How do you arrange your books on your shelves? Is it by author, by genre, or you just put it where it falls on?
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Alas, they’re every which way.
My Wendell Berry books are all together, in chronological order. Our Bibles and commentaries are all together. The rest of the shelves are in a state of entropy and dust-gathering that beckon me to serious overhaul… and simultaneously repel me with terror at the thought.
Once, a few months ago, I decided I’d take everything off the shelves and put the books in order by author. But there, sneezing in the dust, all kinds of questions arose… It reminded me of the time I sat in the back yard and tried to count sounds. I was enjoying the peace and quiet, then suddenly realized there was in fact a ton of noise around me, and the only thing peaceful was that I wasn’t responsible for it. On a whim I started separating the noises out: a softball game down the street, birds, lawnmowers, children’s voices, cars… and all kinds of questions emerged. Do you count individual birds, or notes? Where are they, and which birds are making the songs? Does that sound belong to the softball game or the playground? I gave up in pretty short order, surrendering to chaos.
My bookshelves have the same effect on me. If I put my husband’s business books in order by author, will he be able to find them? Do we want to divide them by subject too, and if so, how? What about the enormous stash of children’s books? Also, we have shelves in 5 rooms. Should we consolidate?
All decisions I don’t feel like making. So we live in a book nest.
Someday…
I love th eimage of living in a book nest! ;0)
My answer here: http://lyndasbookblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/booking-through-thursday-19209.html
That’s why I have my books in groups. It might work for you and your hubby.
We have books in multiple rooms too.
I’m always trying to find some order to my books, but it never seems to work out that way.
My books are every which way too, but somehow I just know how to find them and where they would be. Even if I haven’t seen them for a long time. It’s very strange.
I like the counting sounds analogy! My mum and I had a similar experience trying to work out how to rearrange her books the other day.
We have books all over the house. I enjoyed reading your post. Happy BTT
A book nest – sounds comfy to me!
[...] because the answer that came to mind was only a couple of words. But reading Sally’s and Janet’s answers inspired me to [...]
Well, I wasn’t going to answer today, since the short answer was “by subject.” But your response and Sally’s led me to elaborate.
I have a basic organization in place, probably from when we last moved, but I have things stuck in various places now.
As long as you know where to find them! So far my shelves are mostly in one room, so its not too confusing.
My husband has his own shelves, my kids have their own shelves. The only shelves I organize compulsively are my own. (Okay, theirs, too, from time to time..) But it’s always fun living in a book nest.
“Book nest” sounds so nice and cozy. Our place is more like a book warehouse!
I finally made it round. I love the thought of a book nest. I group our homeschool books by subject and they are all organized in one bookshelf. The rest are grouped by author but willy nilly all over the place, plus a huge stack of paperbacks that would make good nest. Loved your answer.