ORGANIZE YOUR BOOKS
We love books. They are the hardest things for us to get rid of. The main motivator for ridding ourselves of our beloved books is so that we can buy more. So we understand that maintaining orderly bookshelves can be a challenge. We just have to keep telling ourselves that we can have no more books than we have space to store them. That means sharing some of our treasures with others before we add new ones to our shelves.
Here are some hints to help you get your books organized.
Clear out all the books and put them in one large space. The floor works fine. As you take them from the shelves remove any papers and bookmarks. Separate the books into five piles: keep, recycle (some paperbacks and pamphlets), throw away, give away, and sell. Immediately take all the books you are not going to keep to their final resting-places. Another alternative is to plan a book swapping party with friends. If you do this remember to dispose of enough books, so that you have space on your shelves for those you will claim for yourself.
Group the “keep” books into categories that are meaningful for you. We like fiction, nonfiction, do it yourself, cooking, children’s, and resource books (like dictionary) as main divisions. We like to sort the books alphabetically within these groups. You may decide to just group alphabetically by title or by author. You could even use the Dewey Decimal system like the libraries do. The Dewey Decimal Numbers are usually listed in the front of the book with the publication information. If you want to digitally catalogue your books by tags, Dewey Decimal Numbers or Library of Congress Categories, take a look at the website Library Thing which allows you to enter 200 titles free of charge. You might also opt to keep books in spaces close to where they are used - repair instructions with the tools, craft books in the craft basket, cookbooks in the kitchen.
Once you have the books off the shelves and grouped as you like them, clean the shelves thoroughly. Replace the books in the categories you have selected, dusting them as you go. You may have to be flexible and place oversized or heavy books on a bottom shelf regardless of category. Nothing can ruin a reading session like a bump on the head from a heavy book on a high shelf.
If the shelves are long, break up the book display with decorative items or use bookends to stabilize groups of books. If books still will not stay upright, take a look at the Shelf Shark Organizer available at Home Depot or http://www.shelfshark.com/. These handy little devices keep books standing straight.
Once you have your shelves filled with the books you love, remember to dispose of a book every time you bring a new one home. If that is more than you can bear, get a library card. It is good for your pocketbook and good for the planet.
Have fun and stay organized.
Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net
Here are some hints to help you get your books organized.
Clear out all the books and put them in one large space. The floor works fine. As you take them from the shelves remove any papers and bookmarks. Separate the books into five piles: keep, recycle (some paperbacks and pamphlets), throw away, give away, and sell. Immediately take all the books you are not going to keep to their final resting-places. Another alternative is to plan a book swapping party with friends. If you do this remember to dispose of enough books, so that you have space on your shelves for those you will claim for yourself.
Group the “keep” books into categories that are meaningful for you. We like fiction, nonfiction, do it yourself, cooking, children’s, and resource books (like dictionary) as main divisions. We like to sort the books alphabetically within these groups. You may decide to just group alphabetically by title or by author. You could even use the Dewey Decimal system like the libraries do. The Dewey Decimal Numbers are usually listed in the front of the book with the publication information. If you want to digitally catalogue your books by tags, Dewey Decimal Numbers or Library of Congress Categories, take a look at the website Library Thing which allows you to enter 200 titles free of charge. You might also opt to keep books in spaces close to where they are used - repair instructions with the tools, craft books in the craft basket, cookbooks in the kitchen.
Once you have the books off the shelves and grouped as you like them, clean the shelves thoroughly. Replace the books in the categories you have selected, dusting them as you go. You may have to be flexible and place oversized or heavy books on a bottom shelf regardless of category. Nothing can ruin a reading session like a bump on the head from a heavy book on a high shelf.
If the shelves are long, break up the book display with decorative items or use bookends to stabilize groups of books. If books still will not stay upright, take a look at the Shelf Shark Organizer available at Home Depot or http://www.shelfshark.com/. These handy little devices keep books standing straight.
Once you have your shelves filled with the books you love, remember to dispose of a book every time you bring a new one home. If that is more than you can bear, get a library card. It is good for your pocketbook and good for the planet.
Have fun and stay organized.
Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net
Labels: Back Pack, Book, Bookends, Books, Cookbook, Fiction, How To, Key Transitions, Library, Non-Fiction, Organize, Organizer, Organizing, Professional Organizer, Shelves, Storage
posted by Key Transitions at 6:00 AM
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