There’s Something About New Bookshelves

Two weeks ago today, filled with excitement from getting two new bookshelves, I created a Twitter poll asking if anyone would like to see a blog post about them (and my new personal library arrangement), a shelfie on Instagram, both, or neither. As you can see in the below screenshot, both won. If you participated in my poll – THANK YOU! And to all of you reading this, thank you for stopping by to see how I’ve arranged my new shelves.

I will start by saying that if you are not a bibliophile or someone who falls in love with a great piece of furniture, what I write here (and maybe the following images, too) is not for you. Bookshelves are my favorite home furnishing, because more often than not the items that fill them are personal and hand selected. They are also quite versatile and can house more than books, although books are their perfect complement. And they just look good in any space. Anyway, here is my gallery of photos as promised (seven in all). Below I’ve included how I came to acquire these particular shelves and how I’ve arranged my books on them, if you are interested in knowing those things, too.

1. The new bookshelves ready to be set up!
2. Shelves have been cleaned and inserted.
3. All of my paperback books – some from the bookshelf still downstairs and others from various places in my apartment.
4. Books in alphabetical order and with the exception of two + special editions, they all fit in these two bookshelves!
5. I brought up the bookshelf I already had to join its siblings. I then shifted my books to start in the first bookcase.
6. A view from above. Some miscellaneous office supplies, notebooks, and flowers. This is giving me motivation to clean up the tops of these bookshelves, actually, because they do not look like this at the moment…
7. A shot of the tall bookshelf with special edition paperbacks and my hardback Book of the Month editions. And one of my flourishing plants.

More Info:

As an employee for a home decor magazine (copywriter and content coordinator)*, I am lucky enough to get a discount on everything we sell, as well as a chance to bid on returned or damaged items. The bookshelves that are the subject of this blog post are my favorite ones available in our catalog. They are made in Maine and are simple and complementary – and they come in black, which is not just my favorite color for clothing but for furniture, too.

I have had one of these particular bookshelves for a while now, and have been hoping that more appeared in returns so I could create a more cohesive space for my books. When a matching bookshelf (low) and coordinating bookshelf (tall) became available, I put in my bids and excruciatingly waited for the results of the bidding to be posted.

And reader, I won both bookshelves! The reason for their return seemed to be a couple of scratches in the wood that are only noticeable if you know they are there, so I went home that day with two nearly perfect bookshelves and got to work organizing them. I am so happy with the way they look, and they really make the living room in my apartment much more cozy (finally, after three years of living there, ha). Currently, all of my paperback books reside on their shelves, with the exception of my hardback Book of the Month editions. I thought about starting the rows on top of the bookshelves, but for now these books all fit in the shelves so I am using the top space for office supplies, knick-knacks, and miscellaneous items.

So that is the story of my new bookshelves. I’m glad that I get to share my excitement because quite honestly it’s overflowing and I needed to put the excess somewhere; and I’m glad that you were interested in seeing my bookshelves (those of you who voted, anyway). If you’ve recently added some furniture to your personal library, or have a new arrangement for your books and want to spread the word, let me know in the comments (drop a link if you’d like). Happy shelving, bookworms!

-Kelsey

*I’m not going to shout out to my company because 1. Privacy and 2. I don’t get a bonus for mentioning it on my blog.