.png)
Feminist Reflections is a feature I created on my blog to share my personal thoughts.
Something about me and my bookish habits.
SO, let's backtrack a little.. I'm a neat freak, I really am. I'm the type of person who carries a special case for her pencils and pens. You can probably tell by how I organize my reviews with categories.. My room is super clean as well, and I don't like my things to get dirty or disorganized. I don't like it when people touch my things.. and my hair, it's not being selfish. I don't mind sharing, but I try really hard to clean my belongings, and if someone is careless and gets them dirty, it enrages me. If there is a fingerprint on a new book, I get paranoid and I wipe the book clean. My family thinks I'm a freak, but wouldn't you clean your phone's screen too? As for the rest of my house, I don't care if it's organized(lol) it's my parent's house that's why. Otherwise if it was mine, yep it would be super clean.
Every few months I can get disorganized with my bookshelves when I run out of space. Then I have to stack the books on the wood floor and they pile up. I would usually buy another bookshelf later on, but I would get lazy and buy it a couple of months later. I would love to have my own library in my house one day, I would stay there the whole day. I have been reading constantly and collecting books since I was 12 years old. I'm 21 now, and I own two bookshelves.
How do you stay organized with your bookshelf(s)?
I try to be creative, and I have many different ways of organizing my books.
- Height Size
- Texture/ Hardcover or paperback grouping
- Same author books grouping
- Favorites shelf
- TBR books shelf
- Series grouping
- ARC/Finished copies shelves
- Double row in each shelf with books I like the most in the front
- Stacking books on top of each other
Here is a closeup of the front and back rows of my bookshelf with three shelves.
I double row them so it allows me more room to place my books.
My new bookshelf with the four shelves has rows higher than usual
so it allows me to stacks books on top of the ones already there.
It gives me more room as well, and I personally like it as well.
Peep my blog planner on my shelf. I shelved it as a book.
How do you guys stay organized with your books and bookshelves?
Anybody else gets paranoid with their belongings as well?
Shukran for reading this! Leave your blog links in the comments & I'll be sure to check them out & follow :) Stay in tuned pretty creatures..
“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” —Nora Ephron
femmmefatalee@gmail.com
I like your shelves! You definitely have to get creative sometimes when you have a lot of books.
ReplyDeleteThank you & I'm glad you could agree :)
DeleteYou are lucky that you have bookshelves hahah. I'm actually in the process of repainting some hand me down bookshelves from my parents, but as of right now I have this tiny little shelf that I don't really like much. And organizing bookshelves does sound fun, but I don't think I have as many books as you do hahah. I guess I also have to wait 9 years!
ReplyDeleteAw no you can start your own collection anytime, I just don't buy that many physical copies anymore only ones I actually am eager to read :) I love organizing my bookshelves, it's my favorite part of cleaning my room!
DeleteLove how your organized them. While I keep series together mine are mixed, so that each room and book shelve has different genres.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kimba :) I keep my series together as well.
DeleteMy bookshelves are out of control. I have them stacked in the back of the first row and I wish I had more room for more shelves right now.
ReplyDeleteAw, hope you can find some room for more shelves. I don't have space for another shelf in my room but maybe one day.
DeleteI organize my book shelves by series and color, with my favorites on the middle shelves for easy access :) I like how you organize your shelves in a creative way. Thanks for the pics too :)
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
Wow, color does sound like an interesting way to organize - I haven't heard color coordinating books before :) Thank you for dropping by Lindy!
DeleteI used to be straight up always alphabetical by type (my YA/adult books, middle grade books, etc.), but when I moved I had to rearrange the shelves and I changed my style. I started to go by size instead of alphabetical. Then when I moved AGAIN, I switched it up a bit to where it's sort of by size AND alphabetical. Lol. This last way has worked out best to utilize the shelves and make it easy to find books. :P
ReplyDeleteYes I find organizing books by size more better by organizing by alphabetical. That's just too just work especially if you have tons of books.
DeleteI don't think it's freakish to want to be neat and orderly! IT'S GOOD. I'm like a medium-clean-lover. I really really need to know where all my stuff is and have it organised and in piles, but if it gets messy, I won't panic....but I will organise it ASAP. >_< My desk though....ergh. It's never neat no matter what I do. My bookshelf is pretty organised. I GO BY COLOUR!! *flails* The only problem is I've technically run out of bookshelf room....soooo, when I get a blue book I have to like rearrange all the purples just to fit in another blue and AGH IT'S A HEADACHE. Best solution = I need a new shelf. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!
