For some people, books are excess clutter. For others, they are beautiful possessions. I’m in the latter group. I love books. I love to read books, touch books, look at books, and I especially love organizing books. There is something incredibly satisfying about spending a few hours with a client, taking every book off the shelf, sorting through them thoughtfully, letting go of the ones that no longer serve a purpose or bring joy, and then placing the rest back in a way that feels intentional and beautiful.
Of course, not everyone views books in the same way. Librarians and bibliophiles (like me) believe that books are not clutter, no matter how many you own. However, some people wonder why you need shelves of books when any information is just a quick online search away.
The Sweet Spot
Somewhere in between these two opposing attitudes is a fabulous compromise. I believe that books are useful and decorative. Perhaps when you don’t have adequate bookshelves, or when you have so many that you can’t find and enjoy them, books are excess clutter.
My Books
As I write this article, I’m looking at the bookcase in my living room to see how I organize and display my books. I grouped them by categories such as decorating and design, fiction, self-help, sports, hobbies & interests. And yes, that is a collection of encyclopedias on the bottom shelf! I think my “other half” had them when he was in school. Yet there they are, still taking up space. I’d better explain why I still have them.
Contrary to what people say, they are not forbidden. Yes, the information contained in them is out of date. However, to the organized eye, encyclopedias are beautiful. They are all the same colour. The writing on the spines is all the same, and they are numbered sequentially. What more can you ask for? They unequivocally have all the characteristics of a good organizing system, so I’m keeping them no matter what anyone says about how outdated they are.
Organizing Clients’ Books
I remember a client’s bookshelf-organizing project I did a while ago. We started by grouping the books into categories (history, art, fiction, poetry & writing, autobiographies, etc.). Then we organized them on the shelves by colour and style of writing on the spines. We separated them into beautiful groupings. Then, we strategically placed bookends, vases, and photos throughout to keep the books separated into their categories. We stacked some of the larger art books horizontally and used the stack to support other books placed vertically.
With another client, we grouped her books into categories and assigned them to various bookshelves throughout the house. Then we sorted them alphabetically by author. It took some time, I’ll tell you. We also found that she had several copies of the same book. It just goes to show what happens when they’re scattered all over the house with no particular organizing system. You buy duplicates or triplicates because you can’t find the copy(ies) you already own.
There are so many ways to sort and style your books. However, the “right” way is simply the one that works for you and looks beautiful in your space. But here’s the catch: if you start rereading your old favourites, your organizing project can quickly lose momentum. If you’d like a little help staying focused (and actually finishing what you started), reach out anytime. I’d be happy to help you sort, style, and bring your book collection back to life.