The majority of the media we consume has become digital (mp3, e-book, etc.), wherever your home is and whatever style you have chosen, can still incorporate and bookshelves and treasure their contents. What’s more, as we will see, bookshelves aren’t just for books. In fact, your bookshelves can say so much about you and your home.
Before shopping for a bookshelf (we will see how many you will actually need) at one of our furniture showrooms and galleries at Hickory Furniture Mart, you should start by taking inventory of the books you already have. Are they old school textbooks, a pre-Wikipedia collection of Encyclopedias, a beloved complete set of “Harry Potter” or “Twilight?” Whatever is in your pile of books, it is time to start sorting and sadly, throwing some away.
Make three piles:
- Books you cannot live without
- Books you will never read in this lifetime
- Books you want to have handy for when you have the time and desire
Now, after some thought, donate or sell the second pile—they are just clutter. Having a copy of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” does not make you literary, reading it will. Do not be ashamed if a well-worn copy of Martha Stewart’s “Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts” does top the first pile, it’s who you are!
After you have reduced your piles, you will now think about what else you want to place on your shelves alongside your books. This pile can include magazines, DVDs, CDs, and photo albums, among many others.
Next, load the books and other items into a line (horizontal or vertical, whichever, is easier) and measure them. This will give you a fast and clear estimate of how much shelf space you will need and subsequently, limit your selection of bookshelves not only by style but by functionality. Always remember there must be enough room in your home to accommodate your new shelves.
If you do happen to find a bookshelf that you absolutely adore but that cannot accommodate your piles, then you will need to either include more shelves or cut down your pile of stuff a couple more times.
Once, you have brought home that perfect bookshelf that fits your style and fits your pile, it’s time to start organizing them.
What type of books, music, and movies are in your family’s media collection? Do you think they give us a clue to who you and your family members are?