A Guide to Organising Your Collection
Books strewn around the floor in random stacks, some downstairs, some on the bedside table, and you’re pretty sure you lent your sister that one book… somewhere in the chaos is your collection. If you’ve ever stood in front of your bookshelves and thought, “I have no idea where anything is” — you’re not alone.
I like having my books organised in a way that makes sense, but what makes sense to me might look completely illogical to someone else.
Here’s the thing: there’s no official “right” way to organise your books. Libraries have the Dewey Decimal System, sure. Waterstones keeps things in alphabetical order (something Jess somehow didn’t notice in twenty years of shopping there). But at home? The “rules” are entirely yours to make — and the way you arrange your shelves can say just as much about you as the books you put on them.
So, is your system practical? Pretty? Pure chaos? Let’s find out.
Step One: Choose Your System
Alphabetical Order
The classic. Easy to follow, easy to explain, and it makes finding a book feel like browsing your own personal bookshop (although in our case, with slightly less chance of accidentally spending £30). This can be done by the author’s surname or by book title — whichever feels more natural to you. Personally, I prefer organising by surname. It keeps the series together, and for me at least, it makes finding the book I want quick and painless. Going by title, on the other hand, risks splitting up the series and sparks the eternal debate: does The Hobbit live under “T” or “H”?
Alphabetical is easily the tidiest way of organising your shelves, but it has its quirks. What happens when you own multiple editions of the same book — the shiny signed hardback and the beloved, battered paperback? Do they sit side by side, or does the alphabet tear them apart? And while the system is neat and logical, it can feel a little rigid if you’re the type who wants to play with layouts or spotlight favourites.
This was how we used to have our collection set up, and I loved it. Jess… not so much. She found it tricky to locate certain books, so eventually, we decided to switch things up.
Perfect for: the detail-oriented, the list-makers, and anyone who can’t bear the thought of Pride and Prejudice sitting before Persuasion. Not for: people who forget authors’ names but always remember “the cover was blue and had a dragon on it.”
Colour Coordination
The Pinterest favourite. A rainbow bookshelf can be genuinely stunning — the kind of thing that stops guests in their tracks and makes them say, “Wow, you must be so organised” (while you quietly wonder where on earth that one book actually went).
It’s less about finding books quickly and more about turning your collection into wall art. Jess often toys with the idea of going full rainbow for our own library — until she remembers that roughly 85% of our books are black. I’m spared the heartbreak of splitting up my series when she settles for a rainbow shelf of standalones instead.
That said, colour coordination isn’t always practical. Series don’t always match across volumes — do you split them apart for the sake of the gradient, or keep them together and live with the colour clash? And sometimes the mood feels… off. Does it really make sense to put the book that broke your heart right next to the romcom that made you snort tea out of your nose, just because they both happen to be yellow?
Still, when it works, it really works. A perfectly blended rainbow shelf doesn’t just brighten a room, it turns your collection into a statement piece.
Perfect for: the aesthetically minded, the interior design enthusiast, or anyone whose shelves need to double as Instagram content or pinterest posts. Not for: people who like to keep their series together or couldn't tell you what the book looked like but it changed their life.
Read vs. Unread
The ultimate method for keeping your To-Be-Read pile (and your sanity) in check. Splitting your shelves into “Read” and “Unread” sections turns your collection into a visual progress tracker — plus, it’s endlessly satisfying to move a book from one side to the other, like a little victory dance in shelf form.
Jess and I currently organise our shelves this way. It helps us see at a glance which adventures are waiting and what stories we’ve already loved. There’s something comforting about having all our finished books together, almost like a record of past adventures. At the same time, the unread section whispers “read me next!” every time we walk past.
Of course, it’s not without its challenges. A towering TBR can look a bit intimidating when it’s all in one place — more “accusing pile” than “inspiring library.” And then there are the grey areas: what about books you started but never finished? Do they live forever in the unread zone? Or books you might reread one day — do they count as read, or are they in a limbo category all their own?
Still, for us, it’s currently the organisational method that works. It shows us just how many unread books we still have left to read and gives us a sense of progress. It’s practical, a little bit motivational, and occasionally humbling when the “unread” section has overtaken the “read.”
