I haven’t done a bookshelf tour since 2017, so it’s time to show you my latest library set up!
I am especially overdue for a bookshelf tour since I’ve moved through two different houses since my last one…lol. (Why are you tired, Cait? Why are you aLWAYS TIRED.) If you aren’t stalking following me on instagram, you may not know but: I moved house again. I used to live in Far North QLD and now I’ve tumbled 1,300kms down to mid-QLD coast. I’m on the beach, ok. I love the beach.
I have very complicated feelings about how often we move. I have very difficult feelings about our last house, which was in a tiny town with no library and more dairy cows than people. But we won’t go into all that 🙌🏻 You are here for BOOKS. I am here for CHOCOLATE. One of us, at least, should be satisfied. (I guess it won’t be me unless someone brings me chocolate??? w o w the sacrifices I make.)
I’ve been in this new house for a total of 6 days, so things are still super shiny and full of odd corners I’m learning to fit into. This is why I haven’t been blogging. But I’m BACK.
you might like…
➸ Bookshelf Tour 2017
➸ Tour Of My Work Space 2017
So the first thing to know is that my last room was TINY. It was a shoebox and when you have as many books as I do, you do not cope in a shoebox. I had my shelves nearly blocking the door, something my parents complained about but tbh it meant no one could get in my room easily. Who’s the REAL winner here. (Me.)
The new house…has an excellent sized room! I can even have a desk! I can WORK at a desk! Will I?! Probably not. I am in bed currently, cosy and listening to a storm roll in. But I could work at a desk….
Also if you want a video tour, just look at my instagram Stories! Tbh just look at my instagram all the time. It’s pretty. And I spend so much time over there (Reason #3898 I have not been blogging oops.)
It’s kind of like a LIBRARY NOOK now and I appreciate this so much.
As always, I have my main rainbow shelf. Plus my two tall smol brown bookshelves are basically hardcovers. Then to the left, I now have some white shelves for the oddballs. I’ve actually got these shelves on their sides so they don’t block the window. SELF FIVE for making it all fit.
Now this rental house gifted us with some odd pieces of furniture the last tenants left behind. Incluuuuuding!!! This white set of IKEA bookshelf cubes! It fits perfectly on my IKEA shelf! Like GO IKEA for everything fitting like a prepackaged cake mix! I mean, it would be nice if it was brown. Not pleased with the last tenants of this house not considering my colour scheme. But whatever.
I’ve put my Owlcrate books up here. And my shrine to the author of A Thousand Perfect Notes, because I am a HUGE fan. Love them so much. Kinda suspicious about their love for depressing content, but ya know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
My The Boy Who Steals Houses author copies are not here. 😒 They are, in fact, missing. I am storming over to England directly, and perhaps throwing a stale scone at their postal office.
I also have my mug collection on top. These are mugs I LOVE and therefore will never use. #smart
Hardcovers! MY TOL SMOL SHELF.
“Cait do you have a favourite author where you’ll actually ignore your favoured rainbow shelf in order to keep their books together???” you say.
I MEAN. MAYBE I DO.
I also want to shout out with sad love to my Stiefvater shrine, because these books are SO worn and battered. Literally from just all the photos I take. 😂 I usually reread them via audio so the books are worn out and barely read. #bookstagrammerlife
And below my window I just have, what I affectionally call: THE UGLY MISFIT SHELF.
These rogues are either (1) the rejects, (2) grey spines which do nOT fit with my life plans, (3) or series that I wanted to stay together. I wish my Schwab collection was more cohesive, but here I am.
Upcoming Problems:
- I have not left room for Darkdawn.
- Cassandra Clare is coming out with like three books this year AND WHERE IS THE SPACE FOR THEM, CAIT.
- Also Aurora Rising will need to fit in next to Illuminae. Current chances of that? no lol.
So the moral is: yes all my books fit perfectly…If I do not get any more. Will I get more?
Yes. 😭😂
My feelings towards the people who made The Dark Artifices exactly 1cm taller than The Mortal Instruments? 😡
My feelings towards beautiful spine art and even better typography? 😍
New life goal: write a book with every colour spine and have a RAINBOW OF ME.
#humbledontweknowit
➸ I got rid of over 150+ books before I moved! Now I have 561 books!
➸ That…doesn’t…include the dark depths of my kindle (and my overdue eARCs, erm we don’t…talk about those)
➸ I have about 140 unread physical books.
