My Rainbow Bookshelf Brings Me So Much Joy

UPDATED 03/24/2025

A rainbow bookshelf. Never in a million years did I think I would sort my library like this. But I did it and the result was amazing.

I have always sorted by books by genre. Kind of like the actual library. As someone that is a self-proclaimed Type A, Enneagram 1, and has obsessive compulsive tendencies, this always made sense to me. I could easily find the book I was looking for because I knew what section to go to. This method has worked for years! But I heard and saw so many others creating a beautiful library and it made me want something different.

Almost every professional organizer out there recommends organizing books by color because it’s pretty to look at and it’s easy for kids when you’re having them put their books away. I saw it one day on a post that Rachel Hollis put out there and more and more I felt this pull to try what she was doing. Plus, with the location of my library being right behind my desk, a rainbow bookshelf would be a great backdrop for my Zoom meetings.

Here’s My Rainbow Bookshelf

It’s beautiful, right? Plus, my Legos and knick-knacks on the top make it so much fun! I honestly never thought I’d like it but color-coding my bookshelf did so much more for me than bring beauty to my home office. Creating a rainbow bookshelf brought on a sense of calm that I didn’t know existed and it made me smile every time I look at it. Despite what I thought I’d feel, I can still find the book I’m looking for easily. Ha! Who knew?!

How to Create a Bookshelf Like Mine

First, you want to start with deciding what books you want in your home office. If you don’t have a home office, then this will be even easier for you because that won’t even come into play, For me, I wanted all my personal development and psychology books easily accessible. It took at least four trips to bring them all in because I didn’t realize I had that many books in this genre. Once I got them in my office, it was time to sort.

Start with sorting by color according to the rainbow. Remember Roy G. Biv? As kids, it’s how we learned to remember the colors of the rainbow, but if you need a refresher, here you go:

• R – Red
• O – Orange
• Y – Yellow
• G – Green
• B – Blue
• I – Indigo
• V – Violet

Once you have them sorted by color, you sort by height. Tallest on the left and shortest on the right. I did this for each color as I was putting all the books on the bookshelf. Then, I sat back and looked at my work. I noticed the beauty and simplicity first. And then, I noticed just how many of these books I have already read. I keep track of the books I read so I can know what books I can refer to friends, family, and clients.

For years, I’ve used these teeny dot stickers from Avery to help me keep track. The colors don’t necessarily matter, but the application does. After I’ve read a book, I place a sticker on the spine and then put it back on the shelf. The stickers act as a reminder of the work I’ve done over the past few years to grow personally and professionally. And for the books that don’t have a sticker yet, it’s also a reminder that I’m not done yet.

Now that I’ve gone through this process, I’ve changed my tune. Organizing by color IS THE WAY TO GO! It’s beautiful to look at, creates a great backdrop for pictures, video, and Zoom calls, brings a smile to your face, and even a sense of calm to your life. If you’re like I was, try it. Test it out yourself. See if it’s right for you. It’ll be a good experiment and I bet you’ll learn something about yourself that you didn’t know before.

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Jenn Mullen holds degrees in Psychology and Business Management, as well as a certification in health and wellness coaching. She combines over a decade of corporate experience with more than five years of small business expertise, bringing a unique blend of skills and insight to her work. Beyond her expertise, she’s a high-energy, passionate individual with ADHD who thrives on staying organized, bringing laughter to every project, and finding joy in the work she loves.