S/O How do you organize your books?

[hellokitty]

I know I am not the only here with this, "problem." I always laugh when we get literacy fliers home from school, encouraging kids to read, etc., since we have enough books for probably our entire neighborhood. We are drowning in books. If it weren't for DS3, I would have gotten rid of a lot of the toddler books by now. As for MY books, wow I have a lot I need to weed out. Some are obvious, like old text books that are just outdated or not used.

I'm wondering how those of you with lots of books organize them? My DH refuses to get more bookshelves. So, I have books in tote bags, boxes and just stacked up on the floor. It really does look awful, but I buy books like some ppl buy shoes. It seems we have books tucked into every nook and cranny of our house. Also, what criteria do you use to decide which ones to get rid of and which ones to keep and do you have a, "system" of shelving your books?

[BabbyO]

Until DH and I moved in together they were organized in alphabetical order by the author's last name. Once we moved in together, they kinda were organized by size so that we could fit them all on the shelf. Once DS came along...well, there's no organization...I try, but it's a never ending battle.

Our DVD's however, have remained in alphabetical order...its a small victory, but I'll take it!

[hellokitty]

Until DH and I moved in together they were organized in alphabetical order by the author's last name. Once we moved in together, they kinda were organized by size so that we could fit them all on the shelf. Once DS came along...well, there's no organization...I try, but it's a never ending battle.

Our DVD's however, have remained in alphabetical order...its a small victory, but I'll take it!

Oh man, don't get me started on our dvd/vhs problem. They are all over the place, I wish that they all had the small jewel cases, so they took up less room. The kids ones are all in those big dvd sleeve folders, but I need to buy more. The vhs ones I will phase out once DS3 is past them (thomas and some other kiddie videos).

[lurksalot]

These are not technically bookcases, so maybe your husband will agree to them...we have the IKEA ledge shelves and use them to display our upstairs childrens books. This allows them to face out, which I like the look of and it makes it easy for my boys to "see" them. We put them about 1.5 feet from the floor and they run the length of the pony wall in our loft/playroom.

Our grownup books are all on IKEA Billy bookcases that we run from floor to ceiling the length of the wall in our living room, they each have about 7 shelves per case (we used the extenders), we even covered up our fireplace with the Billys, they look great and we get compliments all the time. This was my husband's idea.

As for weeding out books, I did insist that unused textbooks had to go. Otherwise some I may take to work to share with my students. The rest stay put, my husband worships his books.

Oh, and we do not put them in any order on the shelves, I arranged them to look good, not to be easily found.

[JoyNChrist]

We have a lot of bookshelves, so that helps. We're currently working on installing built-in bookshelves in our playroom/office, so then we'll have even more space (although some of that will go to toy storage).

What I do is take the jackets off the hardcovers, because they look nicer that way. I mix them on the bookshelves with figurines, vases, etc to keep it looking decorative. Paperbacks get stored in boxes (like these from IKEA) or baskets. I try to stick a label on them by author's last name (A-B in this box, S-T in this basket, etc). I only keep books I think I'll read again.

Kids' books are currently stored on shelves in DS's room, but as soon as we finish the shelves in the playroom they'll be moved in there.

[KrisM]

I get rid of them. I only keep those that I know I'll read again and I re-evaluate that every year or so. Mine are mostly paperback novels, so nothing valuable.

[wellyes]

http://www.cash4books.net/

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

Kid's books or adult books?

For adult books, we have one Billy bookshelf with the added shelf on top to make it a bit taller. I pruned down a large amount when we moved here 3 years ago, so that was adequate. It's starting to get overrun now. DH thinks we should get another, I'm not sure.

For kids books, we have this Ikea dvd shelf thing that works really well for small books, and then a regular bookcase with a combo of just books on shelves and baskets for the paperbacks. We're out of space for kids books, so I am thinking of going through and culling the not-so-good books.

[nicepersonfl]

organize? Is there a way to organize kid's books? I consider myself lucky if they are NEAR the bookshelf! Bonus points if they are on the bookshelf!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Kids:
reference books, workbooks and activity books are together on one shelf
"fancy" hardcover or nicer books are on a high shelf
ds1's books are divided up by chapter books, books like Berenstain Bears, non-fiction, etc and in different places in his room
ds2's picture books are all on a shelf in his room
more are in the family room

Grown ups:
fiction books are tucked into a built in cabinet in my living room
parenting reference on a shelf
favorite series and nice looking books are on another shelf.
cookbooks are on a shelf in the dining room, commonly used ones are in the kitchen

I really prefer the library for my books as I am just tired of storing more stuff.