How to Organize a Bookshelf
Give away unwanted books., Check for size restrictions., Divide into fiction and nonfiction., Sort fiction by genre or author., Sort nonfiction by topic.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Give away unwanted books.
It's easiest to part with books before you organize the whole collection.
Box away books you'll never read again, or that you'll never get around to.
You can sell these or give them away at used bookstores, charity stores, libraries, or websites such as Book Mooch or Book Scouter. -
Step 2: Check for size restrictions.
Before you construct a master plan, make sure you know the limitations.
Some bookcases have shelves of different spacing, which may require keeping paperbacks on one shelf and hardbacks on another.
Textbooks or coffee table art books may need to be stacked flat in order to fit.
Divide your books to fit these restrictions, and treat each pile as a separate organization task.
Large, heavy books should be shelved on sturdy shelves, usually the lowest one.
Do not shelve them above head height. , Take all the books off their shelves and place them into fiction and nonfiction piles.
You're usually in the mood for one or the other, so this makes it easy to browse for an impromptu read. , Divide a large, varied fiction collection by genre, keeping each one on a separate shelf or group of shelves.
Within each genre, sort alphabetically by author's last name.
If you only have two or three shelves of fiction, or most of your fiction is in the same genre, sort by last name without dividing them.
Common fiction genres include mystery, literary, young adult, fantasy, and science fiction. , Sort your nonfiction books into separate stacks by topic.
Get a feel for how much you have in each category.
Ideally, you'll want about 1–3 shelves in each category.
You may need to think of broader or narrower topics to achieve this.
There are many broad nonfiction topics, including gardening, cooking, history, biography, biology, and reference books.
A specialized collection can be sorted with many subtopics.
For instance, a history collection can be divided by continent, then country, then time period.
If your home has more nonfiction than your local library, use the Dewey Decimal system. -
Step 3: Divide into fiction and nonfiction.
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Step 4: Sort fiction by genre or author.
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Step 5: Sort nonfiction by topic.
Detailed Guide
It's easiest to part with books before you organize the whole collection.
Box away books you'll never read again, or that you'll never get around to.
You can sell these or give them away at used bookstores, charity stores, libraries, or websites such as Book Mooch or Book Scouter.
Before you construct a master plan, make sure you know the limitations.
Some bookcases have shelves of different spacing, which may require keeping paperbacks on one shelf and hardbacks on another.
Textbooks or coffee table art books may need to be stacked flat in order to fit.
Divide your books to fit these restrictions, and treat each pile as a separate organization task.
Large, heavy books should be shelved on sturdy shelves, usually the lowest one.
Do not shelve them above head height. , Take all the books off their shelves and place them into fiction and nonfiction piles.
You're usually in the mood for one or the other, so this makes it easy to browse for an impromptu read. , Divide a large, varied fiction collection by genre, keeping each one on a separate shelf or group of shelves.
Within each genre, sort alphabetically by author's last name.
If you only have two or three shelves of fiction, or most of your fiction is in the same genre, sort by last name without dividing them.
Common fiction genres include mystery, literary, young adult, fantasy, and science fiction. , Sort your nonfiction books into separate stacks by topic.
Get a feel for how much you have in each category.
Ideally, you'll want about 1–3 shelves in each category.
You may need to think of broader or narrower topics to achieve this.
There are many broad nonfiction topics, including gardening, cooking, history, biography, biology, and reference books.
A specialized collection can be sorted with many subtopics.
For instance, a history collection can be divided by continent, then country, then time period.
If your home has more nonfiction than your local library, use the Dewey Decimal system.
About the Author
Gregory Hernandez
Gregory Hernandez specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 11 years. Gregory is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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