11 Clever Solutions for Cluttered Bookshelves

With the holidays in full swing and the inevitable crush of people coming in and out of my house this season, I couldn’t ignore the mishmash of clutter that seemed to be piling up on the bookshelves around my house. Between my kids’ board games, various knick-knacks we’ve picked up while traveling, books, and miscellaneous junk that just has to go somewhere, simply cleaning and dumping stuff out of my cluttered bookshelves was not an option—I needed a way to keep this stuff, while also making it all look good.

Here are a few fresh and unexpected ways to add a few key items and shelves to your house to quickly go from cluttered to classy. Check them out in the slideshow.

More Home Decor Tips:

Decluttering Your Bookcases

Utilize Open Shelving + Small Boxes and Trays

Using clean white open shelving with simple lines helps keep kids' rooms or your office tidy. If you dedicate smaller boxes, bins, or trays for your stuff, it makes it easier to keep everything in its' place, plus it cuts down on the cluttered look when things are neatly tucked into boxes.

Try similar inexpensive shelving like KALLAX from IKEA ($34.99) for a similar look.

Image: Glitter Guide, Office of Sugar Paper, Photography by Bryce Covey Photography
Take Advantage of Semi-Enclosed Bookcases

A beautiful piece like this traditional Wetherly Bookcase ($1,229.99) from Birch Lane gives you a place for things that are a bit more valuable. The enclosed shelves ensure that things don't get knocked over, but you can still see what's inside. As a bonus, clutter is less easily noticed when shelves are semi-enclosed, but you won't forget what's behind the doors like you would with a completely opaque door.
Add Floating Bookshelves on Small Empty Walls

This mini wall-hanging bookshelf houses journals and books for storage just about anywhere. Give your most-used books (your kids' favorite books or your day planner) a special spot like this Decorator Book Rack, $199 from Pottery Barn Kids, and you'll cut down on accessing your regular bookshelves as much (read: keep your other shelves clean and tidy).
Add an Entryway Cubby Shelf

Prevent a slew of "outside-of-the-house-only" items from even making their way into the house and cluttering up your famliy room by installing an entryway cubby. A wall-mounted shelf like this Entry Cubby Shelf, $178 from Kohl's, gives you and your kids an immediate place to hang backpacks, jackets and purses, as well as a place to dump your keys, loose change, and stuff you only use when you're headed out the door.
Stack Books and Add Boxes By Your Bed

Nightstand organization will leave you feeling energized from the moment you wake up. I love a clean antique brass table like this Terrace Nightstand, $299 at West Elm. Instead of a typical nightstand that has enclosed drawers (that you inevitably shove years worth of hair ties, receipts, old magazines, and random junk that get lost in the abyss), try one that only allows for neatly stacked books and magazines, then add a few decorative boxes in various sizes to keep the stuff you want by your bedside to remain unseen.
Reserve Shelves for Single Pieces or Art or Plants

Shelving like this Bleached Pine Bookcase $2,499 from West Elm is stylish on its own. I love shelves that are compartmentalized like this---it gives you the opportunity to dedicate each cubby to something (games in one, books in a few, etc.) while also giving you opportunities to use compartments for decor only. Add some art, plants, or ceramics by themselves in a few compartments, and the bookcase will always be looking stylish.
Fill Unused Corners of the House with Shelves or Carts

Rather than try to cram everything you own into your existing closed storage and closets, bring your most frequently used stuff out into the open by converting empty corners of the house into places where you can display and easily access stuff you use and love the most. For example, this vintage vanity (as styled here via The Everygirl), occupies an unused corner in your bedroom, and can house your favorite perfumes, a vintage purse, and some of your favorite candles and books.

Image via The Everygirl.com, Photography by Stoffer Photography
Bring a Bit of Your Bar to Your Living Room

If your dedicated bar area is probably in an out-of-the-way location like the basement, bring your most used items upstairs to the family room by turning a bookshelf into a mini bar cart like TheEveygirl did here with a $34 KALLAX Shelving Unit from IKEA. It's simple, clean, and portable. Get creative by adding table legs or wheels to it for an easy IKEA hack.

Image via TheEverygirl, Photography by Jennifer Kathryn
Diversify Your Media Center

Your TV and everything around it doesn't have to be a mecca for wires and electronics. Hide all the unsightly game consoles and BluRay players in a closet or cabinet and use your media center as spot for decor and books instead. Your house will be looking more like a home, and less like an arcade in an instant. This industrial modular large media set with bookcase, $2397 by West Elm is the perfect piece to turn your TV center into a focal point for design.
Revive Old Bookshelves with a Pop of Color

If you have an old bookshelf that doesn't match your decor anymore, consider painting it and adding vibrant contact paper or wallpaper like this stylish display featured on View Along the Way.

Image via View Along The Way
Stylize and Accessorize Books

Stack and layer books from left to right (tallest to shortest) as a styling rule of thumb. Stack them in small groups---horizontally and vertically---to give visual interest, height, and depth. Create a sense of design with the books themselves (as demonstrated here on View Along the Way). Float a desk or sofa in front of your bookcase for additional depth and design.

Image via ViewAlongTheWay.com