Need to hear from someone who has radically decluttered books...

[Jennifer]

I'm ready to get rid of LOTS of books. But I still have this feeling of guilt...

What if I need it again?

All the money I spent!

What should I do with them?

 

If you did it please talk me through it. But if the idea is anathema to you, please don't try to talk me out of it.

 

Jennifer

[TracyR]

I'm not going to talk you out of it. I have to do the same myself. I have the same thoughts as you do too. What if I need them again for something? All the money I've spent.

 

But what you can do with them is donate them to a Salvation Army or other thrift store you may have in your area. Sometimes Libraries do book sales and accept used books to resell for their sale. So ask them too. If you have a homeschool co-op take them there and just tell people they are theirs for the taking. Or have a yard sale. I know when I go yard sales I usually look for books.

Those are some of many ideas. I'm sure others here will throw up more options as what to do with them too.

[snickelfritz]

Are you IN San Antonio? Do you have a decent public library?

 

I have access to a library "system". There are ......15???? Online reserve from any of the libraries in the system will be delivered to the library of your choice.

 

If a book is soooooo good that it can't be duplicated and ONLY that one will do....I keep it. Most of the time, I just need to find a book on seeds or the brain. Any old library book will do.

 

If I love it......I keep it.

 

If I use it all the time......I keep it.

 

If the kids love it.......I keep it.

 

If I know I will use it soon.......I keep it.

 

If it's a sentimental favorite......I keep it (Within reason. If I'm running out of space, I know I've gone too far.)

 

You would be surprised how many books don't fit in any of the above categories.

 

I inherited a bunch of books from teacher relatives and my own days as a teacher. So, I culled a BUNCH.

[Tutor]

We are moving on Monday, and I stopped counting after 40 boxes of books. We will be moving them on Monday, but I have told my husband that after we move I am going through them, selling the majority of them to the local bookstore, and using the money to buy Kindles for me and our girls. I can "replace" many of them for free with e-versions.

 

I had to do most of the packing myself, and I never want to pack and move all of those heavy boxes of books again. Plus, our family seems to have gotten into a bad habit of collecting stuff that we just don't need. Since books are my weakness, I need to set a good example for my children and stop being so coveting of books. We have a perfectly good library system, and I need to exercise much better judgement about what books we need to purchase verses what I just plain old want (and stem my need to have my want satisfied right now.)

[CalicoKat]

If I can get a free copy for my Kindle. I'd give it away.

 

If it's been over loved and it's starting to fall away. Set it free

 

If it's not loved. Give it away.

 

If it's going to cost m $0.34 cents per pound to move it. Give them away quick!

[happygrrl]

I just did this! It was so freeing!

 

I have tried many times to do this, to find that after hours of sorting I have about 2 books to let go of :D. My big "aha" came while reading the book "It's all too Much" by Peter Walsh. He talks about book hoarding and helped me figure out why I had so many books- without that crucial bit of info I could have never let them go willingly or peacefully. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to tell you to buy a book to help get rid of books, but that is what I did (Kindle edition, so at least it is not sitting on a shelf).

 

I let go of about 2/3 of my books!

I turned some of them into a used bookstore, some to the thrift store, and some I gave to friends. I have not regretted it for a minute.

[GypsieFamily]

I had to do this when we started travelling. I've just got them on the kindle now for free (most of them - I don't have any I miss, but I know that they are all stored at my mum's).

[Elizabeth in MN]

This article helped me go through two rounds of decluttering books - http://www.becomingminimalist.com/2010/08/09/breaking-the-sentimental-attachment-to-books/

 

Between my daughter and I there were probably about 500 books sold, all said and done. It was so liberating.

 

I had thought that with the money I could buy a Nook, but the used book market is flooded with books so prices are pretty bad. No Nook for me that day, but some day :D

[Peela]

We have a place we can sell them here. I had many books of the type I could pick up a few $ each for and I made a fair bit of money- so that was a motivation. But many more, I just took to the op shops.

For me....by far the majority of books I read, I read once and never touch again. Those books....I am letting go of.

If I can easily get it at the library- it goes. If I will never read it again, it goes. I am down to my health and spiritual books (which are severely culled) and 2 bookshelves of curricula and homeschooling books ....ugh, I really need to let them go but I haven't quite let go of homeschooling 100% yet..what if my son needs to come home again, what if school doesn't work for him? But, I will get there.

I do it in layers and there is always another layer I am ready to let go of.

[GoVanGogh]

I got rid of a large number of books this spring and have not regretted it at all. I gave some away, sold some and donated others. It was so hard to get started as I kept thinking about how much money I had invested in them. But once I set my mind to it and figured out what I 'needed' to keep, it was easier.

