Do you get rid of books?

[Ann.without.an.e]

I just have such a hard time with real books.  I can let go of other school related things when we are done but not books.  My youngest is through the first two history cycles but I still have all of the historical fiction books.  I still have some books that he has outgrown.  I am not the only one right?  Should I let go?  

[HomeAgain]

I keep the hard to find, much loved, or ones I've invested in (like our OUP collection).  I get rid of easy-replacements: award winners, simple readers, popular subjects.  These are things I know I can get from a library if we do go through the time period at that level again.

[8filltheheart]

I own the equivalent of a small library's worth of books. (No exaggeration.) We moved twice this yr and a huge portion of the weight was books.

I have just started getting to the point where I am letting go of some of them.  My youngest is now in 3rd grade and a very good reader, so all of our simple readers are being passed on to my grandkids.  Picture books, otoh, I am having a harder time just packing up and giving them. Some of them I love so much.  Other beginning chapter books like all of the Burgess Adventures of ________  I am also very sad to let go bc I have so many wonderful memories of reading them with the kids when they were little.  

For me it is more tied to the memories of the books with them than the actual books themselves. But.....these are all just little kid books. I haven't even hit letting go of any of my wonderful literature. Regentrude recently started a thread about this on the high school board. For her it is AoPS and Great Courses lectures. (I own more GC lectures than multiple libraries, so I can completely relate to that one, too. But I still have multiple kids to go through those!)

[regentrude]

I held on to books a loooong time. I find it easier to part with homeschool books if I know they are going to other homeschooling families who will appreciate them. I have been giving away lots of books in our local homeschool group and am currently on a massive, long overdue purge. It is very freeing, and I am not feeling sad anymore. But I cringe at the thought of simply dumping it all at Goodwill. I spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to find new homes for everything, but it makes me happy to know where things go.

ETA: We own about 5,000 books. I am finally able to let go of some books that I know I will never read again.  I culled perhaps a few hundred last week. Today, a lady is coming to pick up a large box of German books for a friend. The regular books went to the community thrift store earlier this week.

[EKS]

I finally got rid of a bunch--twice now.

I did a purge when my younger one was going into high school.  I got rid of everything except for a few much loved books/resources that were for elementary level.  Then just this summer I also got rid of the stuff for the middle level.

 

[regentrude]

I only now notice how stifling I found the crammed shelves in every room. There was no room for more books. It was hard to pull anything out, and any additional books had to be stacked in front. Now I have some gaps between books, some shelves are only partly filled - and that invites new books in. It feels very freeing and open to new possibilities. Don't laugh. It really does.

[SKL]

I used to be a collector, but now I'm so sick of the clutter that I can't wait to get rid of almost all books.  As soon as they are too young for my kids, out they go.  Most go to my younger nieces, others to charity.

I will probably keep some books that I am likely to re-read someday.  But not kids' books.  If my kids ever want them for their kids, I'm sure they will be able to access them.

[Ann.without.an.e]

32 minutes ago, 8FillTheHeart said:

I own the equivalent of a small library's worth of books. (No exaggeration.) We moved twice this yr and a huge portion of the weight was books.

I have just started getting to the point where I am letting go of some of them.  My youngest is now in 3rd grade and a very good reader, so all of our simple readers are being passed on to my grandkids.  Picture books, otoh, I am having a harder time just packing up and giving them. Some of them I love so much.  Other beginning chapter books like all of the Burgess Adventures of ________  I am also very sad to let go bc I have so many wonderful memories of reading them with the kids when they were little.  

For me it is more tied to the memories of the books with them than the actual books themselves. But.....these are all just little kid books. I haven't even hit letting go of any of my wonderful literature. Regentrude recently started a thread about this on the high school board. For her it is AoPS and Great Courses lectures. (I own more GC lectures than multiple libraries, so I can completely relate to that one, too. But I still have multiple kids to go through those!)

