Consider that if your shelves are not all packed when you want to buy another book no one can say "but where will you put it?"

You see? This is a good one.

With some digging I found some good "book advice"

1. Most ready-made book shelves are too dinky and small. If you have books you need floor to ceiling shelves. Replace short bookshelves.
2. Never fill the shelf all the way. This means you need more shelves AND bookends, but it makes everything look less congested and is worth it.
3. Get deep enough shelves so you can do the spines in a line like the library.
4. Your large format books need a home. A coffee table with two levels can help.

@futurebird it's really quite simple. you line all your walls with floor to ceiling shelves and when they're full you know it's time to move to a bigger place

@mensrea

It can be hard to understand that getting rid of short shelves to make space for full-sized ones is worth it. Or that was hard for me. I kept thinking "but I need more shelves"

Not like this. This little thing is too tiny.

And here is my most controversial one:

Sort your books by SIZE first. The size dictates the shelf height and one tall book can waste a lot of space. (not controversial)

Next by subject. Have the same topic, or author, or genre on the same shelf. (not controversial)

Last, on each shelf sort them by color. It will make the shelf look less chaotic. People get mad about this since it's "looks over function" but if you have a subject shelf you'll be able to find your books.

And here is my most controversial one:

Sort your books by SIZE first. The size dictates the shelf height and one tall book can waste a lot of space. (not controversial)

Next by subject. Have the same topic, or author, or genre on the same shelf. (not controversial)

Last, on each shelf sort them by color. It will make the shelf look less chaotic. People get mad about this since it's "looks over function" but if you have a subject shelf you'll be able to find your books.

@futurebird closet design, but instead of clothes and shoes it's books.

At least for me the color sorting makes it easier to find the book I'm looking for. I know some people will do a subject shelf sorted by author, or alphabetically, or subtopic... But, if I'm looking at "discrete math books" I won't remember the title. I remember "it was in the light blue one" -- so color helps.

From across the room it looks less jumbled. You also notice how different subjects have different color pallets. Which is neat.

Also, alpha sorting will NOT stay sorted. Color will.

On thing that drives me nuts about interior design advice is it doesn't start from the non-negotiables often enough.

For example I don't think I'm that strange or remarkable for owning about 800 books. I know a lot of people with more. (I have SOME restraint) But if you look for design ideas for books it's not like "here is where you can put all those books" it's more like "get these fake books for this look" --or it's "design a home library." my brother in Christ WHERE.

@futurebird

So i keep organising our coat rack like this - but get told off for doing it. Everyone else seems to think it's just acceptable to hang a coat anywhere!

@futurebird I never thought of design with my floor-to-nearly ceiling (2.85 m) Swedish furniture company system. It's a good wall insulation.

On thing that drives me nuts about interior design advice is it doesn't start from the non-negotiables often enough.

For example I don't think I'm that strange or remarkable for owning about 800 books. I know a lot of people with more. (I have SOME restraint) But if you look for design ideas for books it's not like "here is where you can put all those books" it's more like "get these fake books for this look" --or it's "design a home library." my brother in Christ WHERE.

@futurebird cube shelving is a good way to go. you get all that shelf space but it's very flexible. trying to get the significant other to see this wisdom

@futurebird Interior design is all about people who have the time and money to make all sorts of changes which ordinary people can't do. When on a limited budget, in a limited budget house, space is at a premium, and most 'spacesaving' ideas either cost too much or don't work.

@futurebird your controversial take (size) is kind of cursed but makes sense if you have a bookshelf with different measures and in terms of balance. I prefer to put the heavier (bigger) books in the lower parts of the bookshelves.

@eco_amandine Tip: most high shelves can be achored in the wall. @futurebird

On thing that drives me nuts about interior design advice is it doesn't start from the non-negotiables often enough.

For example I don't think I'm that strange or remarkable for owning about 800 books. I know a lot of people with more. (I have SOME restraint) But if you look for design ideas for books it's not like "here is where you can put all those books" it's more like "get these fake books for this look" --or it's "design a home library." my brother in Christ WHERE.

At least for me the color sorting makes it easier to find the book I'm looking for. I know some people will do a subject shelf sorted by author, or alphabetically, or subtopic... But, if I'm looking at "discrete math books" I won't remember the title. I remember "it was in the light blue one" -- so color helps.

From across the room it looks less jumbled. You also notice how different subjects have different color pallets. Which is neat.

Also, alpha sorting will NOT stay sorted. Color will.

@futurebird Among the magazines I subedit are some interiors titles.

Nothing is weirder than people who turn their books so the spines are towards the back so they won't spoil 'the look'. How do they find the book they want? Do they only have a dozen or so? Do they have incredible memories for placements? It's just *wrong*.

@futurebird aren't all math books yellow? (Actually I don't own any of the Springer yellow books).

I do own some bookshelves that I got made to measure with specific shelf heights though.