How to Arrange a Bookcase

Things You Need:

• Bookcase
• Books
• Trinkets to display (optional)

As your book collection grows, your bookshelves may become cluttered and messy. When organized, this piece of furniture can add a touch of charm to any room, but when disorderly, nothing looks sloppier. If you can figure out how to arrange a bookcase, you'll bring a sense of order and class to your home. Plus, you might be able to finally find that book you've wanted to read!

Arranging Bookcases:

1. Clear it out. Remove all the books from your shelf and clear out a good amount of space in the area for easier organizing.

2. Organize. Decide how you want to organize your bookcase. You can do it by author, title, subject matter or genre -- whatever works for you. If books will be organized by author or title, begin inserting them on the shelves alphabetically. As you add each book, slide books in either direction to accommodate. If books will be organized by subject matter or genre, begin piling books into their own sections. Once you have sorted through each group, move each stack of books up to the shelves. If you want an especially eye-pleasing bookshelf, consider organizing by color. Begin piling books into stacks according to their colors. Decide whether you want to align books based on the rainbow or another color system. You can also sort books into different rooms depending on decor. For example, black and white books look gorgeous in a dining room; blue books look good in the bedroom.

3. Spruce it up. For an extra bit of style, bring trinkets in and match them to the appropriate sections of the bookshelf. If you leave spaces between several books, you can truly integrate all the decorative pieces. You can also turn some books on their side in a stack, using them to display items on top. If you don't have enough books to fill the shelves, use heavy bookends to keep the books from sliding and falling off. It's also a good idea to keep your favorite books easily accessible to avoid unnecessary moving.