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Kathryn
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Mackfam wrote:
** I have shelves that are WAAAAAYYY up high on the wall. I make use of these for storing particular books that aren't being used by a child during that year.
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Does anyone else store their books on a wall shelf? I know you have the adjustable shelves Jen...is that the best way to go? I'm thinking mainly for the weight and not wanting them to fall upon their heads! I'm also thinking mainly for the series books like Little House, Am Girl etc. so I guess they wouldn't be that heavy. I just didn't want to get the tracks and mounts and all those things and thought it would be ok to just hang a couple of shelves up for these. ?!
PS: Is it ok to ask another question on this post that's related to the same topic or am I supposed to start another thread? 
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Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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Mackfam
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Kathryn,
The shelves I use (which come from Lowe's/Home Depot - metal tracks, metal bracket, laminate shelves) which hang on the wall will support 80 pounds each, I believe. I remember my husband checking them out and saying they would support more if the metal tracks are anchored in studs, which ours are. I put ALOT of heavy books/materials on mine, they've never flipped or fallen and I've had them up for about 7 years now.
In seeking out the wall shelves, I was searching for something that got bookshelves off the floor, made use of high ceilings/high wallspace, was adjustable, could support a lot of weight, and could be purchased a little at a time as finances allowed (we started with 2 or 3 shelves and one section at a time, and I added more as we were able, I have 4 shelves and 6 sections of shelves now.)
Hopefully, I'm not the only one that uses these so others can chime in. Also, if I had access to something like those beautiful and solid wooden shelves Paula has, I'd trade for them!
Kathryn wrote:
| Is it ok to ask another question on this post that's related to the same topic or am I supposed to start another thread? |
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Absolutely! In fact, it's almost nicer to keep thoughts along the same lines in the same space. As someone who searches the board frequently, I like reading a thread with a number of questions and perspectives about a general idea. Helps in discerning for me. Ask away!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Paula in MN
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Mackfam wrote:
| Also, if I had access to something like those beautiful and solid wooden shelves Paula has, I'd trade for them! |
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One of these days I'm going to surprise you at your front door with my FIL and some trees in a trailer... 
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Paula
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Mackfam
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Paula in MN wrote:
Mackfam wrote:
| Also, if I had access to something like those beautiful and solid wooden shelves Paula has, I'd trade for them! |
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One of these days I'm going to surprise you at your front door with my FIL and some trees in a trailer... |
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Anytime!!!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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drmommy
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These are great ideas ladies.
Ho hum...I just put mine on shelves. We have a new homeschooling room, so it helps. Each girl has their own workspace with their own shelving, cubbies, and drawers. Hubby designed it and it is so nice. But, it took about 7 years to come to fruition (it was our old kitchen)!
I just love all the creative ideas though!
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Erin
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drmommy wrote:
These are great ideas ladies.
Ho hum...I just put mine on shelves. We have a new homeschooling room, so it helps. Each girl has their own workspace with their own shelving, cubbies, and drawers. Hubby designed it and it is so nice. But, it took about 7 years to come to fruition (it was our old kitchen)!
I just love all the creative ideas though! |
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This sounds so intriguing, what do their cubbies look like?
Books
I found it! I remembered discussing years back this topic  Book Organization do you dot or do you
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
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leanne maree
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Well I am rather slack. our Schooling books are in no particular order. We have the Books out we are using At the moment, and the rest are just on the shelf. Actually we haven't packed up from the last year yet.
Usually attempt that in January, before we go back to school.
I sound very slack don't I.
Never considered blocking them into categories. I think I would run out of space.
Leanne
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LeeAnn
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Right now I've got the kids' books limited to four bookcases. One is for fiction, alpha by author. Series books (American Girl, Hardy Boys) are at the top. The rest is Alcott to Wilder and then a few magazine holders for kid magazines on the last shelf.
The second is for nonfiction, one shelf for world history (our categories are: general, Greeks, Romans, Norse, Medieval and Modern), one shelf for American (these are actually shelved by height, plus a small subsection for state history), another shelf for science (general, animals, human body, astronomy, biographies), another for everything else (math, grammar, Latin, handwriting, etc). The shelf in the middle is the kids' shelf where current books are kept, divided by wire bookends.
The third bookcase is all picture books: Tasha Tudor boosk, fairy tales/magic stories, nursery tales, ballerina books, easy readers (all the paperback little books are in a little crate on the shelf), then picture books alpha by author and finally a few kids' craft/how-to books. Oh, the Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter books are on the bottom shelf too.
The fourth bookcase is all religious books sorted by age level. I have way too many. More than we can really read. I need to pare it down.
There's also one more cubby that is just little golden books, board books, kids' photo albums and another small bookcase upstairs that is all board books or toddler/preschool little books for the youngest ones. Probably about fifty books total on the little bookcase. They are arranged by size.
