How To Curate The Perfect Bookshelf, According To 6 Book Influencers
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2 days ago
Snap the perfect bookshelfie with these curation tips
Did you know that UK readers send 12 million books to landfill every year? We admit, we’re a sucker for a curated reading collection – but rather than tossing books away, it’s better to donate them to charity, sell them, give them away to a friend, recycle them, or send them off to a resale platform like World of Books.
Speaking of curated shelves, as the lessting trend skyrockets, you might be thinking of a bookshelf overhaul. We’ve teamed up with World of Books and their influencers to share exactly how to curate your bookshelves into the perfect collection, plus how to get rid of any books that don’t make the cut.
How To Curate The Perfect Bookshelves
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How Have You Curated Your Bookshelves?
Megan Davies, @meganbethdavies: The perfect book collection is deeply personal – it should be filled with books you love, the ones you return to time and time again and can’t wait to lend to a friend. Whether it’s a mix of classics or the latest trending reads doesn’t really matter; what matters is that your shelves reflect you. Special editions and signed copies add a unique touch – perhaps a book you queued up to have signed by a favorite author or a beautifully illustrated edition of a childhood favorite (I have a signed edition of Howl’s Moving Castle that I absolutely cherish). Antique bookshop finds also make a collection special, like an old edition of Grimm’s Fairy Tales I once lost, only to stumble upon an identical copy on World of Books.
Beth, @beeblossombooks: I have a balance of classics and new release books, but also keep some older books from my teenage years. Any book that has captured my heart deserves a space on my bookshelf! I always keep an eye out for Penguin Clothbound Classics as they look so pretty on the bookshelf, too.
Jemma, @betwixt.the.pages: I like to have a section on my shelves for classics that I’ve read and loved (like Jane Eyre, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, The Great Gatsby). But I also have a large collection of new books and more contemporary releases which act as my at-home library. I love going to pick a new book from my colour-coded shelves. I’m also a sucker for a beautiful book or one with sprayed edges. (The story inside has to be one I’m intrigued by too, of course!) I love to use World of Books for finding editions of my favourites that I can’t find elsewhere and for really affordable prices. I’ve bought so many of my The Great Gatsby collection from there! At the moment, I’ve got my eye on a beautiful edition of The Bell Jar.
Caitlin, @book_sandcrannies: The perfect collection is full of books you love! I personally love a blend of classics, trending favourites and nonfiction, but my tip for the perfect collection is special editions. Who doesn’t love a sprayed edge?
Megan Smith, @meg.smithreads: I think it would be a perfect mix of classics and more recent reads, but it’s important to keep books you truly loved and enjoyed. If you’re holding onto a book you didn’t enjoy, I would remove it from my collection. I also think it’s important to do your research before purchasing a book by checking reviews to ensure you’re not just jumping on a trend. Additionally, consider buying second-hand or borrowing from libraries for books you’re unsure about.
Beth, @readbybeth: My collection is split up into different bookcases for different collections. I have bookshelves dedicated to Stephen King, a horror bookcase, a true crime bookshelf, and a contemporary and literary fiction shelf. I’ve curated collections into different bookshelves to create the best fit.
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How Do You Keep Your Collection Fresh?
Megan Davies, @meganbethdavies: Since my collection is mostly made up of favorites, I rarely part with books. Every now and then, I’ll give some away to make room, but if I’m honest, I’m far more likely to find creative ways to add more shelves than to let go of books. To avoid clutter, I tend to buy new books on an e-reader first, borrow from my library, or pick up a secondhand copy. Only after reading do I decide whether a book deserves a permanent spot in my collection.
Beth, @readbybeth: Every few months I do mini clear-outs. I check what’s on my shelves and how long it’s been there, and if I know I’m not interested in picking it up anytime soon, I will clear it out. I also clear out books I read but didn’t enjoy, or books I know I won’t read again.
Jemma, @betwixt.the.pages: I often give books I’ve read to friends and family, or I drop them off at one of my local charity shops. World of Books has a great initiative called Sell Your Books where you can sell your books to them for money to fund new books! I’m definitely going to be making use of this soon.
Megan Smith, @meg.smithreads: If I read a book and didn’t enjoy it or can’t see myself picking it up again in the future, I sell it or donate it to local charity shops and shelters.
Beth, @beeblossombooks: I am a complete book hoarder, but when there really isn’t enough room, I usually sell them using Sell Your Books! (And yes, I absolutely use the money to buy more books – but don’t tell my husband!)
Caitlin, @book_sandcrannies: Whenever I freshen my book collection, I either give old books away to friends and family, or trade them in through the Sell Your Books app to give someone else the chance to love my books.
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How Do You Arrange Your Books?
Beth, @beeblossombooks: My bookshelf is organised in a rainbow, so all red books top to bottom to the left going through the rainbow to end with black and white books on the right. It’s my pride and joy!
Caitlin, @book_sandcrannies: I love grouping my books by genre, then by colour. If themed books have a colour gradient on the shelf, I’m a very happy bookworm. I do like to keep my hardbacks on a separate shelf to display, though.
Megan Davies, @meganbethdavies: I used to sort my books by genre, with bookish decor – art prints, plants, and trinkets – scattered among them. But as my collection grew, I started organising by height and where each book fits best. It’s a bit of an organised chaos, but it works!
Jemma, @betwixt.the.pages: I organise my shelves and book collection by colour in a rainbow formation. I love the way it looks on my all-white shelves.
Megan Smith, @meg.smithreads: I do enjoy colour-coordinating my books, but I mostly organise them by author.
Beth, @readbybeth: I organise by category. I have a bookshelf for Stephen king, true crime, horror, contemporary/literary fiction, YA, and book series. I have things laid out that make sense to me.
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Bookshelf Styling Hacks?
Beth, @beeblossombooks: Make books part of the decor! If you have a room with a specific colour scheme, use this to style the room and add a stack of books in the same colour on a side table, for example. More room on the bookshelf means more space to buy books!
Jemma, @betwixt.the.pages: Book carts (aka storage carts) are a great and cost effective way to store books and give your space that library chic vibe. I’ve covered mine in cute bookish stickers, and keep my TBR (to be read) books there for easy access.
Megan Smith, @meg.smithreads: Ikea offers some great book storage solutions, but space can fill up quickly. To maximise room, I store books both vertically and horizontally on my bookshelf. I also have a section on my chest of drawers for my all-time favourite books, held up by bookends. Additionally, I like to showcase pretty covers or current favourites on my bookshelf, similar to how books are displayed in Waterstones.
Caitlin, @book_sandcrannies: I’ve been loving vertical storage like ladders to add more shelving without taking the floor space. I love finding new ways to stack books to maximise space; stacking books horizontally on a bookshelf optimises space and adds a fun twist!
Beth, @readbybeth: I stack some books horizontally and others vertically to make better use of space.
Megan Davies, @meganbethdavies: If you have deep shelves, a simple hack is placing shoeboxes at the back and stacking books on top – this creates a hidden second row, doubling your storage space. Another project I plan to dive into is custom bookbinding. My goal is to rebind all my books in a uniform style, creating a colour co-ordinated, personalised library. Hunting for secondhand books to rebind is a great way to give old books new life while crafting something truly unique.
