Every Trick In The Book!

We have a room behind our family room where our 'big' computer is.

When we bought the house, we tagged this room for the "grandmother's" room, 

if and/or when they should ever have to stay with us. 

In the meantime, the room is full of great photographs, some furniture pieces I've painted and a big bookshelf. My SIL asked when she came over if the room was "my room" where I liked to stay while all the boys are in the family room watching TV.  She said the room looked just like me. I took it as a compliment. (!!???!!!)

I do spend a lot of time in that room. And I have walked by the (above) bookcase a million times. Each time I thought, "I've got to clean that bookshelf up."  I kept saying, "tomorrow" or "next weekend". When we first moved in my daughter put all the books in the bookshelf and she did a nice job. I'm not quite sure how it got so bad. (Thankfully the picture is a little blurry!!ha!)

So Sunday I took all the books off. I arranged them on the floor in a color-coordinated way with the idea of putting them back on the shelves in a color-coordinated way. I had seen that idea on many blogs and liked the way it looked. But the books are mine and I'm kind of anal about them.

I decided instead to put them back up in the bookcase in the manner in which I use them. Very anal, but very, very easy for me to understand. Plus I know right where they go. Look at the results. SOSOSO much better. (Keep in mind these are but a few of my books!! I have them all over the house (neatly arranged of course.) 

Many of the books in this case are ones I use to teach.  If I don't use them directly to teach, then I use them for background info to teach. It was easy for me to categorize them. For instance the stack above are all about my beloved Oklahoma. 

Not only are these books many of my "special" books, but the bookcase is also full of special pictures and tokens from my childhood or from my family. 

That's my camera I used in my college classes and a picture of my brother and me when we were both under two. 

One shelf has books that I use all the time in class. They are worn, torn and tattered. They aren't meant to look pretty. But to me (and only me, I'm sure) they are absolutely beautiful. 

Many of the books in this bookcase were gifts from friends and family. I can tell you each book that was a gift and the person that gifted me with the treasure. 

I have an entire stack of books that are puzzles, facts and brain-teasers. I love facts and brain-teasers. I am determined to keep my brain working as I age!! 

I have an entire shelf of books from my childhood.  The basket holds Nancy Drew books that were both my mother's and mine. I also have other sets I remember my mom reading to me when I was little. 

The bronze leaf was made from a real leaf from the Survivor Tree at the OKC Bombing Memorial. 

Of course a bookcase of my favorite books would have to hold at least one Bible and other Bible references. 

The green Bible pictured was one I used in high school. 

It is highlighted with all sorts of notes I took when I was a teenager.

Those are pictures of my Dad and me at the same age. Notice any resemblance?

It is also a place to put  (an outdated) picture frames of my sweet son when he was young. 

The top of the bookcase holds pictures of the alphabet or the letter "L", both in many forms. (Perfect for a bookcase.)

After using 'every trick in the book',  when I walk by now the bookcase looks SO much better. Why in the heck did it take me so long to clean it up? Thankfully no one else is interested in my books so it shouldn't be hard for me to keep it this way. I'm closing the book on this redo! 

Linking with:

Wow Us Wednesday
Tutorial Tips and Tidbits
Metamorphosis Monday