A Tale of One Reader, Two Shelves, and 162 Unread Books.
Raise your hand if your TBR is out of control.
Now, raise your other hand if you keep adding more books to it anyway.
Congratulations! You’ve just perfectly described my life as a reader or a book buying addict who wants her home to look less like a home and more like a library.
With over 200 books in my collection,154 of which are unread, I’ve been to the brink of TBR chaos and back. My book cart is packed, my two shelves are bulging, and my Kindle Unlimited account looks at me with judgment every time I download yet another book I probably won’t touch for months. Oh, and don’t get me started on Audible and Storytel, where my audiobook library is perpetually overflowing with titles I swear I’ll get to “next week.”
Sound familiar? If you’re nodding along, welcome to this ultimate guide on organizing your TBR. Whether you track your books on StoryGraph, Goodreads, Notion, or an ancient scroll, this guide will help you create a system that turns your TBR from overwhelming to inspiring. For someone like me, balancing work, motherhood, and reading means I need my TBR to be functional yet flexible and this is my little humble effort on how I do it.
Step 1: Define Your Reading Goals
Why do you read? Seriously, have you ever thought about it? For me, reading is like breathing – essential, comforting, and occasionally dramatic (especially when I finish a heart-wrenching book – I am still not over Still Beating and let me tell you I read it in 2023🤓). But defining why you read can give your TBR a much-needed sense of direction. A reading goal is so much more than just a number count on GoodReads.
Some questions to consider:
• Do you want to tackle a specific genre this year?
• Are you trying to read more diverse authors or perspectives?
• Do you dream of clearing those dust-covered books on your physical shelves?
This year, I’m focusing on reading different genres like science fiction, dystopian, literary fiction, the love of my life dark romance and the bane of my existence dark academia, including 1 classic every month = 12 classics that have been glaring at me from my bookshelf for months. By setting clear goals, you’ll know exactly what kind of books deserve your precious time and which ones can wait (or leave).
Step 2: Categorise Your TBR
Let’s be real: staring at a massive, unorganized TBR list can feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube while blindfolded. The solution? Break it down into manageable categories.
Here are a few fun ways to organize your TBR:
1. By Genre: Romance, fantasy, thrillers, historical fiction. The possibilities are endless.
2. By Theme: Group books by shared elements, like “books with badass heroines” or “stories that make me cry like a baby.”
3. By Format: Divide into physical books, e-books, and audiobooks and add them to your storygraph or notion.
4. By Mood: Create lists like “comfort reads for rainy days” or “high-energy page-turners for when I’m caffeinated.”
5. By Priority: Separate must-reads (hello, book club picks) from the ones you’ll get to… eventually.
6. By Colour : Unpopular opinion, when you have less than 500 books, you can easily organise them by colours for a aesthetically pleasing book shelf straight out of your pinterest board.
My favourite method is organising by colour because I am someone who is a visual person, I remember my books by their spine colours. But my monthly stack is organised by my mood. This method keeps my reading exciting and aligned with my vibe of the week.
Step 3: Pick a Tracking System That Sparks Joy
Now that your TBR is neatly categorized, it’s time to track it like the boss bookworm you are. Here’s the tea on tracking systems:
• Goodreads & StoryGraph: Perfect for logging books, setting yearly goals, and obsessing over stats.
• Notion: A dream for aesthetic nerds who love customizable dashboards.
• Book Journal: For the artsy crowd, keeping a handwritten TBR with creative spreads can make the process feel magical and calming.
• Spreadsheets: For my fellow spreadsheet geeks, a detailed tracker with columns for title, genre, author, and status is incredibly satisfying.
I personally juggle multiple tools, Goodreads and StoryGraph for tracking, Notion for creative planning, and a physical journal because who doesn’t love an excuse to buy washi tape and stickers?
Step 4: Declutter Like a Pro
Let’s have a heart-to-heart. Some books on your TBR are never going to get read. That’s okay. It’s time to Marie Kondo your list and let go of the ones that no longer spark joy.
Here’s how to declutter:
1. Look at each book and ask:
• Am I genuinely excited to read this?
