from day to day. On Monday they’re exploring a cozy fantasy, then by the weekend they’re diving into a gripping historical biography. Bookshelves that are haphazardly thrown together do readers little favors in finding the right read to match the moment. Organizing by genre makes your collection easier to navigate and encourages more frequent reading

Consider dedicating each shelf to a different subject, or if you have the space, assign an entire bookcase to a particular category. While you probably don’t need to go all-in on the Dewey Decimal System, a loose framework inspired by it might help, starting with general knowledge, then languages, art, and history.

4. Sort by Author

While most libraries use the Dewey Decimal System for nonfiction, most organize fiction by the author’s last name – and for good reason. Every reader has their classic favorite author, that one that they’re on the fence about, and that exciting new discovery that they can’t put down. For these types of readers, an author-first sorting style can work wonders.

Alphabetizing may be the most useful approach for some, but feel free to get creative. Maybe your top shelf is reserved for trusted favorites, while your center shelves can be recommendations from friends. If your mind goes to the author first when considering what to read next, then this organization strategy is the way to go.

5. Sort by…Your Choice!

Not every system has to follow rules. If you’ve got a one-of-a-kind way of organizing your books that only makes sense to you – go for it! What matters most is that you can find what you need, you’re happy with the final product, and your shelves aren’t left collecting dust.

Whether you group books by vibe, reading mood, character names, or the year you bought them, if it helps you find what you need and makes you happy, then it’s the right system.

If we missed your favorite book-sorting system, please let us know! We’re always looking for an excuse to re-sort and maybe rediscover a forgotten favorite along the way.

Bonus: Taking Your Bookshelf Decor to the Next Level

Before we leave you to turn your reading room upside down, let’s talk about style. These finishing touches just might take your bookshelf from simple storage to a true statement piece:

• Vary your bookshelf decor by mixing in elements like pottery, faux plants, framed art and pictures, or antiques. Carefully selected decorative items can reinforce a room’s aesthetic or a shelf’s color scheme. For example, place pottery next to your art books, a metronome near your music section, or an hourglass next to your favorite time travel novels. The possibilities are endless!
  
• Shelves and bookends can be eye-catching too! Consider buying or building miniature shelving units, stands, or risers to set on your bookshelf and elevate shorter books and items that need a little more spotlight. And stylish, thematic bookends can be the final piece that ties everything together.

At National Property Inspections, we see lots of homes, both what makes them special, and their quirks. Stick right here on our blog to learn more about interior design, home maintenance, and other topics we’ve learned along the way!

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