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How to organize your home library
Books arrive faster than shelves can take them: gifts, second-hand finds, books lent and never returned, a second copy bought by mistake. Organising a home library is part tidying and part record-keeping. Do both once, and keeping it in order becomes easy.
A practical approach, then home library apps, with a section for book apps rising by visits on the Censuus ranking.
Book apps rising by visits and sponsorship on Censuus
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Sort before you shelve
Take books off the shelves in sections and sort them: keep, give away, and to read. Be honest about books you will not reread. Space on the shelf makes the ones you keep easier to see and enjoy.
Choose a system you will keep
Fiction by author and non-fiction by subject works for many homes; others prefer genre or even colour. Give the to-read pile its own shelf so it stays visible. Any system works if you can find a book in seconds.
Catalogue on your phone
Scanning barcodes or adding titles in an app builds a list of what you own, which is handy in bookshops and when choosing what to read next. Record loans so lent books find their way home.
Keep reading, not just organising
Use your catalogue and to-read list to pick the next book. For reading habits, see how to read more books and how to keep a reading journal; compare apps in home library apps.
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sort and decide | keep, give away, to read | shelves for what matters |
| 2. Pick a system | genre, author, colour or mix | find books easily |
| 3. Catalogue them | scan barcodes or add titles | know what you own |
| 4. Track loans | who has which book | books come back |
| 5. Keep a wish list | books you want | no duplicates |
Frequently asked questions
How should I organize books at home?
Sort what you keep, then shelve by a system you will maintain, such as author for fiction and subject for non-fiction, with a separate to-read shelf.
How do I catalogue my books?
Use an app to scan barcodes or add titles, then note loans and keep a wish list in the same place.
How do I keep track of books I lend?
Record the borrower and date in your catalogue, and check the list now and then.