A few weeks after I decluttered my books, I read an article on decluttering and the author said to empty a room and 'justify' everything that you put back into the room, instead of 'justifying' getting rid of something. In retrospect, that is much what I did with my books. I had asked myself, Do I need to keep this book? Can I get more current information on-line? Will I ever read (or re-read) this book?

[Tracy in Ky]

I did this last summer. It was wonderful and I loved having space on my shelves for the books that really matter.

 

I gave some away, took some to Goodwill and threw some in the garbage.

 

Look at it this way: don't hold on to sentimental junk. You're kids will just have to go through it and toss it when you die. Save them the trouble.

[joannqn]

We own very few books due to space issues. I designate a shelf for library books. We often have 50 more more books checked out at any given time. I feel that works better; we have different books all of the time rather than the same books we've already read taking up that space.

[Night Elf]

We had to do that when we downsized houses in 2005. We had a friend who knew how to appraise the value of books and list them on ebay. We made $3,000 after her commission was taken out. We had a lot of books! DH had some books and magazines that were kind of valuable too. Oh man, we knew we had to do it but we really, really hated getting rid of all of them. We had a full daylight basement in our last house with wall to wall bookcases. In the house we moved into, and still live in, the only place we can fit bookshelves is in the storage room downstairs. We have 5. Only 5. :(

[Heather in Neverland]

Before we moved I had a book sale and sold about 700 books. I made a lot of money!!!

 

I agree with the other posters, unless it is something me or my kids absolutely love and read over and over again, I get rid of it.

 

I also got rid of most non-fiction, reference type books. If you can find the answer on the Internet then I get rid of the book. I don't need a book on ants for my kids. They can look it up!

 

I also get a lot of books on kindle now. I am down to only two bookshelves and most of those are favorite picture books and a few series I waiting for my kids to finish (then they are gone too).

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

I have recycled a total of 2 books in my whole life. Both of them, I was so sure I would never ever read again. Both of them, I have had need to reference them since I recycled them. Never again.

 

From now on, I hold onto my books!

 

Mind you, I also own a Kindle now, and try to get ebooks as often as possible. They don't collect dust, nor do they take physical space. But getting rid of a book? Never again

[EKS]

I'm in the process of doing this now. I've realized that part of my problem is that I have this bizarre emotional attachment to many of them, so many homeschooling memories that are quite charged with emotion. Now that I know that that is part of my problem things are getting easier.

 

I've been dealing with the money spent issue by selling them, though I can see that that is going to take quite a while.

 

I'm selling them here (or trying to). It makes me feel like they're going to a good home.

 

Some of them I'm going to donate to the library and some to Goodwill. Some I'll try to sell to the used bookstore in town.

 

Anyway, I completely understand how you feel. I've been drowning in 8 years worth of books this summer and something had to change.

[KungFuPanda]

How much is a square foot of house worth in your area? Space is VERY OFTEN more valuable than books. If you haven't read it in a few years, the odds of you EVER reading it again are slim. Also, it's worth the very slim risk of re-purchasing a single given book if you are unloading thirty books. Just take the risk. Really, get rid of 100 books knowing you might want one of them again. It's OK. The gamble is worth the space.

[shinyhappypeople]

I'm ready to get rid of LOTS of books. But I still have this feeling of guilt...

What if I need it again?

You'll either check it out from the library or buy another copy. You probably won't miss it, though.

 

All the money I spent!

Think of how many people you'll be helping by donating them to a charity you believe in. Decluttering books is such a generous act!

 

What should I do with them?

Donate them. You don't want to mess with selling huge numbers of books. It will be a giant pain in the rear and take forever. Plus, the longer they're in your house, the more opportunities you have to second guess yourself. Get them out of your house pronto!

 

If you did it please talk me through it.

 

I went through my shelves and book by book made a "keeper" pile. Keepers are books I use regularly (a few of my cookbooks, TWTM, for example) or books that I realistically anticipate my kids needing within the next 1-2 years that are NOT easily available through our library system. Almost everything else was donated.

 

I feel better without the extra books. I have more space. I'm setting a good example for my kids. I feel good knowing that the books went to help great charities (friends of the library, and a thrift store) help more people. My house is easier to clean. I have NO regrets.

 

But if the idea is anathema to you, please don't try to talk me out of it.

 

Jennifer

You can do it! Go! Go! Go!

[shinyhappypeople]

How much is a square foot of house worth in your area? Space is VERY OFTEN more valuable than books. If you haven't read it in a few years, the odds of you EVER reading it again are slim. Also, it's worth the very slim risk of re-purchasing a single given book if you are unloading thirty books. Just take the risk. Really, get rid of 100 books knowing you might want one of them again. It's OK. The gamble is worth the space.

