Bookcases and Shelves

My home office was a mess. There were books and papers everywhere, so I decided I had to dedicate some time organizing and throwing out or donating excess "stuff."

I needed some bookcases and shelves, especially bookcases. I read a lot as well as have a lot of reference books for work. Also, as a blogger, I regularly receive free review books in the mail. I simply had way too many books all over the place, ranging from piles in the corners and against the walls, to mounds on my desk and every other available surface!

There are plenty of choices available in bookcases, and as you might guess, you usually get what you pay for. Bookcases for sale are available widely. Cheap bookcases from the office supply stores and discount stores don't really last that long especially if you overload them and occasionally move them for cleaning or reorganizing, but they are OK. They are usually made of some kind of pressed or particle board material. The bookcases Lowes I have are pretty good for example, and a good deal, but certainly not top quality.

What I really wanted were built in bookcases, but I wasn't quite sure what configuration I wanted. Built in bookcases have several advantages, including that they use your available space optimally, can be built to your exact specifications, are usually beautiful, and you don't need to worry about them falling down. Price is not usually one of their advantages however; they tend to be expensive!

Solid wood bookcases are much more durable and can last even more than a lifetime. We actually have a couple of antique bookcases downstairs my wife has refinished that are beautiful and durable. I bought some unfinished wood bookcases for one of the walls and spend a few evenings finishing them.

I also bought a finished corner bookcase for one of the corners in the room which matched my decor and fit perfectly.

I may eventually add a barrister bookcase from my parents house. These are enclosed bookcases. My parent's has glass doors in from which is quite common. Unfortunately it's an ugly fake antique green color so I'll need to strip and refinish it - it's just too ugly!

For now though I added shelves for additional storage. Shelves can be made of various types of materials, including glass, wire, and wood. You can even have beautiful custom made shelves, for example out of cherry wood or other beautiful materials.

I added a long wire shelf in the closet, and two wood shelves on one wall above my desk. I'm also considering adding a set of free standing shelves for storing equipment like printers and other office and electronic equipment.

One popular option I use elsewhere in my home is adjustable shelves that attach to wall mounted brackets, sometimes called "standards." My wife uses these to display her pottery.

In my office I seem to have an odd mix of Staples shelves, Office Depot shelves, and Office Max shelves, They are all OK, and I bought whatever was on sale at the time.

My room is far more organized and cleaner now that I've added bookcases and shelves. Their configuration will no doubt change as time goes on, and I may eventually have bookcases built in on one wall, my parents barrister bookcase on another wall, and some better looking wall mounted wooden shelves, although I'm very happy with what I have now!