Books on Bookshelves: Front or Pushed Back

[Mel in K-zoo]

I am just curious what other people do. Do you have all of your books lined up at the front of the bookshelf or pushed to the back of the bookshelf?

[Kathy in MD]

I am just curious what other people do. Do you have all of your books lined up at the front of the bookshelf or pushed to the back of the bookshelf?

 

Both, and piled on top, and on the floor, and ...... :tongue_smilie:

 

Seriously, I prefer them pulled to the front (my mom was a librarian plus it hides the dust), but I'm short on shelf space so in a few cases I've put books in front of other books.

[Cheryl in NM]

If I push them back then I can "double stack" them!:D I'd have to line all my walls and drop shelves from the ceiling to have enough room for them to be single layer, but I'd still push them back.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I am just happy when they make it onto the shelves:). I do try not to push them too far back because I have had the backs of the bookcase separate off due to too much pressure. That doesn't mean that they are all neatly aligned or anything:).

[Crissy]

Oh, definitely lined up at the front of the shelf.

And *nothing* laying on top of the books.

I do have several random stacks on floors and dresser tops, but the shelves must be just right. :)

[AnnetteB]

Hmm, we shove them to the back and also stack paperbacks and smaller books in front. It leaves very little bare shelf to gather dust :D

[Aggie]

If the books make it to the shelves, I want them lined up at the front.

 

Then some little hand goes 'round the room and pushes them back. Only the shelves at his hand level, though.:lol:

 

But if one could see the dining room table presently, one would never guess I care how the shelves look.:D

[Tutor]

I prefer to have them pulled to the front, but as long as there are small children in the house and not enough book shelves, they will remain pushed back with books stacked on top of and in front of them. We actually had one shelf of books at child level where the books miraculously stayed pushed to the front. One day, my 5yo ds asked me to help him move a book so that he could reach a toy car he had dropped behind a book and the magic was revealed... there must have been 1-2 dozen toy cars behind the books keeping them from being pushed back. :lol:

[gardening momma]

I prefer to push them back, but dh likes them pulled to the front. I'm running out of room, so I'm starting to double up (front & back), and there's always a few that are lying horizontally on top of the others because the shelf isn't tall enough--at least those particular shelves, in the category the book fits into best.

[MamaT]

They have to be at the front. My dc inevitably push them back when getting a book off the shelves. It drives me crazy. I am forever going behind them straightening the books.

[Mel in K-zoo]

I've always had them pushed back, but just redid the room and am thinking about pulling them forward. I'm not sure where to put my picture frames then. Also, the thought of all that dust just collecting behind the books. I don't know, I am so undecided.

[elegantlion]

I'm kind of a middle of the shelf kind of gal. I like the spines to be in alignment. :D I usually have an accessory or something sitting in front of the books. I'm blessed to have built in bookcases in my living room and they are a mess, but the 3 bookcases in the classroom have to be neat or it drives me bonkers. Of course there is always a stack of books on my credenza, but that's a whole other issue.

[sassenach]

I push them back. Otherwise, little hands push them back when trying to pull them out and I end up with books pushed through, knocked over and sometimes lost.

[Nestof3]

I chose lined up against the front; however, on my history shelves, I have so many that some of the chapter books are stacked flat at the end of each shelf for added space (if that makes sense).

 

I actually go through periodically and pull the books back to the front.

[Kelli in TN]

I'd like them to be pushed to the front and maybe lifted a bit more than they are now, but I can't find the right shelving system for that.

 

Oh, wait. You meant literal books, didn't you?

[JudoMom]

I'd like them to be pushed to the front and maybe lifted a bit more than they are now, but I can't find the right shelving system for that.

 

Oh, wait. You meant literal books, didn't you?

 

:smilielol5:

[elegantlion]

I'd like them to be pushed to the front and maybe lifted a bit more than they are now, but I can't find the right shelving system for that.

 

Oh, wait. You meant literal books, didn't you?

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[swellmomma]

My books are stacked 2 deep, so they are pushed back as far as I can so I can add another row, and then I lay other ones on top of those rows. Once the shelves are full I start filling boxes on teh floor in front of the shelves so those books are neither front nor back. I also have piles all over the house so I need to be able to vote with an "all of the above" answer. I need another 2-3 bookcases to be able to line them up nicely.

[AnnetteB]

I'd like them to be pushed to the front and maybe lifted a bit more than they are now, but I can't find the right shelving system for that.

 

Oh, wait. You meant literal books, didn't you?

