Addicted to Reading? Check Out These Tricks to Put Your Books in Order
If you enjoy nights devoted to the pleasures of reading, surely you have shelves full of books. But do you have them well organized? Maybe it’s time to put your books in order. To do this, we’ll you some great ideas.
The time has come to tidy and prepare your shelves so that you can enjoy your books and, also, your spaces will look ordered.
Tidy up your books
April 23 is International Book Day so this month is a good opportunity to put your entire collection in order. We’ll tell you how to tidy and organize that bookcase, bookshelf, or reading corner.
Start from scratch
We recommend that at least once a year you remove all the books from shelves to clean them thoroughly. It will be easier if you do this shelf by shelf. Put everything aside, wipe the shelves with a soft cloth, and put the books back in place. Remember to always go from top to bottom.
On the other hand, use a suitable product depending on the type of material your furniture is made of. Soap and water for melamine, vinegar with water for glass, or a sponge with some degreaser for metal shelves.
To put your books in order you have to take care of them
One of the most tedious tasks when it comes to putting order in your library is cleaning each book one by one. But this is essential if you want to have a dust-free home, especially if you have allergies since books accumulate a lot.
You should clean the surface with a microfiber cloth, and don’t forget to also run a soft bristle brush over the edge to remove dust from the pages. Do it from the inside out and with the book closed so it does not get damaged.
A review of the titles
Order guru Marie Kondo recommends having no more than 30 titles. This is one of the most controversial measures of the Japanese since many people do not see their life without books.
The truth is that taking advantage of this cleaning to review your titles is a great idea. Reserve those that you consider invaluable and give them a place of honor. At the same time, get a box and put in it those that you want to donate, those that you have already read and do not want to keep, or your children’s books.
Put your books in order
The next step will be to order all the books you have, which is a matter of personal taste. You can do it alphabetically, by color, by size, or by genre.
Keep in mind that the bookshelf is also part of the decoration of your home, so the placement of the books plays a very important role visually.
Avoid falling back into disorder
The goal now that you have managed to get your library well organized is to maintain it. If you continue buying new books, you can put into practice one of the maximum rules of order “one in, one out.” If you get rid of older copies, you can buy new ones without storage being a problem.
Another solution is to resort to the library or electronic books… If you don’t like this option because you do not consider ebooks as beautiful as physical ones, you can find a middle ground between both options. Check out the Kindle Paperwhite on Amazon.
Protection tips
Another trick that will help you keep your books clean is to air your house every day for at least 10 minutes. Do it especially in the room where your bookshelf is located. Make sure it is out of the sun and in a dry place. This will prevent the books from being damaged. Consider putting glass doors on the shelf.
You have seen how you can put your books in order. Cleanliness and organization are the keys so that you enjoy one of your great pleasures and that you can preserve your books better.
Books accompany, educate, give travel advice, supply knowledge and, last but not least, they also decorate. Giving away those you no longer want is always a great idea to make room for new ones.