➸ who is that screaming? oh. oh it me.
➸ I get asked “how do you know where to find books if they’re in rainbow-order?” But well see I just KNOW. Some people remember their siblings’ names and birthdays. I delete those from my brain files. I remember that The Boneless Mercies goes next to my paperback of Blue Lily Lily Blue.
➸ Another thing people say to me is “Oh you’re SO RICH to have all these books.” Lol no. To be honest? I’m lucky. I have been blessed with amazing publishers gifting me books in exchange for promotion, not to mention library sales where a hardcover will be 50cents. And book boxes I’ve repped for! I lost a freelance job so my book-buying budget is SO tight now and it’s making me sad. There are so many books I want to read??? Authors I want to support?? GAH. So yeah, #lolno to being rich. But I wish.
➸ So so many of my books have brown speckled pages now from living in the tropics.😫I’m so SAD. They’ve deteriorated so much.
➸ I’m keeping my immediate TBR over on my desk! So I can lie in bed, stare at it, and feel ashamed, woo!
➸ When I get stuck writing a scene, I stare at my shelf. It is equal parts motivating (“look! you too could have another book on a shelf!”) and makes you grumpy (“wHY DIDN’T I THINK OF that brilliant idea jafkdsrsrffsss”). I definitely recommend it.
➸ When we moved in, I unstacked all my books first…my 16 boxes of books. THEN I did my clothes. My…one…small suitcase…of clothes. Peak bookworm behaviour. I’m not even sorry.
I’m quite excited to be living by the beach! I promise I’ll also get my life together hahaha what a JOKE it’s never been together and get back to blogging regularly. I do admit I’ve thoroughly dropped the ball on reading too. I’m 4 books behind my Goodreads goal?! This is the first time since 2013 that I’ve …just STOPPED reading for nearly a month!? But I’m writing! Writing has been so hard for me lately so I’m focusing on a Secret Project™ that’s making me happy. And maybe I can’t write 30K a day anymore. But I am writing something.
I am still freaking out about not reading as much as I used to. But maybe I can play catch up and still make 200 by the end of the year??? Send help, extra eyeballs, and chocolate. thx.
how do you organise your books? by genre or author or rainbow? and which author have you collected the most books from? (mine is Cassandra Clare! I have doubles of hers…oops. but not sorry)
Hi Cait!
I saw these pictures on InstaGram, I love your IG by the way :).
Really liked all the pictures and reading your facts and experiences :).
I organise my books by genre, but I do agree that rainbow shelves look awesome, yours are just so beautiful. Per genre just works much better for me, I hate splitting up an author’s or a series works.
Also, ugh at the Dark Artifices being 1 cm taller than the other books! That is just.. ugh. I reallly don’t like it when that happens!
I have a lot of books on my Kindle too, I prefer reading physical books so I usually read physical books really. I do have a bunch of free Kindle books on my Kindle as well as some that I’ve bought. I mostly buy e-books from authors who only publish on e-book, or whose paperbooks are really hard to get for me here (ie. they’re only sold in the US or whatever). For example I like Susan Hatler and Shawn Inmon (not YA authors). I also like reading short stories or novellas that go with an author’s books or series (that I have in paperbook).
I spent this month (April) re-organising my bookshelves too. It was so much fun! Because of that I didn’t read much though, so there is that. I do hope to read your book in May!! I am super excited to read it. But I also like to savour it, if that makes sense?
Good night and have a good day tomorrow :)!
I love looking a bookshelves— I’m shelf-obsessed 😉 (great joke haha)
And your shelves are so pretty!!! With many wonderful books!! I keep mugs on my bookshelf too— and mugs being too pretty to use is a thing!!
Having a book rainbow of books you’ve written sounds amazing— and I hope you achieve this new life goal!!
I decorate my shelf in rainbow too— and I always know where my books are too. I think if I turned all my books all around I would still know where all the books are. The only skill I have from staring at my bookshelf too long haha!!
Yay to living by the beach– I wish I did!! And I am sending you lots of chocolate in my mind!!
Great post!! 🙂
Hey you just had a book published AND moved. I don’t think you are dropping any balls Cait. <3
You'd think with the same publisher they'd make them to be the same height and yet, nope. I do not understand. That would be my top priority as a publisher.