 

:iagree: Great advice!

[justasque]

I ask, "If this was a library book, would I return it and feel ok about that? Or would I return it and buy a copy online to keep." If I would return it, usually because I've gotten what I need out of it, then I cull it. If not, it stays.

 

I try to cull fairly regularly, usually because a particular shelf section (cookbooks, math books, children's non-fiction, sewing, crafting, etc.) no longer has enough room. That said, we've got about 15 floor-to-ceiling bookshelves still...

[KidsHappen]

My big "aha" came while reading the book "It's all too Much" by Peter Walsh. He talks about book hoarding and helped me figure out why I had so many books- without that crucial bit of info I could have never let them go willingly or peacefully.

 

I also just read this book and pulled ten boxes worth of books from my shelves to get rid of. I am thinking that I can cull a few more on a second pass. I would be sitting and sleeping on the floor naked before I would get rid of all my books. They are the only thing I brought from my old marriage into my new life. They are only second to my pictures in physical possesions, but I finally realized that I did not need to own every book that I wanted to read. After I read a book, I already owned the info. I didn't need to keep a physical copy of everything I ever read.

[EJCMom]

I decluttered my books right before I got married. I got my stash down to 3 large bookcases. I was able to sell about half of what I'd purged in a garage sale and made almost $1000. The rest I took to the thrift store. To this day I have not missed a single book that I got rid of. I still accumulate books, but I go through and purge about once a year now so that it doesn't look like we live in a used book store and it always feels really good to do it.

[Georgiana Daniels]

Declutter books? I hoard. Without shame :D

 

 

 

 

Until we absolutely have no room, then I give away only the books I am certain I will never crack open the spine of again.

[Liz CA]

I have donated several to the local library. Especially some kid books but also others.

[Amira]

I had to get rid of our books because I couldn't keep moving them. So last year I gave away about 300, sold about 100, and then scanned another 600 that weren't available as ebooks yet. We now have only about 100-200 books, just a couple of boxes stored and a suitcase full.

 

Yes, I do miss the physical books and it would have been nice to have been able to keep them. But I much prefer having the information and stories from all those books always available to me, no matter where I am in the world, and taking up no space. And I don't ever have to move dozens of boxes of books again.

 

It was a lot of work, but I don't regret it for a minute. I never could have just gotten rid of all those books, so scanning was a great solution for us. And now that we've switched to a digital library, I just buy or check out ebooks.

[Rose in BC]

I thought we might have to move so I sorted through books . . . some I knew I would never read again, some I didn't really like (some duplicates :)).

 

Then I invited my friends over for appetizers and wine and told them they had to leave with a minimum of ten books each. It was so much fun I still have people asking me when the next party will be (maybe different items).

 

(Oh and one of my friends brought a whole bunch of purses/handbags and we all left with one new bag too that night.)

[LibraryLover]

What sorts of books are trying to purge?

 

Judy Moody goes to Goodwill, but a good home libray is a gift. I love visiting homes with interesting books. I love my interesting bookshelves. :)

 

Not trying to talk you out of books, but wondering what your bookshelves are all about. :)

[Bang!Zoom!]

I've lived many lifestyles. In many houses. One, with a personal book collection of over 5K valuable books, which required a separate insurance rider...Where I am now in life..

 

Space is peace.

 

I have zero and use e versions.

[cloversandlions]

I'm curious - for those who did this, were your children older, or did you have younger ones still?

 

We have a lot of books. I'm torn between wanting a library of my own so that I can have them in one place and find what I want...and liberating them - and myself! - from all of the clutter. Because as much as I love books, I feel as if there are so many, that all I can do is look helplessly at them, hoping to find time "some day" to read them, just as soon as I get organized. It's a pretty unpleasant little cycle. :001_unsure:

 

The flip side of this is that my friend has books from her (and even her mother's) childhood, and it is really special to read one of those old tomes; the stories are often sweet and tender and/or humorous, and a real treasure.

 

For those who've addressed these sorts of issues, please do chime in! I'm :bigear:!

Edited July 30, 2011 by WorkInProgress
clarity

[Catherine]

used, yards sales, bartering, etc. That way, it's easy to let them go without feeling like they are too valuable. I give away a lot, to other homeschoolers and to a free bookstore in my city.

[Hannah]

I do it in layers and there is always another layer I am ready to let go of.

 

I am thinking that I can cull a few more on a second pass.

 

I've found too that it works if I do it in layers.

 

When our house was built 10 years ago we planned for bookshelves with ressesses in the passage (I think you call it hallway), wall to wall shelves on two walls of the study/schoolroom and shelves in every room.