Aaah, yes I don't panic when books start to pile up. I ignore them until my mother reminds me to buy a new bookshelf lol xD I love the organizing by color idea, it actually sounds wonderful. I hope to see this bookshelf of yours someday :)
DeleteI totally get paranoid with my things, I used to hate it when somebody asked if I had an extra pen in school, and you know, then you get it back with the cap chewed and just nooooooooo. Get your own. I mean, I never even let my cousin borrow stuff unless I borrowed something of hers so I could hold it ransom. ;) I'm not as bad now, well, mainly with books, though I've been giving Amber my DNF's, because I don't really care about them, haha. Right now, my shelves are not organised, I'm slowly getting there though, my new shelf was the worst because I don't take review copies out of their packaging until I go to read them. But, I usually organise by favourites. :D
ReplyDeleteLOOOOL I laughed at the chewed pen part, but omg so many people do that to my pens as well, it's just icky and a bit nasty when it's someone else's pen. I need to start giving away some of my books as well, some of them I don't like as much.
DeleteOh man, I used to organized my books so well. By favorites and series and height and stuff. I've gotten so many books these last few months though that I just kind of shove them wherever they fit. I have 4 six-shelf bookcases that are currently completely full. The last time I counted, I had almost 700 books. I would think I'm close to or at 800 now...
ReplyDeleteOh wow 800 BOOKS xD Omg, I would love to see your collection in pictures one day! You're so lucky to own so many, I would make a library just for that.
DeleteI organize my books first by if they're in English or in Hungarian, what bothers me is when I have part of a series in Hungarian language, the other part in English. Thankfully this is rare haha. I put books by the same authors next to each other and I try to keep my series in a different shelf than standalones. One of the reasons why I like e-books so much is that it's way more easier to organize them than real books. Also, me being crazy about my books looking like new (besides the few I got used already) I detest when their pages get colored and dusty. It hurts so much when I did nothing but took care of them. I know, I sound like a crazy person but whatevs.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. :)
Aaah I can read in two different languages Urdu and Arabic, but I don't usually read books in other languages. I do want to give it a try one day :) & I really agree about ebooks, they're much more neater to organize because they're not all over the place. I'm with you on being a crazy person as well, I get upset as well when they still get dusty when I take care of them like I would for my own kids lol.
DeleteSO MANY BEAUTIFUL BOOKS. I always end up doubling up my books when I run out of space as well. I really like my wall shelves now, because I can actually show off my books and look them, which makes me happy, but I only got them a couple of months ago, and I could already buy another shelf. :D I love sorting books by color, but I never do it because it rips apart series and that's just blasphemy. When I run out of shelf space, I start storing my books on the floor, the desk, really anywhere. Right now it's all looking fairly neat though!
ReplyDeleteThank you Vlora! ♥ & Oh, wall shelves sound interesting. I've seen them before in youtube videos before, hope your organizing skills stay neat for now :)
DeleteYou are so organised. My bookshelf is a complete mess! Sometimes I even forget about my shelf and I just have a stack of books in the middle of my room so I have easy access. That is how I live the lazy life.
ReplyDeleteNaomi @The Perks Of Being A Bookworm
Aw, thank you - I try to be organized. It's one thing that I'm good at :)
DeleteI like being organized, but I also like the messy look, my house is more an organized chaos. I know where to find everything and can't stand it when someone moves something. same gos with my bookshelves it all sort of makes sense to me and I know where to find eahc book, but for a stranger it must look like chaos. I mostly group series and books with the same lenght as some shelves are shorter than others, so this is imortant to get the most out of my bookshelves. I also group on author if possible, but I laso have some authors which series are each on a different shelf. Then when I get a new book I usually place a book where it fits. I don't like people being in the same room as my books or if they touch them. I am lucky enough to have a seperate room for my books, although it's gotten a bit messy over the years and also countains lots of other stuff now so you can hardly walk in there, I am going to clean the room soon now we have more space as my sister moved out.
ReplyDeleteYou're very lucky to have another room for your books, it would be amazing to have your own library one day! Atleast you know where you place your books, I agree - if someone moves my books, I get annoyed as well. Thank you for sharing your thoughts Lola ♥
DeleteOMG are we the same person? Haha, My family thinks I'm a freak too, but it makes me feel so.... calm and centered.. to have everything organized to the last detail... even my day :D
ReplyDeleteHaha twinnies I'm guessing? & I agree, it makes me feel very peaceful and calm as well!
