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Apartment Therapy writer Meg Hemphill documented how professional organizer Jessica Litman of The Organized Mama helped transform a cluttered tall bookshelf using four tips: group like items, organize books by function, style from the bottom up, and leave breathing room. The piece attributes all advice directly to Litman.
Apartment Therapy has published a first-person account of how professional organizer Jessica Litman of The Organized Mama helped transform a cluttered tall bookshelf using four specific tips: grouping like items, organizing books by function, styling from the bottom up, and leaving empty space on shelves. The report, credited to writer and photographer Meg Hemphill, frames the advice around a common decorating problem: owning a large built-in or ladder-style bookshelf but struggling to fill it without the display looking crowded.
According to the article, Hemphill had long wanted a tall bookshelf with a rolling ladder, but once it was installed she struggled to arrange it. She writes that she tried familiar styling tricks — grouping objects in threes and stacking books horizontally — before consulting Litman. The piece presents the organizer’s four recommendations as the core of the makeover.
Tip one is to remove everything from the shelves and sort items into categories before deciding what to display. Tip two is to organize books by purpose: Litman recommends grouping by topic, placing children’s books on lower shelves within their reach, arranging fiction by genre, and setting aside books the owner intends to read next so they don’t get lost. Tip three is to style from the bottom up, placing heavier objects on lower shelves and lighter items at eye level. Tip four is to leave deliberate gaps, or “white space,” so displayed items remain visible rather than crowding toward the back of the shelves.
Hemphill reports that after applying the tips — pairing silver photo frames with a matching candlestick, arranging books loosely by topic, stacking coffee table books horizontally, and rearranging heavier pieces downward — the bookcase “felt more grounded and balanced just after some simple rearranging.” Litman’s closing advice, quoted in the piece, was to avoid perfectionism: “Don’t overthink things. Put them up and then walk away. As you are living with the shelves, you can tweak and adjust.”
Why These Bookshelf Tips Resonate
Large bookshelves, particularly built-ins and ladder-style units, are a frequent pain point in home organization because they hold far more than a standard shelf and are often a room’s visual focal point. The article’s appeal lies in addressing the specific failure mode Hemphill describes: a shelf that is either half-empty or overstuffed, with decor still sitting in boxes on the floor.
The four tips are notable because they come from a working professional organizer rather than being generic styling advice, and each is tied to a functional rationale — children’s books placed low for access, heavier objects placed low for visual and physical stability, and spacing preserved so items don’t disappear into shelf depths. For readers undertaking a similar project, the bottom-up approach and the instruction to sort everything into piles before placing anything are concrete starting steps rather than abstract principles.
The Source and the Organizer
The article was published on Apartment Therapy, a home design and organization outlet, roughly two days before this report, and is credited to Meg Hemphill, who also provided the photographs. Apartment Therapy notes that it independently selects featured products and may earn commissions from affiliate links, with prices accurate at publishing time.
Jessica Litman is identified in the piece as the founder of The Organized Mama, a professional organizing service. Hemphill states she consulted Litman after her own attempts at styling — including techniques from previously published pro-approved bookshelf tips on the same site — left the shelf unfinished. The article sits within Apartment Therapy’s organizing and storage coverage, which regularly features expert-backed how-to guidance.
“Start by grouping all your items together, then decide what you want to showcase and group based on category. This could be grouping by collections, types of books, colors, or whatever you feel makes sense for your stuff.”
— Jessica Litman, The Organized Mama
Limits of a Single Makeover
The reported transformation is a single first-person project, not a tested method. The claim that the tips “transformed” the bookshelf is the author’s own assessment, and results — such as the shelf feeling “more grounded and balanced” — are subjective. The article does not state how long the process took, what it cost, or whether Litman’s services were compensated or arranged editorially. It is not clear how the advice translates to smaller shelves, non-builtin units, or households with different storage needs.
Applying the Method at Home
Readers wanting to replicate the approach can follow the sequence as published: remove everything, sort into categories, place heavier and frequently used items low, arrange books by topic or genre, and leave deliberate gaps between displays. Litman’s guidance to live with the arrangement and adjust over time suggests the process is iterative rather than a one-day project. Apartment Therapy’s organizing and storage coverage, from which this article draws, is a continuing series and may publish follow-up organization guides.
Key Questions
Who provided the four bookshelf organization tips?
Professional organizer Jessica Litman of The Organized Mama, according to Apartment Therapy. The article’s author, Meg Hemphill, consulted her after failing to style the shelf on her own.
What are the four tips?
Group like items into categories before styling; organize books by function such as topic, genre, or intended reading order; style from the bottom up with heavier objects on lower shelves; and leave breathing room so displayed items stay visible.
Why place heavier objects on lower shelves?
According to the article, placing heavier items low and smaller, lighter items at eye level makes the bookcase look more grounded and balanced. It is a styling principle rather than a safety requirement in this context.
Do these tips require professional help?
No. While the author hired an organizer, the four tips themselves are simple, no-cost steps a reader can apply independently. No tools, purchases, or contractor work are involved.
Is the claimed transformation verified?
No. The improvement is the author’s own description supported by before-and-after photos credited to her. There is no independent assessment of the results.
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