Spring has sprung, which means it’s time to take a good, hard look at your book collection— whether it be organized alphabetically on a shelf or piled haphazardly on the floor beside your bed—and do some bookish spring-cleaning! Here are some fun, cheap, and easy ways to reorganize your books this season!
First, take everything off the shelves.
Before you start reorganizing your book space, it helps to know what you’re dealing with. Put all your books in one place and start taking stock of your inventory. Imagine that you’re a bookseller and you want to organize and display everything in the most visually appealing and accessible manner. This will help you decide what to keep and reshelve, what to donate, and what to give to friends.
Curate your space.
You can alphabetize your books, or organize the spines by color to create a visually appealing layout. Add photo frames, small plants, and little knickknacks you have around the house to bookend different sections and add personal, decorative touches to break up the space. You can also paint your bins a fun color or add ribbons and trim to make them pop!
Make giveaway piles for your friends and family.
Having trouble saying goodbye to those books you know you’ll probably never read but just can’t bear to part with? Find them new homes with friends and family so if you ever want them back, you know where they’ll be! To make it simple, choose three giveaway books per person and gift each a special package.
Make a pile to donate to schools, libraries, and prisons.
If your books are going to people in need, you’ll feel way less guilty about getting rid of them! Schools, libraries, and prisons are always in need of books to add to their collections, especially in areas of the country where there isn’t a big book budget. Research some places nearby where you can drop off your extras. And of course, you can always try to resell a few, too!
Create different sections for different reading moods.
You know those books that are sure to make you laugh? You may want to put those together in a happy section, and do the same for books with heavier topics or that tend to make you cry! Be your own librarian and design reading sections for different moods. Group nonfiction titles that cover similar topics together!
Design a special reading nook, preferably near a window.
Pillows, trays for coffee and tea, a little table, and fresh flowers go a long way toward making a reading space cozy and comfortable. If you can, place these items near a big window so you’ll get plenty of natural sunlight!