 

We moved with the contents of two bookcases and at the time I thought we'd never fill the new shelves, but we have. And then some.

 

Eighteen months ago every shelf was crammed to way beyond overflowing, there were piles of books everywhere and it became really frustrating to find anything.

 

We have at least one more round to go, but have culled our home library down to fit into the shelving we have (still a substantial amount). I've catalogued the whole lot in librarything.com and it is so much easier to use and manage.

 

Although many of the books were bought 2nd hand or from bookmooch, I still had some guilt about the cost, so I took the time to sell them on our local homeschool loop. I've done this 3 times now. Those that did not sell after a month, I took to the 2nd hand store and the last few I donated. The money we made was definitely worth my time!

 

We have enough unread books (from various reading lists) to take us through the middle grades and as my girls outgrow their books, we'll keep culling and only keep a limited number of their favourite ones.

[Tracy in Ky]

My big "aha" came while reading the book "It's all too Much" by Peter Walsh. He talks about book hoarding and helped me figure out why I had so many books- without that crucial bit of info I could have never let them go willingly or peacefully. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to tell you to buy a book to help get rid of books, but that is what I did (Kindle edition, so at least it is not sitting on a shelf).

 

 

 

I loved this book!! I checked the audio out from the library. He is an awesome motivator :)

[TheCoffeeChick]

I have purged our house of about 30% of our books (so far).

 

First, I boxed up all the books I wanted to get rid of and put them into the garage. Then, I let them sit there for 2 months without opening them. My thought was that if I needed a book that was in one of the boxes, I'd write it down and at the end of the 2 months I'd take it out before selling the rest of the books.

 

But, nope -- I didn't need any of the books. I made a little money (only $60) I love my new living room and all the space I now have. My book shelves look so much neater, they are easier to keep dusted, and I have 2 shelves that we keep our library books on. We haven't had a missing library book for months!

 

I can't wait to go through the rest of our books. :)

[mcconnellboys]

And you should feel guilty, LOL, books are not clutter. Uttering such sacrilege could cause you to be struck by lightning or something, surely....

 

But if you must...

 

I've taken books to our library as well as Goodwill. I've adverstised them for free and for sale on our local hsing rings. I've thought of selling some at Half Price Books (don't know if you have one where you live), but I'm told that they pay you so little that I'd actually prefer to give them away if I could, I think....

 

For those children's books that the boys really loved, I've packed them away in big plastic tubs for their children....

 

I also helped start a lending library at a co-op I started a few years ago. If I were still there, I would have gifted a load of books on them. It might be a nice gesture to see if any of your area co-ops have permanent addresses that allow them to keep a lending library for other homeschoolers....

[Renthead Mommy]

You've done this before, you can do it again.

 

We had a few used bookstore. The Half something?? Price? Book? Off? I don't remember. It was over by Bandera and 1604. And there was that used book store in the same parking lot as the Super Salad on 410. And what about that awesome homeschool store that would get us in so much trouble? Do they take consignment?

 

This is the one time I'm glad I'm not there. Otherwise I'D end up with too many of them!! LOL!

[Night Elf]

I'm curious - for those who did this, were your children older, or did you have younger ones still?

 

My big purge in 2005 was mostly adult books.

 

The small purge I did a couple of weekends ago was what I had left of the kids books. My kids are in high school now and just don't want to read the books that we normally associate with younger children. Some of the ones I can remember are Charlotte's Web, Spiderwick Chronicles, Hardy Boys, and many reference books designed for elementary level children. I also got rid of all the curriculum in my storage room. It was really difficult, but the kids are way beyond those materials and there was simply no reason other than sentimentality to hang onto them.

 

There are certain books we keep that touched us in a special way for many reasons. I have the Kingfisher First Dictionary that my ds15 slept with every night for over a year when he was 5 years old. I have Usborne's Things People Do and the Berenstain Bears Big Book of Science because they were such loved books. Dd13 has boxed up all of her Junie B Jones and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books to give to her children. She says they are worth their weight in gold. I have one box of books we just couldn't part with and it's stashed in the attic. Nothing else was important.

[Dobela]

When we moved I literally filled the back of my small SUV 7 times with boxes of books. I didn't even try to sell most or PBS them. I just gave them to the library foir their sales room. There was old homeschool curriculum that no one wanted because it was not the most current edition. THere were beautiful old books (100yrs plus), books I had kept since childhood, and more. I just couldn't move it or keep it as we were moving into a much smaller house. In addition, many were stored in tubs I couldn't easily reach or use anyway. I kept books that were religious and matched what we believe or use for reference, hard to find books that I would have difficulty replacing or borrowing, and a few favorites. I still have too many books and am now going back thru them again.