Books are magic — they let you explore new worlds and lively characters without ever leaving your home. And best of all, you can give these worlds a home on your bookshelves, just waiting to be rediscovered.
But are your shelves worthy of such a task? In honor of Library Shelfie Day (Jan. 25), take the opportunity to make a dazzling bookshelf that is Insta-worthy! And to help, we've come up with seven fantastic organization tips you haven't thought of!
1. Arrange by Color
Give your library a jolt of style by organizing your books by color. You can arrange them by the color of your books or cover them in colorful paper. And if you have multiple series, you can keep them organized by placing them in the same color.
You can change up the colors shelf by shelf, make a fun pattern that'll look great in a shelfie, or create a rainbow effect — no matter how you choose, this technique will make your library look stunning!
2. High-Low Arrangement
Sometimes when you have so many books, it can be challenging to track down your favorites — unless you organize them in alternating horizontal and vertical piles! You can place the largest books on the bottom, so they can better support the top books. This way, you can easily organize all your books, even the ones that don't fit upright on the shelves!
The alternating piles also create visual interest and draw the eye to your beautiful shelves. And it'll make it easier to find your favorites!
3. Mix it Up
Your library shouldn't be limited to books — mix it up with interesting decorative pieces such as plants, photos, and sculptures. The key is in organized chaos! While it may look haphazard, when you do it correctly, you'll have a stunning bookshelf that is sure to get you more likes.
You can use the other items to disguise those well-sued spines, like with tasteful art!
4. Consistent Heights
Do you prefer your shelves to have a uniform, organized look? Organize your books by height! Group tall hardbacks together, especially if they're by the same author or series. But if you also have paperbacks from the same series, don't distress — keep them together by stacking them next to the hardbacks to get that consistent height!
5. Horizontal
If you've ever seen paintings or photos of antique libraries, you know the appeal of piles and piles of bookstacks! This technique provides extra space for more books and serves as a visual divider between sections or styles of books. By breaking up rows and rows of books, you'll create a captivating look that looks amazing in photos!
So, stack your novels by the same series, author, color, and height — it's up to you! And if you want to throw in some standard alphabetical order, bookstacks are a great way to satisfy your detail-oriented mind.
Pro Tip: Since hardbacks take up more space, consider keeping them vertical to switch up the shelves and make them easier to grab (no book-Jenga for you!).
6. Display
Let's face it; we've all bought a book by just how awesome the cover was! But that's okay — now you can show them off by displaying them on your bookshelves. So, as you organize your shelves, place a few interesting covers face-forward, just like in a bookshop or library. You can do this by placing them among bookstacks or a line of titles; either way, the effect is the same!
This technique will break up the rows of spine colors while still being picture-worthy! And you can also utilize this technique to hide books you don't want to display (like that beat-up copy of your favorite novel you refuse to throw away) or store knickknacks you don't want to show off.
7. Other Tips
As we said before, your bookshelves don't have to be solely for books. You can take the opportunity to store items that don't fit anywhere else in your design scheme. Other tips for shelves that dazzle include:
- Add bits of greenery with fake plants or hanging plants.
- Put fancy bookends to make your shelves more exciting and follow a theme (finally, you can use the ones you have in storage!).
- Decorate your shelves in odd numbers to draw the eye (like three décor objects on one shelf, then maybe five more on the next!).
- Don't make your shelves too busy — less is more!
- Mix metals or other textures with sculptures or other artwork.
Snap That Picture!
There you have it — the inside track for making Library Shelfie Day the best day ever. But sometimes, no decorating can make up for the secondhand, totally-didn't-find-it-on-a-curb look — that's okay; Urners has you covered! We have plenty of bookshelves in an array of styles you can't help but fill with your beautiful books!
And if you have any questions, give us a call or stop by! We know the importance of having an Insta-worthy home!