Spring has sprung, and since everyone must stay safe, healthy, and at home right now, what better time is there to reorganize and redecorate your bookshelf? Here are some of our favorite organization tips and tricks, with a few fun and simple craft ideas to boot (Check out this cute DIY heart-shaped bookmark!). They’re easy, won’t break your bank account (you can use what you have around the house), and will help you assemble all your favorite young adult novels and nonfiction titles, making the bookshelf of your wildest dreams. Your shelves will be looking fresh and gorgeous in no time, and when you finally can have friends over again, they’ll be in awe!
1. String lights around your bookshelves.
Lights add a warm, happy glow to any reading space and brighten your shelves on cloudy, rainy days and at night.
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2. Add a special TBR (to-be-read) jar!
You can put this jar anywhere, and it can be any shape or size. Write the titles of all the books on your TBR list on little pieces of paper, fold them up, and fill your jar. When you’re not sure what to read next, you have a great random picker!
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3. Add candles, plants, knickknacks, and decor that match the colors or themes of your book covers.
You can even add fake flowers and pretty fabrics. Bookshelves are a fantastic place to display your prized possessions and any odds and ends that speak to your unique style. For popular series and franchises, you can also add merch.
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4. Organize your collection by color.
This won’t work for everyone (as some people prefer to organize by author’s last name, subject, etc.), and it depends on how many books you have of the same color, but creating a rainbow scheme can be a fun and soothing way to spruce up your shelf space and make it pop.
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5. Cover a white or neutral bookshelf in stickers.
Not sure what to do with beautiful unused stickers? Simply cover an otherwise neutral-colored shelf in them and make it instantly pop with color and personality! This is also the perfect place to display any sticker swag you may have received from your favorite authors. If you don’t have stickers, you can tape on Polaroids and photos instead.
6. Make a brand-new bookshelf using your books!
If you’ve found yourself running out of space on your shelves, not to worry! With a pile of books and something sturdy to serve as a shelf divider, you can create your own makeshift bookshelf in no time. They’re great for corners of the room or right next to your otherwise overcrowded shelves.
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7. Create your own dust jackets.
These can be as simple or fancy as you want, and you can use any kind of paper you have around the house, from wrapping and construction paper to fancy custom printouts.
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8. Alternate between having some books face sideways and others right-side up.
If you have the shelf space, changing the way you stack your books can add visual interest and leave room for you to place your favorite knickknacks on top of big piles. This allows you to take advantage of any vertical space, too.
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9. Store extra books in boxes, chests, and baskets.
Who says you just have to use shelf space? If you want to go for a simple, streamlined look for your shelves or if you just are running out of space, boxes, chests, baskets, and organizers of any kind are a fantastic alternative to shelves.
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10. Theme your shelves for different holidays and seasons.
Feeling festive? Even if it’s not Halloween quite yet, you can still create a custom shelf space for spooky titles with black, white, red, and orange covers! Add some extra pizzazz with cutouts of ghosts, spiders, and even a few mini pumpkins. The best part about themed and festive shelves is you’re always changing them depending on your mood or the season.
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11. Shelves aren’t just for books—add your Blu-ray and DVD collections!
Stocking the Harry Potter movies right next to the physical series is a great way to stay organized and show off your amazing collection. You can do this for any genre, like adding your favorite rom-com movies to your favorite YA rom-com section!
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