I find that if I get something organized when I start out with it, it’s a lot easier to keep it that way. I returned

from vacation this summer to find a refurnished and refurbished office, and I’ve succeeded in keeping clutter from regaining a foothold for almost three months. See?

You may recall that last Sunday, I was organizing our new bookshelves. Do you mind if I show you how they turned out? Here’s an overview, with close-ups below, and a confession: unless they’re galleys, books I’ve accepted for review (consideration) but haven’t gotten to yet are mixed in with books I’ve bought. I mostly know which are which, though.

The right side is almost all nonfiction, except for the two bottom shelves (not pictured–they hold genre fiction, mostly SF/speculative, and a small selection of my keepers). The top shelf holds what I call my “Religious Studies” collection, books on writing, and essay collections. The next two shelves are mostly memoir and biography, and below that I’ve shelved an assortment of topical nonfiction.

The center section is shorter and wider than the two sides. The top two shelves are ARCs (fiction on the left, nonfiction on the right, matching the tall sections). The rest of this area is “family” property–keepers that my husband and I have shared–and kids’ & YA, both read and unread.