Perfect for: goal-oriented readers, anyone determined to conquer their TBR, and those who like a bit of bookshelf therapy and visual motivation. Not for: the easily overwhelmed or anyone whose unread pile is basically a literary mountain range.
By Genre
Organising by genre lets your shelves double as a mood board. Want a cosy mystery? A tear-jerking memoir? A spaceship full of alien politics? You’ll know exactly which section to head for.
It’s especially handy if you read a wide range of genres or if you mix in non-fiction like cookbooks, travel guides, or reference books alongside your novels. This method also keeps series together — as long as they don’t genre-hop halfway through. This organisation method also opens up the opportunity for some functional decoration in the form of genre signs. I've seen some really awesome hanging signs floating around instagram that I can see looking perfect on anyone's shelves.
I love the idea of genre organisation, but for us, it doesn’t quite work. The vast majority of our collection is fantasy, so that section would be enormous, with all the other genres feeling like afterthoughts.
Perfect for: the mood readers, eclectic collectors, and anyone who likes their shelves to feel like a “choose your own adventure” menu. Not for: minimalists with exactly six books (unless all six are wildly different genres).
Wherever It Fits
Also known as “controlled chaos” or “the floor-is-a-shelf.” This method might look random to outsiders (and honestly, it’s my personal idea of hell), but if you know where everything is, then it works. It’s the perfect system for those who embrace spontaneity and aren’t afraid of a little bookshelf anarchy.
You don't even need to have your books on shelves, as long as the way you have them sorted works for you. Collect them all in baskets, or just have them dotted around your house like decor themselves.
Perfect for: free spirits, spontaneous readers, and anyone who thinks bookshelves should reflect the ebb and flow of life. Not for: anyone who breaks out in a cold sweat at the thought of mixing hardbacks and paperbacks or who prefers tidy rows over literary landscapes.
Before you start organising, take a moment to think about what you want from your shelves. Are you after a visually stunning display, an easy-to-navigate genre system, or just a straightforward way to find your next read? Remember, you don’t have to stick to one method — mix and match, or toss your books on a shelf; however it makes you happiest. After all, your collection should work for you, not the other way around.
Step Two: Make it Personal
One of the most fun discoveries when Jess and I combined our collections was that shelves don’t have to be just books. You can give your shelves a bit of life with just a few extra touches.
We’ve added decorations, some flower garlands and lego models have given our shelves a wonderful cosy theme that really highlights both our personalities.
It took a lot of trial and error to find what worked for us to take our shelves from book storage to a cosy, welcoming space that truly feels like home.
Bonus Ideas
A few other things that can help personalise your collection and help with organisation.
Current Reads Shelf: Jess has a separate little section for whatever she’s currently reading, which makes it easy to grab. This can be very useful for people who like to read multiple books at once—I usually just leave mine on the bedside table until they disappear under a pile of mugs.
Show Off Pretty Editions: That Hunger Games boxset deserves to be displayed, not buried. We bought these special editions because we love these stories and these versions express that love with a beautifully designed cover. They deserve to be enjoyed and not hidden among the regular copies.
Catalogue Your Collection: We’ve started a spreadsheet, but there are also apps like The StoryGraph or Goodreads. Jess loves apps; I love spreadsheets. Our shelves are basically a marriage of books and conflicting organisational styles.
At the end of the day, your bookshelves are a reflection of you. Your little library doesn’t need to be perfectly organised — it just needs to work for you. As long as you’re happy with the way your books are sorted (and you can actually find the one you’re looking for), that’s all that matters.
What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. Jess and I are a great example — we’d both organise things differently if left to our own devices, but we’ve found a system that works for us both… for now.
Alphabetical order might suit the detail-oriented; genre categories can comfort the mood reader; colour coordination is perfect for the aesthetically minded; and “wherever it fits” works just fine for the free spirits among us.
There’s no need to copy anyone else’s system. Whether your shelves look like a Pinterest board or a literary landslide, the important thing is that you can find what you want — and that the space feels like yours.
So take a step back, look at your shelves, and ask yourself: what story are they telling about you? And if the answer is “that I really need to dust”… well, same here. How do you organise your books? Or do you avoid having a method at all? Let us know — or better yet, send us some pictures of your amazing shelves.
💡 Looking for more insight into the aesthetics that shape our collections? Check out Jess' feature on the way book covers influence our buying habits.
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