Better Book Organizing for Kids

We love books here at our house! And because we love them so much we have accumulated quite the library. I'm glad that I have passed down my love of reading to my children and I'm glad they love their books so much. However, I wasn't glad with the way the little kid books were always a mess on the shelves. I wasn't glad that my children couldn't find the book they were looking for, and I sure wasn't glad that I was the only one who could put them away.

So, I did something about it!

Instead of lining up all the books vertically, I stacked them horizontally by category, placing the largest books on the bottom and the smallest on top. This way makes my kids be able to see what they're looking for and be able to put them away. I wrote the categories on Post-It notes and laminated them to keep them looking nice. I then attached the labels to the bookshelf with painters tape so the finish would be protected. I put the really large books on top of the shelf in neat piles.

Here's the way I categorized them:

• Animals
• Potty books (for little kids)
• Babies
• Dogs
• Feelings and Opposites
• Getting Dressed and The Body
• Colors and Shapes
• ABC's and 123's
• Touch and Feel
• Bedtime
• Nature and Food
• Church and Jesus

These categories are, of course, just suggestions. Categorize them in the best way for you. And don't worry if your child can't read the labels. With your help, they'll soon be able to memorize where their books go. Before you know it, they'll be reading the labels too.

That is, after all, the whole idea of books. :)