Decorating is all about telling your story...The story about the things you love and the people you love in the place you love. Learning how to translate that story to shelves in your home can be slightly overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be. You can decorate bookshelves so they are both fully functional and pleasing to the eye.

First things first, if you’ve been collecting things for a little while, gather everything together. It’s good to have items that vary in size including books, art, greenery and vases. This is the perfect spot to add some of those family photos as well.

If you already have items on your shelves, I recommend completely clearing them off so you are starting with a blank slate.

As you begin to reassemble the shelves, start with the larger items to create a foundation and fill in with smaller accessories. Create groups of smaller items such as vases or books to balance the larger items.

Books are some of the most useful accessories because they are so versatile. Alternate stacking books horizontally and vertically. Horizontal books can be used as platforms for displaying other objects, like small potted plants while vertical books add height. Creating visual height draws the eye upward.

To create flow, choose a color palette that pulls from other areas of the room. You can also add seasonal touches to freshen up the shelves and keep it interesting.

Remember, keep it simple and meaningful. We can’t stress this enough. The more items you have on a shelf, the less of an impact each individual item is going to make.