KidsHappen Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I finished my book organizing today. It is roughly according to the Dewey Decimal system with some personal adjustments :tongue_smilie:. I ended up with the following categories (one per shelf unless otherwise specified): 1) General Knowledge (mostly books of facts and knowledge) - 30s 2) Phonics - 370s 3) Spelling & Vocabulary - 370s 4) English - Grammar and Writing (2 Shelves) - 400s & 800s (why the heck are these together) 5) Languages and Linguistics - 400-410 6) Latin - 470s 7) Math & Arithmetic - 500s 8) Algebra & Geometry - 510s 9) Math Manipulatives - No call number 10) General Science - 500s 11) Earth & Space - 520s & 550s 12) Physics - 530s 13) Chemistry - 540s 14) Biology and Life Sciences - 570s 15) Evolution and Intelligent Design 16) Plants & Animals - 580s & 630s 17) Medical & Anatomy - 610s 18) Atlases - 900-910s 19) Geography & Travel - 900s-910s 20) World History (2 Shelves) - 900s 21) Ancient History - 930s 22) Middle Ages & Europe - 940s 23) American History (2 Shelves) - 970s 24) Economics & Government - 320s-340s 25) Alternative History - 930s 26) Religion and Mythology (2 Shelves) - 200s-290s & various numbers for mythologies 27) Media - all All literature and fiction is downstairs as is all 700s (the arts). All of my books currently fit on the shelves but I only have room to grow in a few subjects: English, languages, all of the sciences except biology, geography, the middle ages, economics & government, alternative history and religion & mythology. The rest of the shelves are FULL and that subject will require another shelf if I buy even one more book in that subject. Unfortunately all of the shelves are taken. :glare: That was hard work and I am tired but the shelves look good and now I can find any specific item that I am looking for instead of having to look through an entire bookshelf to find, say, a certain chemistry book. Now I just have to go make dinner and do the dishes. So tell me about your book organizing system. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita in NC Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I don't think I am nearly that organized. Mine are grouped by subject. Novels are alphabetical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I have a picture in my head of what our books shelves look like and where the books sit on the shelves and that is my filing system. if hubby wants to know where a book is or goes he asks me first. Otherwise they are done by topic and slightly by size. We have floor to ceiling books shelves in our den and in the kids room, plus some extra shelves in the living room and upstairs hallway, my room and MANY in boxes still packed up. No wonder my head hurts so often.:lol: I did finally talk hubby into letting me label the shelves with a timeline as that is how we normally read books for schooling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Holy cow, woman! That's alot of organizing! I just try to keep our books separated from the library's books at my house. :) There's a seperate shelf for homeschool curricula that isn't just a book or novel. That's about as far as I've gotten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I am not NEARLY that organized. Our books are grouped together by topic (Science, Reference, History, Religion, Geography, etc.). Our historical fiction books are shelved chronologically, and our non-historical fiction together. It works for me, and I know where to find everything I need. When my kids need a book, I tell them where in the library to look for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I have books intended for DD shelved by subject. Literature--one shelf Other language arts--one shelf Religion/Bible/catechism--one shelf Crafts/seasonal stuff/nature studies--one shelf (kind of Waldorf-y) Science--two shelves History--used to be one shelf for world history and one for US history. It's a little more scattered than that, now. I have one shelf for Sonlight 5 and related books. One for Ancients through Medieval times. One for World history, early Modern and late Modern. One for US history, early modern and late modern. These are a mixture of fiction and non-fiction and texts. But I have two art history encyclopedias that have their own area. I also have the old white Kingfisher in 10 volumes, all together. I have a huge old dictionary and a two volume general encyclopedia together. And every so often I pull out a bunch of books on one topic and put them in their own area to be covered together, like books on California history or on the Renaissance. This is usually when we are doing a 1-2 month unit study or are preparing for a field trip. And then I keep my own books in a total hodge podge. It's a season, you know? I have a tall, narrow book shelf in my bedroom next to my bedside table, which in theory would hold all of the books that I'm getting ready to read to myself or others. But inevitably the books that I'm 'just getting to' start to pile up on the bedside table precariously. Then I weed them out and disperse them, and start over. I'm due for a round of that right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainViewMama Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 That's alot of organizing! I just try to keep our books separated from the library's books at my house. :) :iagree: That is awesome that you can be that organized! I have a cloth bag that I try to remember to put the library books back into so they can go back to the library.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Ours is divided by subject with subdivisions. -TOG books are divided and in totes by year with the level, week used written in the inside front cover with one shelf dedicated to the current unit -Science books are divided by field: biology (human, animal, plant), geology, ecology and physical geography, space, physical science (chemistry and physics), scientists biographies and encyclopedias. Experiment books are organized either by focus or on the science reference shelf. -Music and art books are grouped together but all the art books, then the music books -Reference books are together: dictionary, atlases, etc. things we use often as well as our notebooks. -Nature Study shelf with field guides and helps -I have storage drawers for math, science, reading and art that house our supplies and manipulatives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 My books are on different shelves by topic - US history, world history, science, math, reference, etc. The literature is on shelves according to reading level - the higher the shelf, the harder the book, except for some that are too big and are on their own shelf. If I had a couple of more bookcases, I'd organize literature alphabetically. Right now, though, I have to group books by size in order to make everything fit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I have a picture in my head of what our books shelves look like and where the books sit on the shelves and that is my filing system. if hubby wants to know where a book is or goes he asks me first. That's