• Do I even remember why I added this to my TBR?
2. If the answer is no, remove it guilt-free.
3. Donate or sell physical books that don’t make the cut.
Decluttering might sting at first, but trust me it’s liberating. Your TBR should feel like a treasure trove, not a burden. If you have Lock the Box happening in your city, sell your books to get some cash instead.
Step 5: Build a Monthly TBR That Fits Your Life
Rather than tackling your entire TBR at once (spoiler: it won’t happen), focus on smaller, bite-sized monthly lists.
Here’s my strategy:
• Pick a genre that you are in mood for and then start finding books from that genre in various formats. I honestly read more KU and audio books than physical ones because I work full time and even though I always have a book with me to read during my commute, I am a mood reader at heart. I have been waiting to get myself a Kindle e-reader for 2 years at this point, being an Indian reader sucks. because its out of stock in India.
• Match your TBR to the season. Think cozy mysteries in winter or lighthearted rom-coms in summer. If you need a companion to read books along, follow me on Youtube where I make a TBR video every other month and other bookish vlogs.
For example, my January TBR includes a classic (The Little Prince), a dark academia (The Secret History), and a Indian mythology (Kunti). It’s the perfect mix to keep things fresh and exciting.
Step 6: Embrace Mood Reading
Listen, life’s too short to force yourself to read something you’re not feeling. If a book outside your TBR catches your eye, go for it! Mood reading is all about keeping your love for stories alive.
That said, don’t abandon your entire TBR. Balance is key. Track on an average how many books you read a month. I used to read 20-25 books a month, since I started working I can only manage 2-12 depending on the length of the book and my overflowing work schedule. So just to be safe, I choose 8 books from my physical TBR and the rest of them I just pick along according to my mood.
Step 7: Spice Things Up with Reading Challenges
Who doesn’t love a good challenge? Reading challenges are a fantastic way to diversify your TBR and make the process more interactive.
Here are some ideas:
• The Alphabet Challenge: Read books with titles starting from A to Z.
• The Genre Challenge: Explore at least one book from every major genre.
• Diversity Challenge: Focus on books by authors from underrepresented backgrounds.
Challenges not only keep your reading adventurous but also help you discover unexpected favourites. I do fun reading challenges on my YouTube channel, do join along for some bookish fun.
Step 8: Display Your TBR Like a Pro
Visualizing your TBR in a fun way can be incredibly motivating. Here are some creative display ideas:
• TBR Cart: My book cart is my pride and joy. It’s small, portable, and packed with my current reads on the top shelf.
• TBR Jar: Write book titles on slips of paper, toss them into a jar, and pick one at random, it’s like a bookish lottery!
• Bookshelves: Dedicate a shelf to your TBR and arrange it by color, genre, or author.
• Bookopoly – I have a fun bookopoly made just for you plus its free, check out my youtube channel for more details.
• Book Bingo – My favourite spread in my reading journal is my bookish bingo. Its fun, smart and easy to make.
Step 9: Balance Reading with Life
Between work, family, and sleep schedules, finding time to read can feel impossible. Here’s how I make it work:
• Dedicate 30 minutes a day to reading, before bed everyday.
• Use audiobooks during chores or commutes, Storytel is my lifesaver here, I like it more than audible.
• Mix in shorter books for busy months to keep the momentum going.
Step 10: Reflect and Adjust
Your TBR is a living, breathing list. It’s okay to tweak it as you go. At the end of each month, ask yourself:
• What did I love reading?
• What didn’t work for me?
• What am I excited about for next month?
Reflection ensures your TBR stays fresh, relevant, and inspiring.
Organising your TBR is more than just a chore, it’s a love letter to your reading life. By categorising books, tracking them creatively, decluttering, and balancing structure with spontaneity, you can transform your TBR into an adventure you can’t wait to dive into.
Remember, your TBR isn’t just a list. It’s a reflection of your dreams, curiosities, and passions. Treat it with care, and it’ll reward you with endless stories.
Happy reading, my bookish fam!
With love,
Harshala🧸💖