But cait your shelves look so lovely. I love all the colors. And like you I know where to find everything even though people don't quite get my shelving system either haha.
I’m currently at home on my year break from uni in my small shared bedroom with little to no furniture so I can’t actually have any of my books on display (which sucks because I want pretty book shelves!!) So yeah, all my book are in different boxes under my bed, in the garage, in the attic or scattered around the house. Honestly though, your shelves are my legit book shelf goals! So pretty!! I love all your photos and the rainbows and the flowers and ahhhh so pretty
your set up is just 😍😍such goals. i really need to get on instagram, just so i can more to see your beautiful rainbow. i feel ya on the struggle of wanting to keep series / special authors together but also… RAINBOW. it’s so aesthetically pleasing and i’m weak for the compliments it gets and it’s strangely so much easier to remember where everything is??
i really hope the move is going great! the deterioration of your book sounds so distressing but having a library again must be amazing
Yay!! Another blog post from you! (I say as I am quite aware I kinda forgot to blog the past month 😂)
I love the tour-so much fun! I have multiple copies of Pride and Prejudice (my favourite book) and of the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings…for reasons. 😂📚 I’m hoping to get a few more bookshelves this month because much like you, I have absolutely no room for more books😳
Enjoy the beach! I’ve never lived near one of those. I’d probably be there a lot if I did. The shelves look great! I tried to make rainbow shelves, but I don’t own enough books to make it look good. There were many gaps in my rainbow.
YES A. RAINBOW OF. YOUR BOOKS.
Love your shelves so much! I own way over a 1000 books, but I live in a shoebox, too and own no shelves. My books are all organized by author in alphabetical order in my attic closet. But if I had shelves, I’d know where to find my books, too .. because yes we book lovers know our books 😉 Though I still like my books organized by author … but rainbow is so pretty! Speaking of rainbows … LOVE YOUR NEW LIFE GOAL! Ah, and wish I could give you some chocolate ;D If it’s not a personal question, why do you all move so much? My family moved a lot for my Dad’s work (roofing) a lot, too. And I HATED it so much. I like roots ;D
keturahskorner.blogspot.com
Your one suitcase of clothes has a rainbow jumper, 4 pairs of short, 6 tshirts, some underwear, and 67 pairs of bookish socks. Us followers can tell these things, you know?
I love your bookshelves! I’ve started collecting books myself. The to–buy list is much longer than the list of I think two books I own. Thank God for libraries, cuz books are expensive. Also I recently rescued a book. Well, sort of, the library was selling the first book of one of my favorite series (haha, favorite is so general anymore, I have so many favorites) and I bought it. I mean, who know where it would’ve ended up?
I too have been struggling to read. I wonder if I’m over reading or something. But, I’m also in the middle of at least six book series (probably more) which I think is slowing me down. But, I just can’t make myself read.😫 So awful.
Fun book shelves! The colors are awesome!
Also started reading your new book. I will be doing a review on my blog soon… I’ll tel you this I’m liking it. 😉
Ahhh they are so pretty and shiny! 😍 I love how many blue-spined books you owned, it’s my favorite color and it’s so soothing!
You said you moved near the beach, but are you close to a library now? Or no?
Love your rainbow of books! Mine are all over the place and not really in any order right now. The most I own of any author is Agatha Christie, but I don’t know how many, cuz they’re all over the place, as mentioned. Maybe someday in my spare spare time, I can get them organized.
My books are highly unorganized. Mostly they’re scattered all around the house in ominous book stacks that my dad always looks suspiciously at (he won’t buy me books why is he like this). I NEED NEW BOOK SHELVES. After that I can finally arrange my books. My mom is picky with bookshelves. Idk she wants them custom-made so they may take 100 yrs to make.
Anywaaay, I have way too many Riordan books. Whenever he releases something new, my money just DISAPPEARS. Plus I also work some charm on my mom and convince her to buy me another Riordan box set. Love ya mom. Still missing the trials of apollo (have the ebooks but will buy physical copies when the box set is out. Love box sets so much) and the demigod diaries but I can’t wait to complete my collection!
Oh my Schwab collection is rapidly growing too. She takes my money all the time.
I keep the series together and then I organize it to how it pleases my eyes (usualy by color or spines and by size, and sometimes genre but then it becomes too complicated)
Love your shelves !! But why are you changing of house so quickly ?
