As time passes, your bookshelf may overflow with books you no longer need or want. You can clear out your bookshelf occasionally to keep your book collection from taking over your home. Cleaning a cluttered bookshelf will make your home look better and more organized. And you’ll now have more room for the books you enjoy reading. Once you see the final result, you’ll be glad you took this step to clear your bookshelf. With our guide, you can reorganize and decorate your bookshelf practically and stylishly.
Sort books into categories when cleaning out a cluttered bookshelf
Sorting books into categories can help you see how many books you own. That is something you can do while you’re taking the books off the bookshelf. As you remove books from each shelf, sort them into categories, such as encyclopedias, children’s books, and so on. It’s a practical way to sort your book collection. You’ll see just how many books you have in each category. That will make it easier to prioritize which books and genres to keep. Another pro is that you will see whether you have multiple copies of the same book. Now that all your books are in one place use this opportunity to clean the shelves and the books from dust. It’s always a good idea to clean your bookshelf before reorganizing your collection. Now, dust won’t fall to the ground while you put books back on the shelves. When cleaning out a cluttered bookshelf, keep the books you love.
Think about which books you want to keep
Choosing which books to keep can be challenging for any bookworm or collector. Even though you may be tempted to keep all of them, clearing out a cluttered bookshelf will make you happier. You’ll have more room for new books you want to read and add to your collection. If you have books you are sure you’ll never read again, it’s time to remove them from your collection. You can also get rid of the books you don’t like and the ones that don’t hold any sentimental value. They may be helpful to someone else and make them happy. For those books that have sentimental value but aren’t helpful, you can pack and store them away. It’s essential to keep your books intact by packing them with high-quality materials. Investing just a little into packing materials ensures your books remain in good condition.
Decide what to do with the rest of the books
So, what can you do with the books you don’t want anymore? If you find damaged or unreadable books when cleaning out a cluttered bookshelf, take them to be recycled. But books in good condition can be helpful to somebody else. You can sell them and make extra money for your bookshelf decor. A garage sale can be a good option if you have an extensive collection of books. But an online market is the way to go if you have a couple of books or want to sell them in bulk. However, you can always donate the books you no longer need to your local library. Another great idea is to build a small bookshelf in a local park with others in your community. That is an excellent way to connect with people and inspire them to read.
Organize your books on the shelf
Now that you are done sorting your books into categories put them back on the shelves. To stack them in an aesthetically pleasing way, you can organize them by color or by size. Either way, the largest and heaviest books, such as encyclopedias, should go to the bottom of the shelf. You can mix both if you are unsure whether to organize your books by color or size. Before you make a final decision, you can try out a couple of different ways to organize your books. This way, you’ll know you organized your bookshelf the best way you could. If you have some beautiful coffee-table books that ended up on the shelves, use them as decor. With a large selection of coffee-table books, you can switch these out every once in a while. Changing them every season and adding books that fit the theme is a good idea.
Decorate the bookshelf after organizing it
Once the cleaning and reorganizing are done, you can move on to the best part, which is decorating. Now that your bookshelf isn’t overflowing with books, you’ll have more room to accessorize it. When decorating a bookshelf, a couple of things are crucial. Firstly, it’s important not to go overboard with the decor pieces. Too many decor items in one place can make your bookshelf look cluttered and disorganized. Pick key pieces that match your home’s style, and won’t overcrowd the bookshelf. Plants and bookends are always good options for this. You can use a few hacks to make your bookshelf more aesthetically pleasing. For example, add one stack of books arranged horizontally on a row of vertically stacked books. That will add a small but effective change to the overall look of the bookshelf.
To sum up
You’ll quickly bring order and style into your home when you declutter and clear out what you don’t need. And this includes cleaning out a cluttered bookshelf you may have in your home. You can sell the books you no longer need to earn money or donate them. Once you clear out your bookshelf, you’ll see what a great feeling it is to have a clutter-free home. In addition, you’ll make more room for new books you want to read and have in your home. Cleaning out and sorting through your book collection is something every bookworm should do once a year. By periodically cleaning your bookshelf, you’ll always have a well-organized and clutter-free bookshelf.
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