Don’t let the name fool you; bookcases are for more than just books. A messy and cluttered shelving unit can make even the loveliest and simplest room look cluttered and sloppy.
Here are some simple tips on how to organize a bookcase:
1.Layer to create dimension. Prop picture frames off center behind stacks or rows of books and cluster collectibles, such as bud vases, to add visual punch. If you don’t want pictures and artwork to be obscured, place translucent, clear, or colored glass objects in front of them.
2. Borrow a trick from interior designers: Inside a bookcase, use paint that’s a couple shades deeper than the room color.
3. Style a bookcase with unexpected items, like an eye-catching antique or a porcelain statue.
4. Organizing a colorful collection of found objects makes an offbeat (and inexpensive) alternative to wall art.
(from realsimple.com)