Crafting Your Bookshelf - Part I

If you love the idea of crafting your book collection to something that pleases your eye and uplifts your spirit every time you walk by or pull a book from the shelf, read on!

My mind like a computer, I have three programs running while crafting a bookshelf: Functionality, Beauty, and Elevation. Let’s start with...

Functionality

I believe that when making a home, how you organize your space and stuff cannot truly feel beautiful unless there’s functionality. In fact, beauty really felt in your home lies in the functionality itself.

A tall order? I don’t believe so! Start with these 2 questions:

1. Who will be using the bookshelf? Is it just you? What about your kid/s? Partner(s)? Arrange accordingly, such as designating certain areas for each person.

• For example, the kid gets the bottom shelf they can reach (and practice keeping organized themselves), while you the adult get the higher shelves.

• Clump the books to make it most easy to find the one you’re looking for, and most easy to add on to your collection.

• Keep the most used books in the location most easy to grab and put back away (i.e. eye-level, arm’s length).

2. Static or changing? Is this where you’re going to store books you don’t anticipate really “touching” a lot? Do you want this bookshelf to display some other items too, like art, photos, or mementos? Or is this more of a working bookshelf, where you keep your ever changing pile of “to read” books and/or keep your textbooks, business books or reference materials? 

• If the former is true, you can embrace more of a “museum curator” mind. More on this in part II and III, on Beauty and Elevation

• If the latter is true, you’ll probably want to leave breakables off this shelf, and embrace more practical items like bookends and containers to help keep the moving books organized as you interact with them.

  • Embrace your inner artist with bookends. I had a roommate who took vases and filled them with pretty collected rocks. For my current shelf I happened to have a lot of extra sturdy candles, so I used those - they invoke a “cozy reading mood.”

  • Piling some books horizontally can help a lot with organizing an “active” bookshelf. They act as bookends and add aesthetic.

I can’t wait to share about incorporating Beauty and Elevation into your book collection. But hopefully these questions posed and ideas offered give you a place to start. Happy curating. If you have any questions, email me! I’d love to hear from you. onwardupwardorganizing@gmail.com.

~Sara