Your Instagram while moving has honestly given me life, I love your doggo and how are you so good at photography that the books don’t look beaten??? What is this sorcery????
I organize my shelf by author but I do have shrines for Marie Lu and Rick Riordan (I have 13 books and they barely fit together, I don’t even have Magnus Chase and Trials of Apollo and have no room for them either).
AHH I love this post and your shelves look AMAZING, I’m so in love <3 <3 I also try to organize my books by color and try to make a rainbow, though it's not as stunning as yours, I have to say it haha. I find it so funny how, ever since I started doing that… I still manage to find the books I want and can perfectly visualize where they are on my shelves?! I thought I would be completely lost if I did the rainbow shelves and I'm so glad I'm not hahaha 🙂
Take care yourself Cait and it's completely normal you haven't been able to blog just as much with your moving and everything else. I'm glad to hear you've been writing a little bit and I'm certain you'll read on more again soon! Sending you tons of love and cake <3
Your bookshelves look GLORIOUS! My bookshelf is in a constant state of disaster thanks for asking. This has a lot to do with how the rude people over in the UK and Australia * cough cough * decide to make all their paperbacks just a *smidge* shorter than all American paperbacks. WhY dO ThEy TorTUre Us??
I also went and bought a new IKEA bookshelf not even 4 months ago, and just yesterday I was reorganizing my bookshelf and let out a sigh of relief when everything sort of fit. And then I remembered the 10-15 books I have lent out at the moment. And the 2 other books I had ordered that day. Needless to say, I’ve decided to get rid of my little sister to make room for more books. Priorities, ammirite?
One of the best things about moving house is the chance to re-organise all your books! How dare the last tenants not realise you’d want brown shelves 🤣
The British postal system… yeah 😒 Good luck trying to get any response from Royal Mail.
Aww, *feels* for the Ugly Misfit Shelf! I organise by author first and then genre, so all my historical fiction together etc. The most books by any one author would have to be Philippa Gregory, with Jodi Ellen Malpas and Agatha Christie joint second 😁
Please make a rainbow of you!!!!! I would keep them together then! I organize by author, then series, and I put series together based on a combination of aesthetic and general feel of the book. I kind of think of them in terms of colors/shades- so JRR Tolkien is like golden brown, Harry Potter is chestnut brown, and Jonathan Stroud is royal blue. Contemporaries tend to be pink or yellow, and Science Fictoon like Dune or Insignia is green.
I separate my books by genre and then author but I think I am going to try out a new system soon because I’m bored of mine. The problem is I don’t have as much space as I would like so it’s hard to move things around and house everything. I find once I get everything in a place and like it, I don’t want to move it because it’s hard!!! But your shelves are beautiful and I loved watching your IG story today to see them!!
So exciting to be in a new house! Getting to set everything up and it’s all shiny and WOOO BEACH! But hey super bummy about your TBWSHs copies?! Hopefully they show up soon.
My bookshelves are a HUGE MESS. I am so ashamed of them but honestly not too sure what to do. My S.O. and I are living in an apartment that is wayyyy too small for us, and as a result I have brimmed the two bookshelves that fit in the house, and have emptied out a dresser to put all of my books that wouldn’t fit in…. and also did I mention none of this is organized even in the smallest bit?! I should have more anxiety about it honestly, but for right now I’m just kind of sitting in it.
I’ll crank louis Armstrong one day and make a big book mess and clean it up all pretty. One day.
Gahhh you have moved AGAIN? I am so sorry, my dear. Moving is the actual worst. Moving with books… well I wouldn’t wish that torture on my worst enemy, let alone a lovely human like yourself. UGH. Did you at least have movers? Because I nearly killed my father with my books. I mean I don’t think 71 year olds ought to move giant boxes of books up 3 flights of stairs but when they won’t pay for movers… well you know.
I cannot believe you counted! I am impressed! One of these days. I will count. I am in the process of BUILDING shelves. Yes, I saw a picture and I think I can do it! They aren’t complicated, and it’ll give me SO much more book space than some pedestrian bookcase would. HRMPH.
