Thursday, February 19, 2009

Booking Through Thursday - Storage

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Today's question: This week’s question is suggested by Kat:

I recently got new bookshelves for my room, and I’m just loving them. Spent the afternoon putting up my books and sharing it on my blog. One of my friends asked a question, and I thought it would be a great BTT question. So from Tina and myself, we’d like to know “How do you arrange your books on your shelves? Is it by author, by genre, or you just put it where it falls?”


My Response:
I love organization! I have more books than shelves, and so I have arranged them in the following fashion. On the top shelf of one bookcase, I have books I have purchased or had given to me that are waiting to be read. To the left are Christian fiction, and to the right are secular books--arranged by copyright date, from oldest to newest. I review every book I read, but some are sent to me expressly for review. Those are on the next shelf, stacked on their side by date needed, with next-to-be-read on top. (I keep them organized by sticking a Post-it on each book as it comes into the house. I write the date the review is needed and the organization/author sending the book. (I later use that same Post-it as a bookmark.) Other books on lower shelves are those I keep. I have them separated by author. On the bottom shelf, I have reference books.

On my desk, I have two stacks of books. These are books that I am planning to list on eBay. Once listed, they move to another bookcase, to wait for shipping. On the shelf below, I have books that failed to sell. They are my problem books. I may donate them to the local library. I'd happily send them to you, but postage...

In addition, I have a closet with built-in shelves for books, filled with several versions of the Bible along with Bible study books (concordance, dictionary, atlas) and books for my work such as classics, poetry, operas, plays, and textbooks. Even though I am retired, I cannot dispose of them. In the kitchen pantry, I have a stack of cookbooks--not used much these days!

Where do you keep your books?

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are way too organized than me where bookshelves are concerned :)

Jo said...

Oh I really wish I could be that organised! In my dreams!

Dot said...

You are definitely more organised than me! My top shelf, like yours is for the books waiting to be read, it cheers me up when I walk past it!

Kathy W said...

Sally you have got to be the most organized person I know. Kudos to you! =)

Anonymous said...

Impressive! I never thought of arranging by copyright date but that makes a lot of sense. I might well reorganise my classics along those lines!

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a great system. Would you come over and arrange my books?

:-)

Yvonne said...

That's wonderful that you are so organized. I wish I could be that way.

Beth F said...

I have good intentions when it comes to being organized.

jlshall said...

And I thought I was super-organized! I like the idea of bookshelves in the closet. I have books in our closets, but mostly just piled on the floor. I definitely need more shelves!

Anonymous said...

Your system sounds a lot like mine.

Anonymous said...

I like my books organized too. I keep all of my bibles in a drawer though because they are so old. I don't want anything to happen to them. I have two family bibles, and three of my uncles, plus my dad's school bibles. Happy BTT.

CeeCee said...

Oh no way! LOL, I would crumble under your system. Great system Sally!

Sharyla said...

Wow. I wish I was that organized. I also wish I could get people to send me books to review. How do you do this?

S. Krishna said...

You're definitely organized!

Brooke from The Bluestocking Guide said...

Sally I mix read and unread.

Savidge Reads said...

Now thats what I call organisation. I have a box under the stairs where all my 'problem books' go if they dont shift on Read It Swap It then they are off to the charity as my local library is closed till December.

Unknown said...

I'm with you, I'm all about being organized. I answered this with how I plan to organize once I get some shelving.

zetor said...

Oh Sally you are so organized, how lovely. I bet your whole house is like that not just your books. I will have to have lessons.

Anonymous said...

I would love to have a bunch of built in shelves for books, I have more books than I do space to put them and they are not organized either,lol.

Becky said...

In addition to my boxes, I have one bookshelf in my room that is just christian nonfiction, one bookshelf that is just bibles, one nightstand with book-shelf space that is current bibles, and a built in closet with shelves. It was designed to hold toys, but since I'm grown up now it's been converted to storing books.

Amy said...

Wow, it sounds like you have a great system worked out. It helps so much to be organized. :)

Anonymous said...

Your system sounds great! I would love to be organized, too -- I just have so little space, and far too many books. They all wind up in stacks and scattered around in my small bookshelves. But I'll look to you as a type of inspiration :)

claire said...

Sally, I'm really impressed! My books are very organized, too, but just by author, the usual. Your system, however, is unique and very well thought of. Great system!!

Anonymous said...

Sorted by copyright? I'm guessing there aren't that many of those, or it would get difficult to find a specific book, yes?

Nise' said...

We'd get along great! I love organization too! I need shelves for my books that need to be read.

Anonymous said...

I thought I was organized. Our reading is primarily for leisure, but when you throw the reviewing aspect into it . . . well, needless to say, I admire your organizational skills. :)

Anonymous said...

Interesting way to organize. Happy reading!

Sherrie said...

Hi Sally,
That sounds like a great system! If works, use it! Thanks for stopping by my place. Have a great evening!!

Sherrie

Chrisbookarama said...

Omg, that is some serious organization!

Anonymous said...

I also wish I could be as organized as you are!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your comment on my BTT post. Sounds like you've got your collection pretty well-organized. Good on ya!

Anonymous said...

I shelf my books by author's last name in alphabetical order. For fiction and literature, I single out the ones to be re-read and put them on a different case.