Arranging books: aesthetic or functional?
By Cahaya
@cahaya1983 (11116)
Malaysia
June 29, 2021 6:04am CST
I guess it's about time we get another bookshelf.
We actually donated a bunch of books some time ago and that helped to free up some space on the bookshelf. But of course the bibliophile me can't stop buying new ones everytime my favourite bookstore holds a sale 
and now I'm seriously thinking about getting another bookshelf.
But until that happens, I've got some serious book-arranging to do so the books would actually look decent on the shelf for the time being, haha.
I've noticed the different ways that people organize their books on the bookshelf. Some do that by colour, or by paperback vs. hardback, and some do it by functionality - separate shelves for cookbooks, kids books, novels, etc.
How do you do it? Do you have any preference when it comes to organizing books (or anything else for that matter)?
and now I'm seriously thinking about getting another bookshelf.
But until that happens, I've got some serious book-arranging to do so the books would actually look decent on the shelf for the time being, haha.
I've noticed the different ways that people organize their books on the bookshelf. Some do that by colour, or by paperback vs. hardback, and some do it by functionality - separate shelves for cookbooks, kids books, novels, etc.
How do you do it? Do you have any preference when it comes to organizing books (or anything else for that matter)?9 people like this
10 responses
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
29 Jun 21
Yeah I've found that aesthetic arrangement isn't really practical for us, either. Right now we arrange them by genre, but on each shelf they're arranged according to height.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472087)
• Switzerland
29 Jun 21
@cahaya1983 We do not are about the height, all books by the same author and same topic must stay together, no matter the height.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
29 Jun 21
Oh okay, so I suppose you just arrange them neatly on a desk?
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
29 Jun 21
@Rashnag Ah, okay. I can't survive without books to read
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137696)
• United States
29 Jun 21
When my books were on shelves I separated them by author. Now that all my books are in plastic totes in the garage, my library is on my phone and is still sorted by author.
While I love the feel and smell of paper and ink, ebooks on my phone are so much more convenient and easy to carry.
Did I give you the free ebook site I use now?
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
30 Jun 21
No, you didn't. 
I've downloaded a few previously, from pdfdrive I think. I still prefer paper and ink though. I've only read 2 or 3 e-books so far.
I've downloaded a few previously, from pdfdrive I think. I still prefer paper and ink though. I've only read 2 or 3 e-books so far.1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
30 Jun 21
@DaddyEvil That's great! I'll defeinitely keep that in mind the next time I'm looking for ebooks. 
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137696)
• United States
30 Jun 21
@cahaya1983 The site is b-ok.cc . You can get five free ebooks a day without logging into the site. If you give them your email address, you can download ten free ebooks a day.
I found it easiest to get the Kindle app from the app store, set it up and store the .mobi downloads from the ebook site to the Kindle Cloud. That way, all your ebooks are safely stored and can be downloaded onto any mobile or computer simply by setting up Kindle on them.
1 person likes this
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
30 Jun 21
I like the sizes to be correctly placed together.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
30 Jun 21
Yes, me too. I make sure I arrange them according to height on each shelf.
1 person likes this
@Butterfingers (66583)
• India
29 Jun 21
I don't have any books because I don't read any now
2 people like this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
29 Jun 21
No way! Is it because work gets in the way or you're generally not a reader?
Is it because work gets in the way or you're generally not a reader?1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
29 Jun 21
Interesting. I like that way of arranging books too but that doesn't seem to work with ours Do you arrange them by colour?
Do you arrange them by colour?
@m_audrey6788 (58472)
• Germany
29 Jun 21
Yes. We separate Cook books from other Story books. I don`t have too much books but I just want it arrange in a way that I can easily Identify it
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
30 Jun 21
I agree! I hate it when I'm trying to find a book but have to spend so much time searching because I forgot where I had placed it
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
30 Jun 21
The only volume collections I have are for the kids. The rest I just organize by category and size. And yeah aesthetic doesn't really work for our bookshelf
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (20039)
• United States
29 Jun 21
I can't remember how I set up my bookshelf at home(I am living in my uncle's house right now). But I think I arranged them by genre and author.
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
30 Jun 21
Yes arranging by genre and author helps too. I arrange my fiction books that way.
I arrange my fiction books that way.1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
30 Jun 21
That's interesting, do you mean books about different countries?
1 person likes this
@thelme55 (77164)
• Germany
30 Jun 21
@cahaya1983 Yes. Travel books about England, Ireland, Germany, Philippines, Rome, etc...
1 person likes this
