How To Arrange a Bookshelf to Ensure Your Favorite Reads Are Always Visible

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Organizing a bookshelf can be a fun and rewarding task. Here are some tips to ensure that your favorite books are always front and center:

1. Sort books by genre or category: Grouping books by genre, such as fiction, non-fiction, or fantasy, makes it easier to locate specific books.

2. Arrange books by size: Organizing books by size adds visual appeal to your bookshelf. Place larger books on the bottom shelf and smaller books on higher shelves.

3. Utilize bookends: Bookends not only keep books upright but also provide an opportunity to showcase favorite books or decorative items.

4. Display books with covers facing out: Showcasing book covers adds color and visual interest. Consider displaying your most visually appealing books facing outwards.

5. Use additional storage solutions: Incorporate baskets or bins to store smaller books, magazines, or other reading materials.

By following these simple steps, you can create an organized and visually appealing bookshelf that showcases your best reads.


There’s nothing quite like the pleasure of immersing yourself in a good book. In fact, collecting books that you can revisit for recipes, mental escapes, and inspiration is a source of joy for many households. If you’re wondering how to organize your bookshelf, it’s important to consider the message you want to convey with your display, the location of your collection, and the accessibility of your library.

From color coordination to stylish arrangements, these tips will help you streamline your books and keep them ready to read.

1. Try a new approach.


Image Credit:
Chango & Co.

Whether it’s oversized coffee table books or your favorite works of fiction, take inspiration from Chango & Co. and experiment with both vertical and horizontal stacking. This approach adds a touch of style to your organization.

2. Keep work separate.


Image Credit:
Stephen Paul for Hunker

If your bookshelf is located in your home office, consider keeping your work files on the top shelf, away from the rest of your books. This ensures that important documents won’t be disturbed while still allowing easy access to the books below.

3. Incorporate decorative objects.


Image Credit:
Hunted Interior

Add visual interest to your bookshelf by interspersing favorite photos or art pieces. Hunted Interior achieves this effortlessly by dedicating some shelves solely to books and mixing in stylish decor on others.

4. Opt for a modern design.


Image Credit:
Waiting on Martha

When choosing a bookshelf, prioritize ample space for your growing library, but also consider a unit that makes a statement. Waiting on Martha showcases a sleek, open-ended option that encourages you to engage with each book by storing them with their spines inward.

5. Get creative with bookends.


Image Credit:
Chris Loves Julia

Group your books by size and subject and use decorative bookends for support. Chris Loves Julia demonstrates a mix-and-match approach that adds versatility to your bookshelf and will have you excited to start collecting bookends of your own.

6. Arrange by color.


Image Credit:
Zoe Feldman Design

Color coding your books is a tried-and-true method for making a style statement and keeping your bookshelf organized. You can even take it a step further by creating colorful book covers as a simple DIY project.

7. Stack strategically.


Image Credit:
Yaminah Mayo

For avid readers or students, acrylic shelves and stacking books can be an effective way to keep your collection sorted. Take inspiration from Yaminah Mayo’s artistic display, which almost resembles a wall hanging. The clever use of color combinations adds to the visual appeal.

8. Utilize the entire space.


Image Credit:
Alex Reyto for Hunker

If you’re fortunate enough to have built-in bookshelves or can install them, maximize the space by going from floor to ceiling. Consider placing children’s books on lower shelves and reserving the higher shelves for your own collection. This approach works especially well around a fireplace or in a small wall nook.

9. Get closer to the ground.


Image Credit:
Sanford Creative for Hunker

Opting for a low shelving unit will help you achieve a sleek and minimalistic aesthetic, especially if you choose a shorter option to organize your bigger books or vinyl records. This design choice is equally effective whether it’s placed against a wall or positioned as a floating centerpiece in the middle of a room.

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