Elisabet1 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I know..I said the nasty thing. But fact is, for books for under kinder age basically, I have baskets in most rooms as well as on shelves and spilling over to the floor. I want to give the children some new books for Christmas, but feel bad about how many I have now, many which do not get read. Like, we never read the Golden Books. It is just when there are so many, and you can only read so much in one day, the books at the bottom of the piles get missed, always. And as far as the older kids go...I have books none of my children so far have touched. I am starting to think I should just let them go too. Like Box Car Children and Frog and Toad. Those have never interested any of my children. Any advice or anything on cleaning out books? I feel awful about it, but I have so much clutter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Does your library accept book donations for a book sale? That's where my books go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrips Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 We've done this a few times and I've usually gone through it with my kids. Yes, mine never cared much for the golden books or frog and toad. They were my childhood memories of loving though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 For kids books, ask your local doctor's office if they would like them for the waiting room. We have done that with lots of kids books that mine outgrew. We did keep a few special more classic kids books (not really literature, just their favorites) but the rest we passed on for others to enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I'll occasionally go through them with the kids and we'll all decide which ones really don't interest us. It's sometimes surprising which ones they like and which ones they're willing to let go. Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Is there a school library that would like to add them to their collection? Or, a local public library? Or, for their book sales? We gave some books to the 2 brick and mortar schools DD attended, for their libraries. Once, I received 2 copies of some books I ordered from Amazon and I couldn't afford to ship them to Amazon in the states and i donated the duplicate copies (with Amazon's blessing) to the library of the public university in Cali. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Do you have a book consignment store when you can turn in books and get credit for books. It is hard for me to give up books but it is always good to declutter what you don't use especially if you are getting more for the holidays. That is what I will be doing in the weeks leading up to the holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I picked out favorites, must haves for grandkids, etc.... and called a local homeschool mom with little ones. She loved them. Her kids think I'm super cool now. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 The local homeless shelter or domestic violence shelter might appreciate the gift. Or a local preschool or kindergarten class. If you're really dedicated, you could built and erect a Little Free Library. And of course, there's always freecycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 I keep the nicer classics and books that were favorites, and the rest go to either the library, the school, the doctors office, or the shelters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolinagirl1 Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 If you google "sell books online", you will find places that will give you a quote for how much they will pay you for your books. Some will even let you print out a shipping label to ship them for free. Otherwise, I love the idea of giving them to a family who would appreciate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I always go through and cull out the ones that aren't being read or looked at. I keep anything that has been loved or read or has usefulness in schoolwork. Frog and Toad would be kept here because I assign to emergent readers for school. If your kids are past that, though, by all means pass them on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 The first big culling was the most painful, and after that we just steadily moved books out that weren't being read, and moved books in that were. We kept favorites, kids Christmas books, and books that had some significant sentimental value. Very occasionally I'd wish for something back again, but that's easy enough to do in this day and age. I sold some bigger sets on ebay and some misc at garage sales, but most went to the library book sales. We found so many inexpensive books there that I was always glad to donate back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 We buy a TON of books, and most are "Read once". They're taken back to the local used book store for credit there (which is turned into more books) and anything the used bookstore doesn't take goes to the Friends of the Library book sale (where we buy TONS of books every year, but they're really cheap). Except for E-books, I don't do library checkout much anymore because I found it was cheaper to buy used books than it was to pay library fines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 We cleaned out about a thousand last year and it was SO GOOD. There's just not a need for some of them that I used to want - particularly old reference ones and junky novels no one will ever read again. My questions for keeping were basically... will we want this for schooling one day? is it special to me as the reader? is it a classic or an especially nice edition? And then, on the flip side, is it falling apart? is it something that is readily available online? is it completely outdated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 We take our culled books to the used books shop for credit. Nice to have spending money there! I love the idea about shelters, though and am going to find one where my next stack can go and be read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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