Bookcase: Organization and Display

A bookcase is an interesting piece of furniture. More often than not, it becomes a cluttered mess of collected items. Nothing ends up standing out, except the eyesore of it all.

When we lived in our condo a few years ago, that was exactly what happened to our Ikea bookcase.
Once in our new house, it was a new opportunity to make the book shelf everything I always wanted it to be. Of course, it is always changing, and so I thought I would take go ahead and show you its current iteration before it transforms into something else.

 Starting with a blank slate (a blank house at this point), we positioned the bookcase on a wall so that it was the first thing you saw when you headed toward the TV room.

 Then we populated it with lots of great items.
For me it is important for a bookshelf to be both aesthetically pleasing, but also functional.
To check out the medical artwork, click on this post.

I used the following rules to make this display successful for our lives.

1. Use boxes to neatly keep items like photographs organized.
2. Add life to your bookshelf by adding plants.

3. Try to leave room around display items.
4. Display collected items!

I have kept my collection of all things Kevin Smith for 20 years. Always stuffed in a drawer, or in a box somewhere. It is a shame to keep things like this under wraps. Not only does it make for a very unique display, but it shows your personality. (Even if it includes Walt Flannigan's dog)

5. Display items from your childhood!

These boots were mine as a baby. I figure I will be putting these on my own sweet Millie soon too! But in the meantime, they look adorable under a cloche.

This ceramic baby doll was hand made by my Gran more than 30 years ago. As a small child, I insisted that they have the same eye colour as me. LOL. My Gran begrudgingly complied.

6. Display necessary items if possible.
7. Provide baskets for necessary items that aren't as pretty like dog toys.

Our dog, Grey, has very dry skin so we use bag balm on him often. Keeping it at hand makes my life easier. Plus, the container is delightfully vintage looking.

8. Put items on the top, but don't over power the visual as a whole.
9. Keep balance between items that fill a shelf and those that have more breathing room.

I am pleased with how it all turned out!
To check out the ottoman refurb, click on this post.
Check out Desire To Inspire, where Grey-dog has made an appearance!