How do you organize your books?

[Jeni]

I was hesitant on asking this question since my mom is in the group and this is an area of tension when I was a kid. At that time I liked symmetry, so I organized my books by publisher. Mom, being a teacher, wanted books alphabetically by authors last name. This went on back and forth. Now that I am an adult and have built quite the home library- my books are just on the shelf in random places wherever it fits. I don't have series together or even in the same room. I have shelves in my office, my bedroom, my spare room, and books stacked on my dresser. I'm currently in the need for more shelves and I think I will be invading my living room.

That's the chaotic random side of me. The obsessively organized side of me has all my books (paper, audio, e-books) cataloged in an app on my phone.

[Molly]

so, I live in a small apartment where space is limited so I have MANY bookshelves all over my place and shelves on the walls, any space I can get a shelf that will hold books, it's there. BUT for the most part mine are organized (ish) by genre and series. I have many books by Sarah J. Maas and she writes series, so she will probably end up getting an entire bookshelf, but its YA, NA, Horror/thriller/suspence/chicklit/romance/fiction/books from childhood

[Ashley]

Well, I *try* to organize alphabetically by author last name since most of the books I own are in/around the same genres. If I had a more diverse library I'd probably organize by genre. My husband has a MASSIVE DVD and Blu Ray collection and that's how his is organized. However, I do get bad about sometimes just stacking them here or there. At any given moment there's probably 3-4 books strewn about my apartment, lol.

[RAVEN]

I used to have really bad OCD so everything alphabetical color coding order. when I found the balance in my life I was able to let that part of my OCD go. today I read books at random in my library at home or the next book on my list in kindle. and I enjoy that. the freedom for me and the surprise. I read anything and that makes it easy for me.

[Jeni]

RAVEN wrote: "I used to have really bad OCD so everything alphabetical color coding order. when I found the balance in my life I was able to let that part of my OCD go. today I read books at random in my library..."

Good for you!! My daughter has autism and she is very regimented. I have learned to live a bit more structured for her but I do like to experience the freedom of relaxing. I know just what you are talking about.

[lacy]

One day I'll move into a nice house and have my own library.

But until then, my books are scattered all over the apartment and on my bookshelves. I have books in totes in my closet and in my grandma's basement. lol.