My mission for Labor Day weekend last year was to get the books organized onto our massive bookshelf in the family room. It was a big project that took all day, but it was so worth it!
When we moved in and unpacked two months earlier, we just stacked books randomly on the shelves so that they were out of the way. So my first step was to remove all of the books from the shelves. As I did that, I grouped them by genre because that's how I organize and shelve our books.
When we moved in and unpacked two months earlier, we just stacked books randomly on the shelves so that they were out of the way. So my first step was to remove all of the books from the shelves. As I did that, I grouped them by genre because that's how I organize and shelve our books.
Success! The shelves were empty and the books were stacked in groups all over the floor.
Our non-fiction books and literary classics get shelved on the "fancy bookshelf." Our "fun" fiction books, like my historical fictions and mysteries (among many others) and Peter's fantasy and science fiction, are shelved elsewhere (more on that in a minute).
Just look at that beautiful clean bookshelf, waiting for its shelves to be filled with knowledge and wisdom and adventure!
The above pictures were taken in the morning. The pictures below were taken in the evening when I had finally finished. This literally took me all day. I was so glad to get it done! The visual effect was very rewarding and pleasing, and my sense of calm and order was restored! At least as far as this bookshelf was concerned.
I like to mix in various knick-knacks and decorative objects with books.
Two items still on the to-do list after a year: I still need to get the recessed lighting working in the shelf, and I should also get the shelf attached to the wall for safety.
😍 Happiness 😍
This isn't a very good picture because I snapped it quickly with my phone for the purpose of adding to a comment on my Facebook post about this project. But these are our "fun" books in the office. I did this project in July and it took me several days of painstaking methodical work (that I secretly enjoy).
(The fourth shelf down on the right side looks better now than it did in this picture because I've since gotten that nice and organized. It was still kind of a mess at that point.)
Two of our old IKEA bookshelves are in the basement rec room. One of them is filled with more of Peter's books and the other one is half-full of more non-fictions and my blog books.
The good news as far as space goes is that Peter rarely buys actual books anymore. Because he travels so much, he buys the digital version of almost all new books that he now gets.
I'm a traditionalist and am loyal to the actual book, so my collection continues to grow. But I'm using the library more often and giving away books that don't mean very much to me, and instituting periodic book-buying bans until I read more of what I already have (as much as it grieves me to do so!).
My dream has always been to have an actual library room with shelves lining all of the walls that give plenty of space for books galore. But I'm pretty happy with what I've got right now. 😊📚
The good news as far as space goes is that Peter rarely buys actual books anymore. Because he travels so much, he buys the digital version of almost all new books that he now gets.
I'm a traditionalist and am loyal to the actual book, so my collection continues to grow. But I'm using the library more often and giving away books that don't mean very much to me, and instituting periodic book-buying bans until I read more of what I already have (as much as it grieves me to do so!).
My dream has always been to have an actual library room with shelves lining all of the walls that give plenty of space for books galore. But I'm pretty happy with what I've got right now. 😊📚