 

25 minutes ago, regentrude said:

I only now notice how stifling I found the crammed shelves in every room. There was no room for more books. It was hard to pull anything out, and any additional books had to be stacked in front. Now I have some gaps between books, some shelves are only partly filled - and that invites new books in. It feels very freeing and open to new possibilities. Don't laugh. It really does.

 

8, this is my struggle too.  DS was helping me clear books and he put the Maisy books in the to go pile and I hesitated.  They were middle DD's obsession when she was little.  She was into everything Maisy.  She would read them over and over again.  I think I must have read those books to her a thousand times.  But really, most of the books aren't that special and I just need to let them go.

I have been doing a massive purge.  I am just so over the clutter.  I need freedom.  I am not a major pack rat or anything but I have this huge desire to simplify to an extreme.

[regentrude]

3 minutes ago, Attolia said:

I have been doing a massive purge.  I am just so over the clutter.  I need freedom.  I am not a major pack rat or anything but I have this huge desire to simplify to an extreme.

Must be the season - I am doing the same, and have posted about it here: 

 

[Wheres Toto]

Starting August 1st I will be moving all my 4H, class and school supplies into my classroom space.  I'm going to have a "free lending library" area, as well as consignment/sale for curriculum.   As part of that, I'm going to seriously go through everything and decide what will be better off getting donated somewhere else.  My house and my garage will have less than 1/2 the stuff they currently hold by the time I'm done (my classroom space is larger than my house and garage combined).

I have these utopic visions of my house finally being uncluttered and nicely organized.   Being able to actually find things in the garage, easily get books off the shelves (my reading and some of the kids future literature/history books will stay home), maybe even considering decorating in something other than "messy classroom".   We shall see if it really works out that way.

[Arcadia]

54 minutes ago, Attolia said:

They were middle DD's obsession when she was little.  She was into everything Maisy.  She would read them over and over again.  I think I must have read those books to her a thousand times.  But really, most of the books aren't that special and I just need to let them go.

 

My kids have their small stack (less than 10) of books they are keeping for sentimental reasons. The rest gets donated or thrashed depending on whether the books are gently used or very well used. 

My mom is a minimalist while my dad hoards. There were quarrels. When my parents moved twice, my dad realized how difficult it was and started decluttering. Now that they are old, he is going for minimalist too. 

My husband hoards and don’t let our kid’s declutter so we had to do that while he was out of town. My husband’s idea is that we have the space to keep everything but the truth is our kids have no play space left because most of the floor space is taken by things (including books and binders) and the shelves/racks are full. 

I have always stayed within walking distances of libraries so availability of books aren’t as worrisome.  My parents hate driving as well so being near supermarkets and libraries were a given when choosing homes. 

ETA:

My kids raced their remote control cars when we finished decluttering the dining room which we nicknamed the junkyard. It was their play space when they were younger.

[Ann.without.an.e]

21 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

 

 

I have always stayed within walking distances of libraries so availability of books aren’t as worrisome.  My parents hate driving as well so being near supermarkets and libraries were a given when choosing homes. 

ETA:

My kids raced their remote control cars when we finished decluttering the dining room which we nicknamed the junkyard. It was their play space when they were younger.

 

 

This is part of why it is hard for us.  Your library is continuing to keep good books?  It is getting harder and harder to get good books at our library.  They are moving to ebooks and only the trendy stuff. And we are using interlibrary loan to try to find the good books too. I have had to buy lots of books for DS that I used from the library for the older three because the library doesn't keep them anymore. Things like Grandma's Attic, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Encyclopedia Brown, Frindle, Penderwicks, etc.  They just aren't restocking these when they go missing or damaged.  So sad ? 

[Arcadia]

2 minutes ago, Attolia said:

This is part of why it is hard for us.  Your library is continuing to keep good books?  It is getting harder and harder to get good books at our library.  ... Things like Grandma's Attic, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Encyclopedia Brown, Frindle, Penderwicks, etc.  They just aren't restocking these when they go missing or damaged.  So sad ? 

 

Yes, those are kept and restocked. My local libraries are rather well funded by library tax and monetary donations. One of my local libraries just expanded their children’s section so they could stock more books. 