:lol::lol:

This could be a new thread in itself:glare:

[Obi-Mom Kenobi]

They're easier for Padawan Learner to see and grab that way.

[Melissa in Australia]

If I push them back then I can "double stack" them!:D I'd have to line all my walls and drop shelves from the ceiling to have enough room for them to be single layer,.

 

I:iagree: my books are double stacked as well. I would love to have them in the front, but then it can make the bookshelves front heavy

[happyWImom]

If I push them back then I can "double stack" them!:D I'd have to line all my walls and drop shelves from the ceiling to have enough room for them to be single layer, but I'd still push them back.

 

 

Same here! I talked dh into buying another bookshelf for the livingroom (which we probably shoudn't spend the $ on right now) and he asked me "When are we going to stop buying anymore books?" Um-do you even know who I am?????

[Guest]

I used to have them pushed back to keep the kids from pulling them all down. I figured out it was easier to teach them not to pull books than to dust, though. :D

 

Double stacking or picture frames in front just frustrate me so I don't do that anymore either.

[shea]

Aslo, some on their sides. Whichever way they will stay on the shelves without falling over and looking too sloppy.

 

Sue

[ciyates]

Your books make it to the bookshelf??? We are happy the books all make it inside the house. :001_smile:

[SusanNN]

My husband however is a neat book shelver - and forget about piling books in front of other books!:001_smile:

[Desert Rat]

I voted pushed back but I also have them piled up, in baskets, on desks and tables, as decoration. Heck, we're jsut swimming in books here!

[chaik76]

I push them to the back of the shelf. Right now I have so many books that don't have homes (despite the fact we turned the dining room into a library) that there are piles of books in front of the ones pushed to the backs of the shelves.

[KidsHappen]

I'd like them to be pushed to the front and maybe lifted a bit more than they are now, but I can't find the right shelving system for that.

 

Oh, wait. You meant literal books, didn't you?

 

:lol:

[KidsHappen]

I like them lined up at the front and preferably in alternating size order, i.e. one large on small so that they overall system is balanced and asthetically pleasing. Not to mention that they are for the most part in Dewey Decimal system order. I know that I spend way to much time organizing books. What can I say, I am weird.

[mazakaal]

I couldn't vote because you don't have an 'other'. I go both ways, sometimes they're all pulled to the front, sometimes they're pushed back with other books flat on the front of the shelves. But they're not shoved on the shelves every which way, so I couldn't vote that either. :001_smile:

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I am just curious what other people do. Do you have all of your books lined up at the front of the bookshelf or pushed to the back of the bookshelf?

 

I like the LOOK of them lined up perfectly at the front. But, for safety reasons, I push them back. Our bookshelves are all tethered to the wall, but I like the extra safety factor of having all the weight at the back. We knew a little boy who was killed when a cabinet fell on him. Tragic.

[danybug]

I am particular about the books being lined up in the front of our bookshelves. Even the ones that are stacked, I pull forward. Now the kids, they have a different mission!

 

I wish I could say this for all of our books, but we so direly need more shelving for our piles:tongue_smilie:

[Rhonda in TX]

How they actually are is another matter, but I do try to keep them pulled to the front. It looks so orderly and neat. I also think it's easier to find books when they are not at different depths.

[Peek a Boo]

I couldn't vote because you don't have an 'other'. I go both ways, sometimes they're all pulled to the front, sometimes they're pushed back with other books flat on the front of the shelves. But they're not shoved on the shelves every which way, so I couldn't vote that either. :001_smile:

 

this is close for me.

I could have voted for all of the above ;)

 

it depends on the books: some series lend themselves well to being pushed back, others do better pulled to the front. I can't stand hiding books, but books w/ easily read horizontal titles are stacked above others. I think i hate empty shelf space as much as i hate hiding books: make every inch count!

 

I do have books stacked and in boxes all over too: i decorate in "book" lol.

[Janna]

Oh, definitely lined up at the front of the shelf.

And *nothing* laying on top of the books.

I do have several random stacks on floors and dresser tops, but the shelves must be just right. :)

 

Everything about this response is me, too. I want them up at the front of the shelf for two reasons:

 

 

1. I like the linear look

2. I don't have to dust the shelf area in front of the books if they were pushed back.

 

[Peek a Boo]

Everything about this response is me, too. I want them up at the front of the shelf for two reasons:

 

 

1. I like the linear look

2. I don't have to dust the shelf area in front of the books if they were pushed back.

 

 

d*st????

 

:eek:

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I push them back and dh pushes them forward (he doesn't want anything else put on the shelf in front of the books, which I admit does happen when they are pushed back).