Organizing Books, Books & More Books

An engaging stop motion animation of books being organized, playfully. I love how books look when organized by color.

An engaging stop motion animation of books being organized, playfully.

I love how books look when organized by color.

Unfortunately I have so many volumes that my bookshelves (2 full-height, 3 half-height) have to be very carefully spaced and the books have to be organized by size to maximize every inch. They’re also organized loosely by subject: Travel, Writing, Business, Self-Help & Inspiration, Cooking, Art, Crafts, Design, Home Decor, Philosophy, Reference, Fiction, Essays. I can usually find a book within moments thanks to this order – and I fear if mine were organized by color they wouldn’t fit and I wouldn’t be able to find anything unless I remembered the color of the spine.

I am also evaluating the anchor-like quality of having so many books. They are – by far – my most useful possessions. They are – by far – the thing helpers groan about the most when I move. I even groan at the thought of stacks and stacks of heavy boxes. So I don’t move as often as I might were I not so anchored.

Now I weigh that against how often I pick up and use each book. “Just in case I ever need it” is no longer a reason to keep a book. Some of them aren’t available in the library so having a copy is a necessity (as long as the book is useful). Lately I’ve been shedding books that aren’t used regularly. I’ll be giving them away here, too.

I dream of someday having a room dedicated as a library, but I also know this is a frivolous desire in a world where many don’t even have a bed.

How are your books organized? How many books do you think is a good amount for you to own and why?

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