by April Sanders
Many people love to collect favorite movies, programs and television shows on DVDs, whether it's a collection of classics, documentaries, children's movies or everything in between. Most people cherish their collection of DVDs, but you might not know it from the messy pile those DVDs make when shoved into a box or crammed haphazardly onto a shelf. If you've ever spent almost as much time searching for a movie as you have watching it, then it's probably time for you to organize your DVDs. Some attractive media bookshelves can be a great place to start.
Weed your collection of DVDs before you organize them. Chances are you have a movie or two that your children don't watch anymore or that you simply don't care to keep. Remove the movies you won't watch anymore and give them to a friend or sell them at a garage sale.
Sort your DVDs using a system that works for you. For example, you may want to sort them by genre. You could create separate sections for romantic comedies, dramas, horror movies and science fiction. The sections can be on different shelves or even in different locations. Then, organize these sections in alphabetical order by title. If you have a favorite actor, you might organize the DVDs by actor instead of genre; of course, you could group your movies by genre then sort each genre by actor. Use a method that you're comfortable with and that seems logical.
Store your DVDs. You may find you like to stack your DVDs in such a manner that you can easily read the titles -- and where others can admire your taste in movies. Be creative and place them in decorated shoeboxes, wicker baskets or even on a baker's rack. (Add a popcorn maker to the baker's rack for added interest.) Alternately, you may prefer to store them out of sight, such as in a cupboard or a hollow ottoman.
Have fun with your collection. Group them on shelves underneath classic movie posters. For example, a collection of science fiction movies would look terrific displayed on a shelf under a framed, vintage poster from your favorite sci-fi classic.
Set aside some of the DVDs. To save space, remove the DVDs you don't watch often and store them at another location. If you have a large collection of children's DVDs mixed in with your DVDs, for example, consider keeping them in your child's closet rather than next to your television. Or, if you have a DVD series that you don't watch often, leave the first DVD of the series on your shelf and keep the rest in a closet until you decide to watch the entire series again.
Keep your DVDs away from direct sunlight or other direct sources of heat, as this can damage them.
