Bookshelves- or any shelves or spaces where you store books- are a super-star area of feng shui goodness since they hold wisdom and/or imagination and inspiration within them. When I see an engaging bookcase, I want to know the details of what it contains and I want to know more of whatever subject sits on the shelves. Whether you are a fan of stacking books on the floor or perfectly manicuring a big case of books, the better they are situated, the more apt you are to reach for them!
Here are a few very simple & stylish ideas to add feng shui to your bookshelves:
1. De-clutter! Clear out the books you don’t read, you have no interest in or you have bad memories attached to. If some of these are textbooks or reference books, I suggest holding onto them if there’s even the slightest chance you will need the information in the future, as these are hard to replace.
Here’s a now-vintage (2 years old) video I made with Mind Body Green on bookshelf rainbows!
2. Create a basic library system. Perhaps you want to organize by subject, then alphabetically by title? Maybe you want to sort them by color? Doing this is not just a function of being organized for organization sake- the process will help you to see the depth of what you have studied or want to study, you may notice subject holes that you can fill with new books or you may recognize how much more expertise or wisdom you have in an area that you don’t really acknowledge.
3. Clean up & protect. Dust loves books. Dust also hampers the metal energy in our homes, and that means it makes it harder to focus. It also makes things less attractive in general. Again, this is simple stuff, but if you don’t need to do #1 or #2, you still might need this reminder. A bonus here: you can cover all of your books in recycled craft paper or newspaper or paper bags like I did in grammar school if you’d like to create a more “unified” front on your bookshelf, while protecting your books.
(a disco ball can even lighten up a basically empty area of shelves! via)
4. Add shine. Shine will help your bookshelf radiate the energy it holds throughout your home. Personally, I love crystals on bookshelves. Disco balls, paperweights, shiny metal picture frames… All that glimmers will amplify your bookshelf!
5. A bit of fire. If you are looking to make reading more of a habit, put some symbolic fire on or around your books. Do not use real fire: no candles, nothing that gets hot. Bright red vases, a pink orchid, orange book-ends… a chevron rug in the area= all ideas to get started creating a more magnetic bookshelf! You can also paint the “back wall” section of each shelf if yours have a back with a bright fire color to create depth and interest.
And yes, indulge your personality. Have fun with this. And let me know if you want to read more, collect more books or learn more when you are done!!! xoxo Dana
I love these ideas but have been living abroad in various places – travelling with what I can fit in a pair of suitcases has meant that my kindle ‘bookcase’ has had more love than the box of books in my parents’ attic… certainly less dust but less easy to play with creatively!
it sounds like you are getting tons of wisdom from experience! happy travels!!! xoxo
Ooh, I love these ideas. I will definitely have to dress up our bookshelves a little. We have a wall full of books, a lot of ancient teachings, so fresh bright color and some shiny or firey energy would create an awesome dynamic.
Thanks!