"Books should not seem remote and precious, which they sometimes are when they are in conventional shelves," says Alan Powers of London, author of Living with Books (Bay/SOMA, $35).

"Tables can be good, and piles of them on a table next to a comfortable chair, with a good reading light and room for a drink or a mug of tea, is about as near to heaven as one can get."

But before you get too comfy, check out your reading stash and tackle those towering piles. How many books are too many?

It's a question professional organizer Barbara W. Huffman often fields. It depends, she says.

"I use the term 'reasonable,' " says Ms. Huffman, owner of Organized by Design. "Decide what is a reasonable amount for your space, lifestyle and needs."

Books stacked on closet floors, stuffed in bookcases or packed away in garages and attics are clues that it's time to sort:

• Keep only those books with meaning to you and your family: favorite authors or subjects, books you really want to read, age-appropriate books for the kids, literary classics, inspirational books you want to read again and references.