DeleteYour shelves are beautiful and so well organised! I have no idea how long I have been collecting books - at some point I gave all mine away and only saved a few, starting from scratch. I know I have quite a lot but it is questionable how many of those I have read :P I like your organisation methods, and I find height super important in doing this! Mine are organised by height and colour. Yes, I have the rainbow shelves!
ReplyDeleteThank you Olivia :) & rainbow shelves sounds awesome! Pictures soon please xD I love the idea of organizing by color, it would look amazing.
DeleteYes, those are some great organizational tips. I tend to have almost all book in ebook format. Once I finish my hard copies, I usually give them away as I just can't keep them all, and I believe a book should be shared and read.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great way of looking at things, I like giving away some of my copies as well, but most of them that I liked, I keep.
DeleteI wish I could be neat but I just have too much stuff, and not enough space to put it in lol! I try and clean up every weekend though, especially when we have guests over. I tend to keep my favourite books, authors/series together, and also hardbacks/paperbacks together and then organise by height. I also have my aRC and review shelf and my space for graphic novels.
ReplyDeleteAw yes that must be frustrating, I might be needing another bookshelf soon, but I don't have extra space in my room anymore.
DeleteI'm a lot like you when it comes to organization and cleaning. It gets on my husbands nerves quite a lot :) HAHA I need more bookshelves, right now I organized by author and my favorites.
ReplyDeleteLovely post!
Haha aw that's cute! & I agree, I need more bookshelves, but I don't have any space to put them right now. Thank you Magen ♥
DeleteI LOVE your shelves! I want to do something a bit more creative with mine, I am just kind of bored by my usual author's last name. But it is really, REALLY hard for me to break that habit, I have been doing it since...forever, I think! I also need another bookcase so maybe when I get that, I will do an overhaul, because I am basically drooling over yours!
ReplyDeleteShannon @ It Starts At Midnight
Thank you Shannon ♥ & Aw, you should try whatever works best for you - I would love to see your new bookshelves soon :)
DeleteWow, that's a great way to organize your book shelves. Mine is so messy. A library would be awesome!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jennifer ♥
DeleteWould it be weird if I say I actually don't have a way to organize my bookshelves at all? XDD You guys will probably have a heart attack if you all have seen my shelves! Haha. Your bookshelves are so pretty, though. I wish I had the patience and the time and the motivation to actually organize them. Alas... it's just not in my nature. I can still tell you where a particular book is if you asked! There IS order in chaos after all. ;)
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato
Aaah, I wish I could come there and organize for you LOL xD Atleast you know where your books are though, thank you Faye ♥
DeleteWell I’m a very organised, neat type of person, and over the 1.5 years I’ve had my current bookshelf I’ve reorganised it twice, and am about to do it a third time. I really like going through my things and making sure I want them all, and making sure they’re organised in a way that I like. I’ve got my books shelved alphabetically, right now, but…. It looks too messy, for my liking, so I’m going back to a rainbow shelf, probably- I look back at photos of that and love how neat it looked! But at the same time, I keep a bunch of things on my shelf! That doesn’t bother me. (Oh, and I get the new book, old book thing- when I buy second hand books I always make sure to clean them before shelving them!)
ReplyDeleteXx
I organize my bookshelves the same amount of times as you, this year I've done it only once, but I feel I might have it do it again sometime soon & I agree, I always keep swag around my books as well, it just looks more better that way. Thank you for sharing your thoughts Romi♥
DeleteI'm lucky enough to have the space and are building my own home library. It's only floor to almost ceiling shelves at the moment, but eventually I'd love to add a big reading chair, a floor lamp, stuff to make it homely. At the moment it's basically books and more books. Those are some pretty impressive shelves, do you find stacking them three deep that they are starting to bow in the middle a little? They really need to have a support divider in the middle of those type of flat pack shelves to stop it warping. Honestly, they don't cater to booknerds who have shelves busting at the seams do they.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Benish <3
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Kelly ♥ You're so lucky to have your own home library ! & yes, the four shelves bookshelf doesn't have support dividers, they're mainly flat shelves. Imagine my surprise when it wasn't lol, it's still a strong and steady bookshelf though.
