apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

my suggestion is totally from the assumption you do not want to spend money:

i think at the very least, organizing your books by color would go a long way to the contents of the shelves looking more organized. if you can make the books tighter as well, so they're not leaning, that is a zero-cost, easy way to clean up the look.

also, maybe it's just me, but it looks like the middle of the shelves are bowing a little under all that weight. so for the bookshelves, consider taking your heaviest books that you can lay horizontally into the bottom nook - perhaps where you select dark spines to lay 2x2 horizontally on the bottom, if that makes sense. this would kind of ground the whole look of the shelves with a visual "base". then that would free up room on the two middle shelves for more visual eye candy between books, like pictures or a vase or object d'art.

1) Take everything out.
2) Purge whatever you don't really want to keep.
3) Do what Funkia said with what's left.

Paint it then go to the container store and find some storage boxes that fit properly in the open spaces so you're not looking at all that mess while you're watching TV.

Yup, I agree with funkia.

I'm usually against books organized by color, because its harder to find them when you have lots and lots of books, but in this case it shouldn't be a problem.

Books should not be leaning, get bookends or horizontally stack up some books instead of bookends.

Definitely, use the bottom space for horizontal book storage, free up some space on the two top shelves and use the empty space for showing other items.

Now if you were really crazy, I would cover all books in white / craft / newspaper and label them so the spines all match and there's less visual clutter.

Again, no way in hell I would actually suggest this if you had a wall of books, but in this case...

I think the issue is looking at all of those rectangles ( books) below another rectangle ( the Tv) I'd get a tension rod, some round clips, and some nice fabric- Urban Outfitters has sals on fabric all the time - and just make a little curtain. Then you can use the shelves all you like and not have to see all those shapes. I did this in my bathroom and it was wonderful. You can match the fabric colors to your walls or rugs to get a very coherent effect.

What funkia said. You need to break up the visual block of books by changing how you arrange them. Inserting horizontal stacks and leaving a little space between book groupings (and organizing by color, if that floats your boat) would help.

I'd also suggest that you move the little framed pictures (they look a little clutter-y there) and get a few little baskets or boxes for the lowest shelf. IKEA and The Container Store have tons in fun patterns and colors, which will liven up the shelf a little.

no cost solutions

- lay horizontal books flat spine out or pages out, not sideways

- if you want a clean uniform look wrap books or binders in paper. Inside out brown grocery bags or wrapping paper and sort by size. Titles should be likewise printed in a uniform fashion, preferably small.

- no slouchy books. If they don't stand straight use something to hold them up like book ends or random stacks of horizontal books
- put pictures or other tchotchkes from the upper shelves in those cubbies, take them out one at a time for a special "feature"
-move stuff on the ground (whatever is on the right in that photo) away from the bookcase (or put in cubbies) giving the furniture room to breathe

I'd sew a nice cover for it. Something T-shaped with 2 panels down each side and 1 or 2 panels (split) down the front.

hey look! apropo AT post :)

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/organizing/4-tips-to-eyecatching-bookshelves--084742

funkia - thanks for the apropo AT post. I think getting some kind of color for the back of the shelves will open it up a bit, and then re-arrange books like you and all suggest.

I wouldnt want to paint the peice, as I like the stain.