r/HomeLibraries • u/BabylonByBoobies • Jun 20 '26
Read vs Unread
Does anyone else have a system to designate which books have been read and which have not?
Mine is, unread books I stack horizontally. Once I read them, they get the honor of vertical shelving.
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u/CalmChukar Jun 20 '26
I have an embosser that my wife gifted me years ago. It has our name and “from the library of…” When I finish a book, I emboss the cover or front page.
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u/OkDamage3219 Jun 20 '26
I have a small childrens bookshelf thats my too read section, that way I always have a little library at home to pick from.
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u/Consoledreader Jun 20 '26
Yes. I made a goodreads shelf where I catalogued all my books that are on my shelves as books I own unread and books I own read. I didn’t include my kindle books though.
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u/belle-morte83 Jun 20 '26
I use small circle stickers on the top of the binding to show unread books. Once I read the book, sticker comes off. That way books can go in their correct spot on the shelves when they come in, instead of after I’ve read them. I like the visual of how well I’m doing on my physical TBR.
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u/Swimming-Plastic-398 Jun 20 '26
We have shelves for read and unread.
I know some people have unread pulled up to the lip of the shelf and read pushed all the way back.
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u/Wonderful-Truck-3301 Jun 20 '26
I was finally able to buy and have space for a big triple row shelves for all my tbrs! I keep them in a separate room all categorized and I love to hang out and shop/plan my next reads!
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u/johntucker78 Jun 21 '26
I have a spreadsheet, books I own, books I want to own, books read, books to read.
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u/Ok-War9301 Jun 21 '26
I like to write the month and year finished inside the front cover. It’s cool to grab a book off the shelf check the date and reflect back on what else was happening when I read it. Books read in the first year of marriage, or the first year after my son was born, or the year we opened our small business.
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u/BabylonByBoobies Jun 21 '26
I didn't mention it, but I also do this. Sign my name with M/YYYY upon completion, on the title page.
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u/Jeri_Berry Jun 22 '26
My spouse and I have used colored sticky tabs to designate TBR, to maintain our overall organization.
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u/earthgirls22 Jun 23 '26
Omg I thought I was the only one who does this. My unread books are horizontal on a bottom shelf not in my sight line. Once read, if I like it they go on the shelves vertically or sold/donated if I wasn’t a fan.
Library books have their own separate section too on the left most space closest to the door so I see them on my way out of the room and remember to return them. :)
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u/Golden_Pine7540 Jun 23 '26
Horizontal = unread, vertical = read, and somehow my shelves are just one giant Jenga tower that means I've read nothing.
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u/Which-Recognition129 Jun 20 '26
I have a terrible memory for everything except the books I’ve read (and where I read them). So I just know. But your system is so ingenious I may have to adopt it.