How to Organize a Bookshelf or Bookcase

Well-organized bookshelves can be the focal point of a room.

Turn the page on a messy bookshelf to create a show place for treasured mementos and favorite volumes. Clear off cluttered, messy shelves that have become a dumping ground for magazines and trinkets. Edit what goes on your shelves so you tell a cohesive story with your selections.

Instructions

1. Remove everything from the shelves. Clean and dust shelves. Wipe off the books, knickknacks and bookends. Sort out magazines.

2. Discard old magazines and damaged or unsightly books, especially paperbacks. Ruthlessly sort through the memorabilia on the shelves. If something's not worthy of spotlight on the premier stage in your home, ditch it.

3. Arrange books according to subject, size or color. Keep hardcover books and paperback books separate. Put aside a few large, attractive books to display on a coffee table or accent table to tie the room together.

4. Replace the books with the spines flush with the front of the shelf. Don't fill the shelf; leave one-quarter of the space for a bookend, memento or framed photograph to add interest to the display. Create a zigzag pattern -- alternating books and displays -- to add variety and balance as you fill the shelves.

5. Mix things up on your shelves. Stack some books flat to break up the monotony of the vertical display and to protect large, heavy books from warping. Pop a small, decorative item on top of the stack to create a miniature still life.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid small decorative items that are distracting to the eye and require frequest dusting

• Avoid placing photos on bookshelves as this distracts from the neatness

References

• Washington Post; Bookshelves With Style and Substance; Terri Sapienza
• Real Simple; Organize Your Bookshelves;