If you love books as I do, or they simply seem to multiply like the buckets and mops in Walt Disney’s 1940s film “Fantasia,” then perhaps it’s time to get organized before the task becomes too daunting. There are easy ways to arrange a home library, and as we all know, organization pays big dividends.
Why organize?
Organized shelves not only look better, but they also help you locate the book you wish to read, which is the most important thing. This sounds very simple, and it is. Looking for a book in a disorganized home is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack and is just as annoying. Your home will feel calmer, and isn’t that always a good thing? While we cannot control the entire world, we can decide to have tidy bookshelves.
Where to begin
Start by separating books by subject matter. Divide fiction from nonfiction and then again by category: romance, mysteries, biographies, etc. You may wish to include a “to be read” section.
Another practical step is to group by author. For instance, keep all the novels by Dame Agatha Christie together and separate from those of Charles Dickens.
To keep things functional, you should also store books where they are likely to be used. My sister Amelia kept all of her cookbooks in the kitchen. While my mother was a gifted and creative cook who very seldom opened a cookbook, Amelia literally cooked by the book…