[Ann.without.an.e]

1 hour ago, EKS said:

I finally got rid of a bunch--twice now.

I did a purge when my younger one was going into high school.  I got rid of everything except for a few much loved books/resources that were for elementary level.  Then just this summer I also got rid of the stuff for the middle level.

 

 

1 hour ago, 8FillTheHeart said:

I own the equivalent of a small library's worth of books. (No exaggeration.) We moved twice this yr and a huge portion of the weight was books.

I have just started getting to the point where I am letting go of some of them.  My youngest is now in 3rd grade and a very good reader, so all of our simple readers are being passed on to my grandkids.  Picture books, otoh, I am having a harder time just packing up and giving them. Some of them I love so much.  Other beginning chapter books like all of the Burgess Adventures of ________  I am also very sad to let go bc I have so many wonderful memories of reading them with the kids when they were little.  

For me it is more tied to the memories of the books with them than the actual books themselves. But.....these are all just little kid books. I haven't even hit letting go of any of my wonderful literature. Regentrude recently started a thread about this on the high school board. For her it is AoPS and Great Courses lectures. (I own more GC lectures than multiple libraries, so I can completely relate to that one, too. But I still have multiple kids to go through those!)

 

 

What do ya'll think about AP Prep books, SAT/ACT prep, etc?  Are those good for future years?  I mean, I understand that those for the old SAT aren't good for the new, etc but what about AP and ACT?  DD and DS took AP Biology for the 2016 test date and younger DD will take it this year?  Should I ditch and get her a new prep book?  Same with subject tests, etc?  There will be a 3-5 year gap between uses, depending on the subject?

 

 

1 hour ago, regentrude said:

Must be the season - I am doing the same, and have posted about it here: 

 

 

Yes, I replied on your post that I was in the middle of a HUGE clear out too and I got her ebook ?.  Thanks for the recommendation.  I was already in the mood so why not refine it.  I love her idea of dong it ALL.  Not doing small areas because it won't stick if you do small parts.  I am trying to get my WHOLE house in order.  

 

[Ann.without.an.e]

1 minute ago, Arcadia said:

 

Yes, those are kept and restocked. My local libraries are rather well funded by library tax and monetary donations. One of my local libraries just expanded their children’s section so they could stock more books. 

 

 

I am jealous.  Super duper jealous ?

[8filltheheart]

1 minute ago, Attolia said:

This is part of why it is hard for us.  Your library is continuing to keep good books?  It is getting harder and harder to get good books at our library.  They are moving to ebooks and only the trendy stuff. And we are using interlibrary loan to try to find the good books too. I have had to buy lots of books for DS that I used from the library for the older three because the library doesn't keep them anymore. Things like Grandma's Attic, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Encyclopedia Brown, Frindle, Penderwicks, etc.  They just aren't restocking these when they go missing or damaged.  So sad ? 

I have never been part of a system with plentiful quality literature, mostly just brain candy lit. Our library system won't transport any audios or DVDs within the system. We are currently studying King Lear and I spent over an hour and a half in the car driving to 2 different libraries in the system to check out the audio version from one location and the DVD version at another. Our closest library didn't have any King Lear resources at all. Those 2 different distant libraries were the only 2 in a multiple county system to have anything. (And I have to drive back to those locations to return them. If it weren't for the fact that I have to drive to Sam's which is in the same town as one of the libraries, I would have just ended up buying it.

[Ann.without.an.e]

Just now, 8FillTheHeart said:

I have never been part of a system with plentiful quality literature, mostly just brain candy lit. Our library system won't transport any audios or DVDs within the system. We are currently studying King Lear and I spent over an hour and a half in the car driving to 2 different libraries in the system to check out the audio version from one location and the DVD version at another. Our closest library didn't have any King Lear resources at all. Those 2 different distant libraries were the only 2 in a multiple county system to have anything. (And I have to drive back to those locations to return them. If it weren't for the fact that I have to drive to Sam's which is in the same town as one of the libraries, I would have just ended up buying it.

