Check your shelf life

KAREN WIGHT

Chances are that the shelves in your home are suffering from neglect.

Shelves often seem to become “tomorrow’s project” or go unchecked

altogether.

Over time, we tend to ignore the disorganization, or get used to

shelf buildup. We stack another pile of books, add a random picture

frame and rarely sift through the surplus. Today is your lucky day --

I’m going (to try) to motivate you into checking your shelf life,

cleaning away the cobwebs and edit, edit, edit.

When it comes to shelves, less is more. If your shelves are

stacked high with memorabilia, chances are your precious mementos are

getting lost in the volume of “stuff” that you have. Paring down the

mass will give the entire room a lift.

First, take everything off the shelves, even the high shelves; no

cheating allowed. Stack everything on the floor and separate the

absolute must-haves from the rest. Clean the shelves and move their

positions if you need to accommodate large books or artwork.

I’m only giving you permission to add shelves if you have a

books-only library. If you want to add more depth to your shelves,

paint the back of the shelves a different color. If you want

subtlety, paint the backing the same color as the wall. If you need a

focal point in the room, choose a bolder accent color.

You have your stack of must-haves -- start the recreation process

by placing books on the shelves first. Stack as many books

horizontally as vertically. A horizontal stack of books makes a great

bookend. Space the stacks of books -- they can look heavy. Don’t try

to put all the books on one shelf.

Next, place the pictures. Try not to overdo it. Stick with the

classics, such as baby photos or family pictures. Black and white

photos are easy on the eye and don’t distract the way a brightly

colored photograph will. If you have a lot of color photographs, use

them sparingly. Do your pictures need extra height? Place the frame

in a plate holder to make them look larger and more important.

Now for the artwork: Use pieces that enhance the balance, not

distract. If the piece is big enough to have a life of its own on a

tabletop or the wall, move it off the shelf. Shelf art should blend

in.

If you have small hanging picture, artwork or a clock that is best

viewed on the wall, get the nails out and hang it. Don’t wait. Get it

done while you’re thinking about it -- it could be another year or

more before you get motivated again.

If you have small collectibles, group them together -- they’ll

have more effect. If you can create a theme for your shelves, such as

baby photos, wedding pictures, pet portraits or collectible books,

your shelves will instantly take on their own life.

If there is a question whether you should include an item, don’t

use it. We’re going for the must-haves.

If there’s a debate, you don’t love it enough. If you miss it, you

can always bring it back. If you err, err on the spare side. During

the process, step back and check the progress. If one side is looking

heavy, move a few things. Shelves are all about scale and balance.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs

Thursdays.