Retro Reads discussion

When it comes to your owned books, how organized are you?
Stacks on the floor? Nicely shelved according to genre or author? How many rooms are your books inhabiting?

Me? My bedroom is small but I have a walk-in closet with more books than clothes. Totally unorganized, some on the floor, some in boxes, I could go on but you get the picture! The living room has a small bookcase with coffee table books and an old encyclopedia from my childhood nicely displayed.

I am fairly organized, with my fiction shelves being alphabetized and the non-fiction being grouped by subject.
As to rooms with books:
the living room has 3 large bookcases,
bedroom #1 has one small case of paperbacks and a storage container full of books,
bedroom #2 has a small bookcase-very full,
bedroom #3 has 3 small-ish bookcases full of genre fiction, plus a chair-side table with stacks of library books and some of the TBR,
the downstairs family room has 4 book cases-all full, plus 4 wall shelves full of non-fiction,
the laundry/sewing room has a bookcase full of cookbooks and craft books,
and the utility room has a bookcase full of home fix-it books and 2 shelves of sports/movie related books.
We have been in this house for almost 40 years and, believe it or not, what we currently have is only a fraction of what we have acquired over the years!

I'm (close) to as organised as Barb.

In my office I have a tall book case. It has fiction books in (author) alphabetical order, followed by one shelf of nonfiction also in alphabetical order by author.

I have a small bookcase for the works of my favourite author (Georgette Heyer) & books about her.

Then I have (hanging on the wall) my physical to read shelf with the books I'm intending to read - in that order. Even though it has moved a little this year, it is overfull, with books untidily on top of the ones shelved correctly.

In my bedroom there is a built in shelving, very sturdy, so that is double shelved. it is also alphabetical. My bedside cabinet has a small number of oversized books.

In the kitchen my smaller cookbooks have their own cupboard. The larger ones are in the living room now, along with my husband's small collection of sports books.

I think that's all! 😅

I’m not as organized as you women! I’ve got built-in bookshelves in the den and a large standalone bookshelf in my husband’s “man cave”, which is really the smallest of three bedrooms. I can easily access those, so I try and keep my favorites there - mysteries, Georgette Heyer, nonfiction. Grouped generally by author - the built-in shelves are a bother as I have to reach up to get what I want, or ask my husband to get it for me. They were installed as part of a remodeling project about 15 years ago, but I’m afraid not really thought out, in light of my being short! And now that I’ve had brain surgeries and subsequent balance issues, anything I have to reach up for is difficult.

I’ve also got boxes of old used paperbacks, mostly old romances, tucked in closets and drawers. Many belonged to my mother, but I just can’t part with them, as they were some of her favorites!I try and keep my current TBR mini pile on the lower shelf of the table beside my favorite reading spot in the living room.

Honestly, for ease of use (font-size, storage, portability), I’m moving more and more to ebooks and audiobooks I can enjoy with my iPad.

Susan in NC wrote: "I’m not as organized as you women! I’ve got built-in bookshelves in the den and a large standalone bookshelf in my husband’s “man cave”, which is really the smallest of three bedrooms. I can easily..."

It's great having a room of your own, isn't it?

I forgot to mention that the books in the office are the ones I don't want to loan out. I've had a lot of bad luck with borrowers.

Office has built in bookshelves with non fiction organized by subject.
Living room four large bookshelves with fiction alphabetical by author.
Dining room with with large bookshelf that contains my almost complete selection of hardback Georgette Heyer and paperbacks.
Spare bedroom two medium bookshelves with my books from my childhood and other young people books I loved and bought from my years as a middle school library aide.
Master bedroom has bookshelve with my nonfiction books about books and movies.
I have an end table piled up with unread books in no particular order and there is usually a few on the kitchen table.

Some of you are amazingly organized!

I've been living in one room, but have a bookcase with the books divided into fiction/nonfiction with library books on the top shelf.

But, I just bought a small house and it's likely I will be getting more since I love to re-read old favorites and I don't like to read ebooks before bed.

My Kindle fire is old and has problems and the Paperwhite is dead after less than 2 years so damned if I will buy another Kindle, but I want to get some kind of tablet that has e-ink so I can read even in bright sun. Like Susan, I enjoy both ebooks and audio books more all the time.

Jackie wrote: "Some of you are amazingly organized!

I've been living in one room, but have a bookcase with the books divided into fiction/nonfiction with library books on the top shelf.

But, I just bought a s..."

I had my Kobo die after 18 months, so it's luck of the draw really. My kindle paperweight is 11 years old & still going strong although it needs charging more frequently these days. I think you have more of a choice of brands then we get in NZ.

If you are buying more book shelves, I recommend going as robust as possible. One of the shelves on my office one has a slightbend, even though most of the books are paperbacks.

When do you move in? :)

I don't move until the 26th but if I buy a second (bigger) bed) along with everything else I might go ahead of time. probably not, however.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I’m not as organized as you women! I’ve got built-in bookshelves in the den and a large standalone bookshelf in my husband’s “man cave”, which is really the smallest of three be..."

I only loan books to my twin sister, so I know who has them! She lives 5 hours away, though, so I try to loan books I’ve just enjoyed and don’t want to reread, as we only get to see each other a few times a year!

Jackie wrote: "I don't move until the 26th but if I buy a second (bigger) bed) along with everything else I might go ahead of time. probably not, however."

Good luck, this is an exciting time for you!