Blueridge Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I am currently pondering this. We once lived in a super large house with a school room and craft room and tons of space for bookshelves. Our current home is very small, however, and our TINY office has books stacked along the walls, over the windows, double-stacked on the shelves. The hallway has books, the girl's rooms have bookshelves instead of furniture, the basement is flooded with books long lost in the chaos, the living room is tidier because the books are hiding inside drawers and cabinets...the madness is everywhere! :D I have collected a ton of books and curriculum through our homeschooling years. They all feel familiar and comfortable. I love them all. We may move from here one day (if the real estate market ever improves) but while we are here, it is burdensome. I can't find anything. I can't organize enough. I need to release my hold on all the books, but I can't. They seem to be a part of my identity somehow, and that disturbs me. My dream had always been to have a small (country red :)) portable building out back...not in this location, but in my next house LOL...to set up a homeschool lending library, where I could share a cup of tea and some advice to people seeking encouragement. This dream may never come to pass. I've kept these things too long, and I should simplify my life and house organization. I can't imagine packing these all up to move again, anyway. Any suggestions to help me untangle myself from all these book branches that have grown all around me? Many thanks for your ideas~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 We are supposed to let them go? Oops.;) Maybe that is why we never move-too many books to pack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 My dream had always been to have a small (country red :)) portable building out back...not in this location, but in my next house LOL...to set up a homeschool lending library, where I could share a cup of tea and some advice to people seeking encouragement. OK - this may sound silly - but why not do it now? Maybe not in a portable building, but maybe someone (a church?) would be willing to set aside space for you to start your lending library now? If you're dream is to move to a larger house in the same area, the library could be independent of your home and still be something you manage. This comes from a book I just read DD about a woman who collected so many books that she couldn't move in her own house, so she donated the house and the books to the city for a library and moved in with a friend. Apparently it's based on a true story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 (edited) Thanks for the ideas. Oh, I've happily donated a ton of books to libraries and Goodwill over the years, and before we moved here we gave 16 big boxes of curriculum to our church for them to have a homeschool library. But it hurts every time in a way, like I'm giving away a child LOL. I think I am supposed to do something myself, but unless I can find an amazing method of organization, many will have to go. Now, re-reading this, I am still not convinced that I can part with them! Goodness. Edited June 17, 2010 by Blueridge clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I go through this hurt every time I get rid of books or my daughter's clothing. The good news is that once they are gone, I'm fine. I'll admit, I still have the occasional twinge over selling my SL Pre-K books, but those are the only ones so far that I have any regret over selling. I go through the process of selling my books every year so that I can afford to buy what curriculum I need for the next year and so that I continue to have room on my bookshelves (of which I have quite a few) for all my new books and curriculum. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 + If it's emotional/motivational. . . watch that hoarder show on A&E. There are a couple episodes on the aetv.com website. + If it's more practical, start little by little. . . Choose easy-to-sell big-ticket items (sets) and take 30 min to gather, check condition, and list a handful of items on the FS board. A week or two later, do it again. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Hopefully the $$ and the space will be rewarding enough to keep you motivated. Think of the people you'll help by offerring them your treasures for a more affordable price!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I make sure I give them to others, who I know want & need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I find someone who feels the same way I do about books but couldn't in a millions years afford them. Usually this is other homeschoolers. I recently sent an entire box of books to a homeschool mom across the country whose husband has been ill. My children had a wonderful time picking out books for her children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I had a book sale and sold about 1000 books last summer. I made a ton of money and the people who bought them got such a great deal and they were so happy. It was fun and liberating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Each book holds a memory. Maybe you are afraid that if you let go of the book you will forget the wonderful thing it represents? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I think if you feel oppressed and irritated by something you own, it's time to let it go. Think of how happy you'll be when you have pruned them down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom3tn Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Same thing happened to me - had a bigger house with a school room/library, then had to downsize. :( I've been selling books for over two years and still haven't gotten rid of all of them. It doesn't help that I keep finding myself buying more of them... but at least now I'm only buying the ones that we need or want to read right now. In the past, I would buy pretty much any book that we didn't already own. :001_huh: Besides selling, I have donated and done Paperback Swap. It's hard, but there's just no room here. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Thanks, ladies! All your advice and encouragements are helpful. I am starting today with a set that I really don't love...so it will be easier! Maybe it will be like baby clothes, just set aside a few I just will not part with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I am currently pondering this. We once lived in a super large house with a school room and craft room and tons of space for bookshelves. Our current home is very small, however, and our TINY office has books stacked along the walls, over the windows, double-stacked on the shelves. The hallway has books, the girl's rooms have bookshelves instead of furniture, the basement is flooded with books long lost in the chaos, the living room is tidier because the books are hiding inside drawers and cabinets...the madness is everywhere! :D I have collected a ton of books and curriculum through our homeschooling years. They all feel familiar and comfortable. I love them all. We may move from here one day (if the real estate market ever improves) but while we are here, it is burdensome. I can't find anything. I can't organize enough. I need to release my hold on all the books, but I can't. They seem to be a part of my identity somehow, and that disturbs me. My dream had always been to have a small (country red :)) portable building out back...not in this location, but in my next house LOL...to set up a homeschool lending library, where I could share a cup of tea and some advice to people seeking encouragement. This dream may never come to pass. I've kept these things too long, and I should simplify my life and house organization. I can't imagine packing these all up to move again, anyway. Any suggestions to help me untangle myself from all these book branches that have grown all around me? Many thanks for your ideas~ This is the part the intrigues me; I understand developing an emotional attachment to books (note user name) ;)! Perhaps a silly suggestion, but what if you took a picture of the book cover for each one you don't actively referrence/won't need in the future? It might be easier to let them go, and you could thumb through an album of all the books you have loved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Frankweiler Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 I went to this workshop many, many years ago on decluttering. I don't remember the nitty-gritty, but the one thing that has always stuck with me is that holding on to our old stuff that we don't use anymore is just another form of selfishness. Someone else could use it and does need it, but it's just taking up space in your house "just in case." (Although, 9 times out of ten, "just in case" never happens.) I'm NOT calling YOU selfish-- it's obvious you have a very generous heart with all the donations you've made in the past. I just know when I struggle with giving things away that I think I might need (like baby clothes, toys, etc..), I remember what I learned in that workshop. It's that little push I need to put it in the Donations box. And, you know what....99% of the time I don't even miss any of the stuff I give away. The problem is, when the thing is right in front of you and you have to make the decision--that's when all the memories flood back. Keep the memories, but give away the stuff! I know you can do this! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 Thanks, ladies! All your advice and encouragements are helpful. I am starting today with a set that I really don't love...so it will be easier! Maybe it will be like baby clothes, just set aside a few I just will not part with. I was very much like this with books until the first time I donated. I chose the library book sale because we've brought home so many wonderful titles at really good prices and I hoped to return the favor. That first time felt like giving away friends, but I happened to be nearby when some physics majors discovered my donations and they were soooooo excited. It made it so much easier from that point onward. I just ran into some board books I thought I couldn't part with years ago, and now I'm ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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