Also, my sweet summer child, Aurora Rising shan’t fit there. Hell, I don’t think a pamphlet could. Sorry. I want to own Aurora Rising, though, so the fact that you will is your revenge 😀 I want SO BADLY to do rainbow shelves. But I just can’t- no matter how hard I try, I end up with copious amounts of black and white spines, and like two yellows and a couple blues. I quit. Right now half are in boxes, a quarter on shelves in a “oh crap I must read this” order, and a quarter are on my floor because one of my bookcases broke in the move. Again, I must reiterate, moving is garbage!
OH and your collection question is easy! Suzanne Collins, of course! 😂
Extra eyeballs???!!! …okay, I have a few lying around you could use. As long as no questions are asked about where I got them. Or whose they are.
CAIT, THESE SHELVES! Ah, I just love them so much. My rainbow shelf is so drab and hideous compared to this work of art. Also, mine has so many random paperback and hardcover sizes next to each other, but shhhhh, we don’t talk about that.
Also, you managed to publish a book while in the process of moving! I think that’s GOALS right there! I’m sure you’ll be able to catch up on your Goodreads challenge, sweets! Happy reading! <3
I am very much an alphabetical by author last name when it comes to books! I love the look of rainbow shelves, I think they’re gorgeous but for me personally, it’s not something I could do, I’m very set in my ways. I have three sets of shelves, one wholly paperbacks, one mostly paperbacks with a couple of hardbacks and one for all the books that are too tall to fit on any of my other shelves! All organised alphabetically by author last name. As for which author I’ve collected the most books from, I actually don’t know since Goodreads removed that button! I’d imagine it’s either Rick Riordan or Jodi Picoult though, since they both have a LOT of books.
You got rid of 150 books!? Wow, you’re so strong, I’m in awe haha. I’m in the process of getting rid of about 50 right now, and I constantly question my choices. Very annoying. I relate to the brown speckled pages unfortunately – I don’t in a tropical country at all, buut last summer was super-humid here, and I didn’t realize this would/could happen, and voilá, now around half of my books have brown speckled pages. I had a full blown meltdown when I realized it ha..haha *cries* Anyhow, your shelves look SO PRETTY, and I fully support the idea of writing a book in each color of the rainbow. A++ plan. I love how rainbow shelves LOOK but I like to have my books organized by author, with my favorites being showcased. It just makes me so happy to see my faves next to each other. I have the most books from Meg Cabot, she was my top favorite growing up, and I could never make myself to get rid of her novels, the nostalgia is STRONG. Good luck on your goodreads challenge!! *sends a pair of extra eyeballs*
Aaaaa your shelves are ultimate goals. You should put some of your decorative flowers in the mugs. I think they would look pretty and they would help the mugs feel like they have a purpose in life.
Ah, so MANY gorgeous books!!! I love how you arrange your shelves and can remember where all 500 books are. Mind boggling powers.
HUBBA! HUBBA! I’ve died and gone to heaven! You really know how to do rainbow shelves right! I need to do a bookshelf tour someday!!!
I’m not blogging a lot at the moment either, and I don’t have Instagram stories as an excuse! Rick Riordan is easily the author I own the most books by. EASILY.
Love your bookshelves. Moving to a new house must be so exciting. I’ve been keeping up with your moving antics over on instagram and that snake happily strolling down your lawn 😂 😂. I don’t have any bookshelves and my personal library is so small, maybe like 20 books. So yeah I’ll also join you in wishing to be rich. I have several of Nnedi Okorafor’s books cause I love her writing. Take care Cait,
Hey, having a desk means you can get a USB keyboard that isn’t broken or just is nicer. Just an idea 😀 I remember talking with you about that.
I like the idea of writing a book of every color 😀
Seeing your 500+ books helps me imagine what my actual library looks like. Cause it’s all in the Kindle and I have no concept xD so that’s.. how many… wow.
Maybe I should make virtual rainbow shelves or something. That would be cool.
One day you’re going to live in a house made exclusively from books.
You are our role model.
Wow, your rainbow shelf is amazing! I recently re-rearranged my shelf from rainbow to genres, and now I can’t find anything. I’d change it back, but I too am moving soon. Congrats on the bigger room!
I used to have a rainbow shelf but decided the section of books with black spines was too large and ruined the whole appearance (haha black like the darkness of my soul). Now they are in my own aesthetically pleasing order. I have a tiny room like you did so am desperately trying to find places to keep my books, any suggestions?
I organize my books by height at the moment because I just moved everything in my room around, but I like to change it up often. And I think right now, I own more Sarah J Maas books than anything else.