pretty much what I was going to say. My husband has made various attempts to organize/alphabetize the books, but I quickly defeat him by insisting on pulling the books off the shelves. Frankly, I just use the books too much and too often to be bothered to painstakingly re-shelve them according to some master plan. So, I usually know more or less where I last saw a book and can put my hands on it pretty quickly. And my husband has decided to focus his organizational efforts on the CDs, which I rarely touch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I am finally finished. Here are photos of the bookcases in our living area. The boys have picture books, favorite chapter books and audio books on the bookshelf in their room. I have craft magazines, homeschool and my personal non-fiction books (parenting, marriage, etc) in the bookshelf in our room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I finished my book organizing today. It is roughly according to the Dewey Decimal system with some personal adjustments :tongue_smilie:. I ended up with the following categories (one per shelf unless otherwise specified): 1) General Knowledge (mostly books of facts and knowledge) - 30s 2) Phonics - 370s 3) Spelling & Vocabulary - 370s 4) English - Grammar and Writing (2 Shelves) - 400s & 800s (why the heck are these together) 5) Languages and Linguistics - 400-410 6) Latin - 470s 7) Math & Arithmetic - 500s 8) Algebra & Geometry - 510s 9) Math Manipulatives - No call number 10) General Science - 500s 11) Earth & Space - 520s & 550s 12) Physics - 530s 13) Chemistry - 540s 14) Biology and Life Sciences - 570s 15) Evolution and Intelligent Design 16) Plants & Animals - 580s & 630s 17) Medical & Anatomy - 610s 18) Atlases - 900-910s 19) Geography & Travel - 900s-910s 20) World History (2 Shelves) - 900s 21) Ancient History - 930s 22) Middle Ages & Europe - 940s 23) American History (2 Shelves) - 970s 24) Economics & Government - 320s-340s 25) Alternative History - 930s 26) Religion and Mythology (2 Shelves) - 200s-290s & various numbers for mythologies 27) Media - all All literature and fiction is downstairs as is all 700s (the arts). All of my books currently fit on the shelves but I only have room to grow in a few subjects: English, languages, all of the sciences except biology, geography, the middle ages, economics & government, alternative history and religion & mythology. The rest of the shelves are FULL and that subject will require another shelf if I buy even one more book in that subject. Unfortunately all of the shelves are taken. :glare: That was hard work and I am tired but the shelves look good and now I can find any specific item that I am looking for instead of having to look through an entire bookshelf to find, say, a certain chemistry book. Now I just have to go make dinner and do the dishes. So tell me about your book organizing system. :) My books are not dissimilarly organized. However the subjects aren't on shelves in Dewey order. Adult and kids books are shelved in separate areas. I have another question-How do you get your kids to not mess up the system and mis-shelve books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 My books are on different shelves by topic - US history, world history, science, math, reference, etc. The literature is on shelves according to reading level - the higher the shelf, the harder the book, except for some that are too big and are on their own shelf. If I had a couple of more bookcases, I'd organize literature alphabetically. Right now, though, I have to group books by size in order to make everything fit! I like this idea! I was having trouble deciding whether to organize by level or subject...but this does both. DAWN! I love your pics! Suddenly I don't have so many books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted February 18, 2009 Author Share Posted February 18, 2009 I am finally finished. Here are photos of the bookcases in our living area. The boys have picture books, favorite chapter books and audio books on the bookshelf in their room. I am impressed and I think you have more books than I do. Great job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted February 18, 2009 Author Share Posted February 18, 2009 My books are not dissimilarly organized. However the subjects aren't on shelves in Dewey order. Adult and kids books are shelved in separate areas. I have another question-How do you get your kids to not mess up the system and mis-shelve books? Well, this set of shelves is in my room and the books are usually used in there because our school room is my office which is attached. So they are told to put them back immediately after using. Sometimes they take them for extended reading so periodically I take stock of what is missing and go on a book finding expedition. If I have a hole, I usually know what is missing and therefore what to look for. I also usually know who would have such book and therefore where to look for it. The only thing that trips me up is the nine year old who just choses random books off the shelves. Searching her room is an effort of last resort if the book can not otherwise be located. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I'm just happy when the twins leave them on the shelves. I'll organize them when I no longer have dc under 4 or 5! Otherwise it's a waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 We have an overload of books.. both dh and I are serious addicts, so there's nobody to keep the other one in check. We generally organize them in a similar manner to everyone else.. but with our homeschooling books, I have designated shelves for a topic and put all relevant books/puzzles/games/videos on that shelf. That way I can see all my resources on a given topic at once. I'm getting so scatter-brained in my old age, I would forget I had things when they were separated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnetteB Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 (edited) Holy cow, woman! That's alot of organizing! I just try to keep our books separated from the library's books at my house. :) There's a seperate shelf for homeschool curricula that isn't just a book or novel. That's about as far as I've gotten. :lol: Keeping the library books separated is a challenge! We have 96 items checked out just now. I have a pretty good sense of where each of our own books are on the nine bookcases, multiple wall-mounted shelves, and the underneath shelves of the coffee tables scattered throughout the house. The organization is rather loose. We have a health section, Bible study, garden, knitting, quilting, woodworking, math, art, science, American history, World history, biographies, etc. They have to be sorted sometimes by size. Elijah has a shelf section of K & 1st workbooks, but the other children have stacks or totes with their schoolbooks inside. The photo is of a new little shelf I made to hold our frail collection of grandparent and great-grandparent's books. Edited February 18, 2009 by AnnetteB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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