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Have some bookcases that look cluttered and disarrayed? Don't know what to do? Follow these tips and your friends will think you hired a decorator.

Remove and Regroup

First start by sorting your items. Separate hardbacks from paperbacks. Recycle loose paper and outdated items like your college chemistry book. Pack up unwanted books for donation or a yard sale.

If you collect a favorite magazine put them in decorative holders. The holders will usually keep a year’s subscription but if you organize them by month then you will have an easier time searching for things like spring-cleaning tips or holiday recipes.

Baskets are good for holding small dog-eared paperback novels or CDs.

Find another place to keep unattractive items like telephone books.

Vary Heights Gradually

Put the largest and tallest books on the bottom shelves to anchor the bookcase. Place the next largest on the next shelf arranged by color if possible and relative size. Think of the heights as a wave, not so much up-and-down, up-and-down.

If you are working with a smaller bookcase consider separating all the books and accessories by color. Too many colors in a small space can get visually chaotic. Picking a few hues that work with your rooms color palette will create a more unified look.

Think Neat

Don’t crowd pieces together or pile them all the way up to the shelf above. Empty space provides balance and makes shapes easier to “read.”

Keep your books straight up and down or horizontal. Pull smaller books forward so all the spines run along the same line.

Display the Best at Eye Level

Save your best items for the shelf closest to eye level. If your nicest books are a set of leather encyclopedias they are still best used as an anchor for the bookcase. Try filling a shelf three-quarters with books and then add a decorative vase or a framed photograph.

If you tend to toss things like keys on your bookcase, place a bowl just above eye level so you can fill it with as much as you want and the shelf won’t look junky.