DeleteRight now my books are in storage because of the move or piled on the floor (*gasp* I know!) because I do not have any bookcases/shelves yet. Every so often I'll completely redo how I organize them. There were alphabetical order by author last name, then by my favorite to least favorite series. But I'm not sure how I'll set them up in the new house. I guess it'll depend on how big the new shelves I want to buy are and my space requirements.
ReplyDeleteDreams @ Once Upon A Dream Books
The favorites idea is one I do as well, I hope you do set your bookshelves around your new house soon :)
DeleteYour shelves look great! I am like you, everything has to be perfect and have their own little place - I shelve mine by author, then height usually; books I am not a fan of or that I don't plan on re-reading I donate to the hospital I work at or pass them on to family and friends. On my kindle I have created folders by genre or if it is quite a large series by author.
ReplyDeleteA great post! Sharon - Obsession with Books
Thank you! & yes, I'm glad you're a perfectionist when it comes to your books and bookshelves :) ♥
DeleteWow! Awesome shelves! I need to reorganise mine. I don't have a lot of room, and would love to have my own office so I can set them up properly!
ReplyDeleteNaomi @ Naomi’s Reading Palace
Thank you & I do hope you get to organize your shelves soon ♥
DeleteOh, Benish, I LOVE this post, and I LOVE your bookshelves!!! Looking at bookshelves full of books gives me such a HUGE feeling of satisfaction and joy!!!! There's nothing that can make me happier!!! CONGRATS on your beautifully organized shelves!!! SQUEEEEEE!!!!! : )
ReplyDeleteI LOVE how picky and obsessive you are with your books, too! I'm exactly the same way! My books are SACRED. Yeah!!
I am VERY picky with my books. For instance, I NEVER lend them out, because, first of all, I know other people won't take care of them the way I do. Or, I might never get them back! If you look at a book I've already read, you can hardly tell I've read it. It looks as if it hasn't been opened! Lol. You see, with paperbacks, I NEVER fold the front cover back, as if I were reading a magazine. That puts some very bad creases on the book's spine. I can't stand that! So, I hold the book as if it were a hardcover. Also, I NEVER fold page corners over. That's another thing I HATE. Besides, what are book marks for, if not to mark our place in a book? With my hardcovers, you also can't tell when I've read them. Before I sit down to read a hardcover I make sure to take the dust jacket off temporarily, because leaving it on bothers me; I know it will start to get dog-eared fast. So, I take it off first, then I start reading the book. When I'm done reading for that day, I put the DJ back on.
I just moved to a condo here in Miami (from another apartment in Miami), so I'm still organizing my shelves. You see, my husband has been painting some of the bookcases (we got the wrong color, and then couldn't return them) to match the ones that came with the entertainment unit. I have so many books, I've been stacking them on top of each other. I do that by size, with the bigger books on the bottom. I have a lot of nice, big, beautiful art books (most are in storage, boo-hoo......) I also try to keep series together.
Pretty soon, I'll put up some pics of my bookshelves on my blog. Most of my books are in storage, as I own a LOT. I think I probably have over 3,000.....In the condo alone, I think I probably have at least 1,000. One day, I'll actually count them. Lol.
BTW, I also laminate my paperbacks. That REALLY protects them! I buy the rolls on Amazon. As for the hardcovers, I buy archival covers, also on Amazon.
Thanks for the AWESOME post, Benish!!!! Looking at all those books has really made me VERY happy!!! : )
Aww thank you for such a long, and lengthy wonderful comment Maria! I enjoyed reading your mini essay :) I can agree with you, seeing other book hauls or bookshelves makes me quite excited as well! ♥ & WOWWWW, 1000 BOOKS?? That must be insane.. I hope to have that many one day, it would be amazing to have your own library in your house. I like the laminated idea as well, I think I might just try it out for my favorite books and see if I like them. I also put together series and bigger books together, hope your organizing skills with your bookshelves go well soon. I would love to see a bookshelf tour of yours, thank you for sharing your thoughts!
DeleteAww thank you for such a long, and lengthy wonderful comment Maria! I enjoyed reading your mini essay :) I can agree with you, seeing other book hauls or bookshelves makes me quite excited as well! ♥ & WOWWWW, 1000 BOOKS?? That must be insane.. I hope to have that many one day, it would be amazing to have your own library in your house. I like the laminated idea as well, I think I might just try it out for my favorite books and see if I like them. I also put together series and bigger books together, hope your organizing skills with your bookshelves go well soon. I would love to see a bookshelf tour of yours, thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Delete