The Grand Bookshelf Reorganization of 2016

As we approach the end of 2016, there are still a few things I want to get done, book/blogging wise. On of those was to completely reorganize my bookshelf by taking everything off, donating what books I no longer want/need, and putting it all back up.

So, on this lazy Sunday, that’s exactly what I did. My shelves now look so beautiful, plus I have almost an entire empty shelf for new books! How exciting is that? I also thought it would be fun to take you all through the process and show off some pictures of before and after, considering that I’ve never actually shown any pictures of my shelves.

BEFORE

So, here’s my little book set up (featuring my music stand). As you can tell, I don’t have a bookcase to say, but rather shelves due to the terrible placement of the heater in my room. Those shelves on the blue wall are the original shelves, and last summer I converted my closet into a desk/shelving unit for more books (since I ran out of room on the original shelves). As you can probably see, it’s a mess. So many books, so little space!

THE PROCESS

Here was the very beginning of the organizing process. On the main shelves are the majority of my books, and some of them are very old. I just wanted to show how many books that I decided to put in the donate pile. To be totally honest, it was hard to get rid of books, even though I was only donating books I either haven’t read and probably never will, books I really didn’t like, or old childhood books I’ve outgrown. It’s probably a bookworm thing where we all have a strange attachment to our books, even if we don’t like them.

I actually ended up donating a few more after this picture was taken, mostly some on the bottom shelf.

Anyways, the process continued by then putting all the donation books in plastic bags (double wrapped) to bring to Goodwill tomorrow, and then removing every single book off the shelves and putting them on my floor. I got some pretty rad scratches on my ankles and feet from tripping over books trying to maneuver the sea of books.

Then, I dusted off the top of the books and the shelves, and oh my goodness, the shelves were so dusty. It was like a dust bunny colony back there (it builds up because the books sit on the front and don’t cover the entire shelf). So, here’s a little piece of advice… dust off your shelves!

Then the fun part came! It was time to put everything back up.

AFTER

Ta-da! Ah, it looks so much nicer now! Plus, now I know exactly what I still need to read by the end of the year and into 2017. I’m only showing you the main shelves because the little shelves above my desk only have a few books on them and lots of empty space.

I didn’t have much of a system in mind when organizing. There is a slight organization and I can find everything relatively easily, but I can try to explain quickly. The top shelf is full of series/authors that I own a lot of books from (aka my favorites). It has my whole Harry Potter collection, my Marissa Meyer books (with Winter turned out because it’s so pretty), my Cinda Williams Chima collection (with a space for Flamecaster for when I finish it), and my Leigh Bardugo collection. The physical Cassandra Clare books I own unfortunately got pushed to the second shelf.

Continuing after Clockwork Princess are a good portion of my fantasy/not contemporary series that I own more than one book/the whole series in. This then continues into the third shelf until The Raven Boys (right after the Crown) where it kind of merges into fantasy series (?) that I only own one of. Right there is where the organization system gets lost. I basically started just placing books by what felt good to me. Although, the bottom shelf is mostly (except the very end with Anna and the French Kiss to What If?) books that I read when I younger that I still love and couldn’t get rid of.

Almost all of my contemporary novels are on my other set of shelves, that’s why they aren’t in the picture. Along with those are my science/theory/psychology books. I’m not really sure what to classify them as, but books that revolve around science, a big discovery, a certain scientist, or the human mind/behavior books from psychologists. I’ve been growing my collection of those books because I’ve discovered that I really enjoy reading them on the bus home from school.

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So, I hope you enjoyed this post even though it was something a little different! Have you ever attempted to reorganize your shelves? How long did it take you? Was it worth it? Let me know!