dusting bookshelves

Our little living room may not have much going for it in terms of real furniture, but it does have three matching bookshelves.  The books they hold make up the lack, creating the kind of cozy decoration that, to me, helps to make a house into something more.  The pretty ones are as good as any picture hanging on the wall.

The thing with books and bookshelves is that many little (and big) hands can quickly vanquish any sort of order in record time, no matter how you arrange them! It is a good thing that dusting the bookshelves and putting them back into place is a job that is more fun than work.  Unfortunately it can be rather distracting, and almost like a walk with old friends through familiar places, remind me of favorite quotes or good times.  It also gives me a chance to re-evaluate the random books that may be crowding out the real gems on my shelves.

For us, tidy bookshelves are important and a fun part of our otherwise furniture-less living room. One of our three main bookshelves is dedicated to our study books, antiques, and other treasures — these are what I call my pretty books and they face the door like a welcoming face. Another bookshelf has health, education, and old text books from school days and things that we’ve learned and still turn to when there’s something we’re not sure about. The third is more random, but each shelf has its own categories and, yes, we do arrange by height, and I attempt to not feel compelled to organize by color, too.

So this week, I am dusting those bookshelves, taking the time to turn a few pages and enjoy the happiness that they bring.

However you may arrange your books, if they are due for a dusting, enjoy the moment.  And if the organization creativity starts getting out of hand, think of it as another adventure in art and perhaps entertainment, too. If you get stuck, never fear!  There is little that the world wide web can not advise you on, and organizing a bookshelf is no exception.

Just remember that in the end, book art and fun aside, the best organized bookshelf is the one that makes it easier for you to get the most out of your books. That’s the best kind to have!