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16 ways to organise your books for practicality and aesthetic

Plot twist: organising by colour isn't the only way

By Sophie Charlotte Thompson
16 ways to organise your books for practicality and aestheticpinterest
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Our must-read lists are forever growing. And whether you’re spending lockdown 2.0 curled up with a romance novel, or drawing inspiration from a feminist manifesto (thank you Florence Given), it can be easy for your book organisation to become total chaos. Sound familiar?

But, with our new-found free time, now seems like the perfect opportunity to restore order and muster up the motivation to organise our must-reads.There are *so* many ways to organise your books, including by colour, alphabetically, and by genre. But the good thing is, there are no rules - just endless inspiration on how you can do it.

So, let us guide you to a more organised bookshelf and subsequently, a more organised mind, with 16 different ways you can store your books.

1

Play with horizontal book stacks

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Particularly if you want the appearance of a full bookshelf, throwing away the ideal of a neatly laid out collection could work to your advantage. Not only does having a few horizontal stacks look more interesting, but it looks means you can store other things on top of them, such as plants or ornaments.

2

Add storage baskets to your bookshelf

Picking out some matching baskets for your shelves work for a number of reasons. Firstly, they look super Instagram-friendly. Sold. But not only that, they also mean you can separate books, or hide any that aren't in as good condition or you simply don't want on display.

3

Oliver Bonas Checked Seagrass Storage Basket Medium

Checked Seagrass Storage Basket Medium
3

Oliver Bonas Checked Seagrass Storage Basket Medium

£19 at Oliver Bonas
Credit: Oliver Bonas

Put a larger storage basket at the bottom to keep things in order and hide anything you don't want on display. It also means you don't necessarily have to fill it with books, and can put blankets or games in there to have within reach.

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4

Store new 'must-reads' together

For easy access, place all the books you haven't got round to reading yet in a group on their own. That way, you can build a nice collection of must-reads, and they won't get among the classics.

5

Order by colour

There's a reason that book-lovers go back to the classic colour organisation system time and time again. While it's not doing anything in terms of practicality, it definitely looks good.

6

Leave your books facing outwards

If you have every intention of reading the books in your collection regularly, this one probably isn't for you. However, if you're someone who purely wants the aesthetic factor, or have kept all the books you've already read, flipping your books round so the pages are on display rather than the spine can create a more uniform look.

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7

Organise by condition

Because who wants their tatty old books infiltrating their flawless new reads? As much as we love them, if the covers of your books are looking a bit worn, keep them all together away from the ones in good condition for some serious visual joy.

8

Re-cover your books

If you want the aesthetic without the compromise of not being able to pick up your favourite book easily, why not re-cover your collection? Choose a paper pattern or fabric you love, and keep all of your books looking the same. Yes this is time-consuming, but the impact lasts forever.

9

V&A Book Jackets

V&A Book Jackets
9

V&A Book Jackets

Credit: V&A

Book jackets not only protect your books, but also create a uniform pattern on your bookshelf for a neater appearance. 

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10

Add ornaments and artwork

Once you're happy with the layout of your books, incorporate some decoration such as plants, or artwork, to make it more visually appealing. One golden rule you should be following however, is not to place anything smaller than an orange as decoration - it will only add to the clutter.

11

TRvancat Reed Grass Plume Dried Flower

 Reed Grass Plume Dried Flower
11

TRvancat Reed Grass Plume Dried Flower

Credit: Amazon

Adding a favourite plant makes your bookshelf feel a lot more welcoming, and gives you a reason to keep going back to it, even when you're feeling uninspired. 

12

H&M Glass candle lantern

Glass candle lantern
12

H&M Glass candle lantern

Credit: H&M

Add vibrant colours that bring you joy, especially if you keep the rest of your decor quite neutral. It'll make your bookshelf give you a relaxed feeling, we promise. Colours don't have to be scary. 

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13

Keep your books in height order

The goal here is to avoid any mountain-looking book collections, and create a clean, uniform feel. Group together books of the same height and aim for straight lines where possible for some serious satisfaction.

14

Organise your books by genre

This will make the decision a lot easier when you're deciding what to read. In the mood for a romance novel? Just head over to your new romance section and take your pick of the selection.

15

Arrange in alphabetical order

Make no mistake, choosing to arrange every single book you own in alphabetical order will take a lot of time. However, the payoff is completely worth it, particularly if you do own a lot of books and frequently need to find specific ones.

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16

Separate your hardbacks from your paperbacks

While we love them both equally, hardbacks and paperbacks do look differently when they're stored. Have your hardbacks in one place and your paperbacks group together in another to keep things neat.

17

H&M Chanel hardcover book

Chanel hardcover book
17

H&M Chanel hardcover book

Credit: H&M

Choose a hardback, coffee table-style book to become your bookshelves' centrepiece. 

18

Separate your fiction and non-fiction books

If you want to feel like a pro, this is how bookshops everywhere group their books, and helps you find what you're looking for easily.

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19

M&S Small Stackable Storage Basket

Small Stackable Storage Basket
19

M&S Small Stackable Storage Basket

Credit: M&S

These wire baskets are compact and stackable, so you can take your category organisation even further.

20

Don't push your books all the way to the back

It makes life a lot easier in terms of practicality and looks. You can grab things more easily without having to spend precious time yanking your favourite read out from between 50 others, and when all your books are aligned, it of course looks more uniform.

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