If you really want to be hip, you can arrange your books by color! I've seen it done! 
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my four children are 17, 15, 11 & 8 - all now attend public school - we read many 4Real recommended books at home
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amyable
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LeeAnn wrote:
If you really want to be hip, you can arrange your books by color! I've seen it done! |
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I have my personal books arranged by color and I love it! So soothing looking. There are only a few shelves, so it's really not hard to find what I'm looking for if I can't remember the color of the cover. I'm amazed at how often I *do* remember the color though! I did this because we were going to put the house on the market, but I kept it that way because I like it.
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Nina Murphy
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We have an entire wall and a half with built in shelves. I arrange books by subject.
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Angel
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I put a post on my blog (with pictures) about how I use book bins, in case anyone is still interested :
Speaking of Books
It's not a perfect system and I imagine it will evolve as the kids grow up (and if I get more shelves!! ), but it works pretty well for us.
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Martha
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After seeing jen's adjustable utility shelves - I had to have a wall of them. They are far more sturdy than regular bookcase shelves, which makes them perfect fir heavy books.
I only have one wall of them, so my heaviest books are kept there. Textbooks and teaching materials mostly.
The other 3 walls are bookcases of books ordered by subject. American history, ancient history, etc
classic or curriculum books are kept in here, all other reading material is kept randomly on shelves in the living room or in the kids rooms.
I have storage bins and cubicals for current books in use for each kid.
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Bookswithtea
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Angel wrote:
I put a post on my blog (with pictures) about how I use book bins, in case anyone is still interested :
Speaking of Books
It's not a perfect system and I imagine it will evolve as the kids grow up (and if I get more shelves!! ), but it works pretty well for us. |
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Wow! This looks like a nice way to separate the areas where dividing can get tricky. I'm thinking I could have one bin for each level of FIAR, for instance. It bothers me visually to have all baskets, but I like your hybrid method!
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TxTrish
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amyable wrote:
LeeAnn wrote:
If you really want to be hip, you can arrange your books by color! I've seen it done! |
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I have my personal books arranged by color and I love it! So soothing looking. There are only a few shelves, so it's really not hard to find what I'm looking for if I can't remember the color of the cover. I'm amazed at how often I *do* remember the color though! I did this because we were going to put the house on the market, but I kept it that way because I like it. |
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OK - I saw an example of this in a magazine this summer - I ripped out the picture and brought it home.
Here was my twist on it.....
I had a big box of National Geographic maps-the ones from the magazines (in our previous home I tried to wallpaper a wall in our schoolroom with them, that DIDN'T work at all).....
So I get out my maps, and start covering the art books on my living room shelves - did any of you have to cover your books in school? We did, so I just cut them up and started covering. It was a larger project than I imagined it would be I used calligraphy pens to write the titles of the books.
I popped pictures up on my blog here
I just packed up from Christmas, and have everything in disarray - but you can get the idea.
I like it. And I picked up some cool wrapping paper at Christmas to use for some more. Co-ordinating black/white prints - neato!
These are not the childrens books - but our art books, coffee table sized history books, the Will Durant series, and other stuff like that.
But, I like the look.
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CrunchyMom
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TxTrish wrote:
amyable wrote:
LeeAnn wrote:
If you really want to be hip, you can arrange your books by color! I've seen it done! |
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I have my personal books arranged by color and I love it! So soothing looking. There are only a few shelves, so it's really not hard to find what I'm looking for if I can't remember the color of the cover. I'm amazed at how often I *do* remember the color though! I did this because we were going to put the house on the market, but I kept it that way because I like it. |
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I love that! I was just looking at the pretty paper in the high-end stationery store (I find the best stuff in their clearance baskets!). I'm not sure I'd ever finish such a project, but your shelves do look nice! My only thought is that I might associate content with something about a book other than its title (its original color, type-set, cover illustrations, etc...)
OK - I saw an example of this in a magazine this summer - I ripped out the picture and brought it home.
Here was my twist on it.....
I had a big box of National Geographic maps-the ones from the magazines (in our previous home I tried to wallpaper a wall in our schoolroom with them, that DIDN'T work at all).....
So I get out my maps, and start covering the art books on my living room shelves - did any of you have to cover your books in school? We did, so I just cut them up and started covering. It was a larger project than I imagined it would be I used calligraphy pens to write the titles of the books.
I popped pictures up on my blog here
I just packed up from Christmas, and have everything in disarray - but you can get the idea.
I like it. And I picked up some cool wrapping paper at Christmas to use for some more. Co-ordinating black/white prints - neato!
These are not the childrens books - but our art books, coffee table sized history books, the Will Durant series, and other stuff like that.
But, I like the look.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Book organization
