Quickly Organizing a Bookcase

For anyone that has a large collection of books, they know that they are somewhat mixed blessing. They not only bring endless hours of enjoyment, and the ability to escape the everyday, the books also have a tendency to bring a little element of chaos and clutter. In fact, it is very easy to tell when someone with a large collection of books hasn't been organizing or cleaning anything in a while—the books tend to get rather scattered and dusty. Perhaps the biggest stumbling block that many people have in regards to organizing a bookcase is that it can simply take so long to accomplish. Well, quickly organizing a bookcase has never been easier than it is now. All you need to do is follow these simple guidelines, and you will find that you have your bookcase not only organized, but cleaned, all within 15 minutes.

• First five minutes. Organizing a book case can often be a dirty and messy job, and doing it quickly is even more so. Take steps to prevent the spread of the dust and dirt by putting on either an apron or a smock that have some pockets, and spreading out a large old sheet at the base of the bookcase. Place some cleaning supplies such as a dry cleaning pad, rags, and other items that can help you clean, also grab a hair dryer and an extension cord. Take a few seconds and scan through the books on your shelf, if you see any that you don't want anymore, toss them aside. Plug in the extension cord and the hair dryer, and turn the dryer onto the highest cold setting that you have. Start at the top of the bookshelf and work your way down, blowing the dust off the tops and sides of the books.
• Second five minutes. Once again, start at the top of the bookshelf, and pull the books out halfway, but only doing this with a few at a time. Use a dry cleaning pad, rag, or even a duster to reach behind the book and remove the dust. Be sure that you are also getting the unbound sides of the book as well when you do this. Check the spines of the books for any dirt, and use the dry cleaning pad to "scrub" it away. As you are doing this, also keep an eye out for any books that are out of place, and put them where they belong. Make sure that you put all books back against the bookshelf once again.
• Third five minutes. Use the remaining time that you have to wipe down the bookshelf itself, and to double check that you don't have any other books out of place. Actually use a duster if you have one to remove the dust that is on top of the bookshelf. When you are finished, roll the sheet up, and take it outside to shake out the dust.