How to Organize Bookshelves on a Budget

After moving, one of the first areas I wanted to set up was the bookshelves in our living room. You may remember seeing them in the home reveal post. We didn't really have space for many shelves or to put things on display in our apartment, so I was eager to get started decorating this area!

The display has quickly become one of my favorite parts of our home. At first, however, I felt a little overwhelmed. I was so excited to put things up and create a cute, but like I said, we'd never had any shelves so I really didn't know where to start. 

I ended up starting the process by narrowing down a few basics to follow. And as always, I was not willing to put much money into this. In fact, I didn't put any money into it. Everything you see, we already owned, it just needed to find it's home. 

Less is More
An easy way to make a space feel small and cluttered is to fill it up. Obviously, right? Well, some people don't realize that this includes our decor. Having open spaces on the shelves keeps the room feeling light and airy. 

Since the TV is the focal point of our shelves, it would be overwhelming to the eye to have too much going on around the television. The two shelves above the TV are the most minimal, with only three items on each shelf. 

The very top shelves have remained empty to this point. That started because I just don't have enough chachkies to fill the space, but I really like that they're empty. The white space actually makes the room seem larger and the ceilings feel just a tiny bit taller. 

Find a theme
Since it was summer when we moved in, it was easy for our theme to be beachy. It also helps that we love traveling to the beach and shell collecting. I was able to display almost all of our shell collection throughout the shelves. 

We actually continued the theme through the hallway to the left of the bookshelves as well. 

 Having a theme makes it easier to decorate the area as well. It's limiting, which is good when you're trying not to overwhelm a space.

The wooden boxes were one thing I purchased for these spaces. A nice, inexpensive, Home Goods purchase. I used twine to tie some shells to the front to give them a little character.

Use like colors
Ok, back to the shelves. Brit teases me constantly over this part. I may or may not have commented in an overexcited tone after I finished, "see how the I pulled out the reds?". It's the little things you guys 

I didn't exactly have a color in mind as I started placing items, but once certain pieces had made their way up there, the red tones started to shine through. I started adding books with red binding to the shelves to bring out the color even more. Who knew we had so many books with red in them? 

Of course we have to have Sir Winston on display as well. Our old apartment building was called The Churchill, so my grandfather gifted us this antique book full of Churchill speeches and quotes. That, and as Brit says, he prefers "Good Day" to "Guten Tag", is why Churchill's shining face is on prominent display in our home. 

Personalize it
I love adding personalization to everything. There really isn't a space in our home, despite it being only partially decorated, that doesn't have our personal touch on it. It's how every home should be!

Many of you know, my true home is Ohio. So we have this adorable Ohio piece on display, with the names of cities, {including my hometown} typed in the background, and a heart where my town is located. 

And to make Brit feel a little more at home, next to Sir Churchill we have several British quote books as well.

Several photo albums, wedding gifts, and wedding magazines featuring us are also placed throughout the shelves as well. 

Looking at the shelves, I am reminded of each vacation Brit and I have taken and collected shells from. I am reminded of our wedding day and how beautiful and wonderful it was for us. I am reminded of my hometown, my family, Brit's hometown, and the life we're creating together. To get all of that while just sitting in our living room is more than I could ask for. 

And just to give you a view of what's on the other side of the shelves...

We still have a little more to do over here decoration wise, but I think we'll wait until after our baby is born. It will likely become filled with baby toys, pack n play, and pictures of him. 

What space do you have in your home that brings happiness? How do you display your chachkies and trinkets? 

Thanks for visiting!