 

 

Yes, that is pretty much our situation here.  Aren't we in the same state?  I am 99% sure we are ?  My girls get so frustrated with it and they have a fun word for those type of books but I can't remember it?  It will come to me later.

[Roadrunner]

We have three Billy bookcases and two other equivalent ones. So there is simply no more space here to add a sixth bookcase. I now take out at least couple of boxes of books (things my kids outgrew) every year to make room for new textbooks that are coming in. So yes, I am getting rid of them out of necessity. I have no idea what I will do with all the curriculum once my kids are done with homeschool. I am not sure I have it in me to part with it.

[Farrar]

Yes. Because I don't want to die like Leonard Bast.

Seriously, there are the equivalent of 10 large Billy bookcases filled with books in the house at this point. We have to cull sometimes. I did a major purge a few years ago. Only once have I realized I got rid of something I shouldn't have, which seems like a fine tradeoff. E-readers are making it way simpler these days.

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, Attolia said:

I am jealous.  Super duper jealous ?

 

I borrowed AP, SAT, ACT and other test prep books from the libraries too. Most of the state universities are participating in the Inter Library Loan (Link+). For example, one of the copies of my DS13’s Giancoli’s Physics for Scientists and Engineers was from UCLA’s library and another copy from SFSU. 

The libraries here have a great collection of The Great Courses. There isn’t a need for us to buy yet. Some libraries have the AoPS books too.

[Ann.without.an.e]

16 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

 

I borrowed AP, SAT, ACT and other test prep books from the libraries too. Most of the state universities are participating in the Inter Library Loan (Link+). For example, one of the copies of my DS13’s Giancoli’s Physics for Scientists and Engineers was from UCLA’s library and another copy from SFSU. 

The libraries here have a great collection of The Great Courses. There isn’t a need for us to buy yet. Some libraries have the AoPS books too.

 

You are just trying to make me more jealous, right?  What world do you live in?  ?  I want to move into your amazing world too ❤️

[Arcadia]

6 minutes ago, Attolia said:

You are just trying to make me more jealous, right?  What world do you live in?  ?  I want to move into your amazing world too ❤️

 

Housing costs are sky high here in Silicon Valley. 

Kings County, Washington State is supposed to have one of the best public library system.

[forty-two]

Generally speaking, I just don't get rid of books.  Which has resulted in overstuffed bookshelves and cramming more bookshelves into the house.  I was 100% good with that till recently. (I definitely subscribed to the motto, "There's no such thing as too many books; only insufficient bookshelves.")  Part of it was that I've a long standing habit of only buying books worth re-reading; books just worth reading once are get-from-the-library books.  But now that mostly just applies to my fiction and general interest non-fiction.  It's not quite the same with my research books or homeschooling books - there's a lot more buying sight-unseen "hope they will be useful" books there.  I've avoided even thinking about purging hs books because my youngest hasn't gone through those ages/grades yet, but the day when I'm totally done with a given grade is approaching faster than I want to think about.

I took the first tentative steps toward getting rid of books in our recent move, but it was mostly duplicates and other books that had no business being on the shelves in the first place.  I gave away one box of books, and moved about 90-100 book boxes (about 2,000 books).  I actually purged a ton of stuff - I got ruthless but everything *but* books.  But I'm starting to feel the impact of covering most available wall space with bookshelves (instead of leaving them as free space, or using them for other things), as well as feel the impact of overstuffed shelves (both the visual clutter and how it impedes usability).  So I now understand and accept that there really *can* be such a thing as too many books, and that I'm at least within spitting distance of it.

But I still am not a fan of getting rid of books I want to read again on the theory that I could always get access to them, whether through the library or by re-buying them or through ebooks.  Libraries regularly cull their shelves, for one.  And not all libraries are made equal - what if you move to an area with a less-well-stocked library (as I just did - from 1.4 million items to 22,000 items)?  And while popular books that had multiple reprints are easy enough to re-buy, books that only had one print run aren't always that easy to re-buy.  I've a lot of cheap paperbacks that I bought new 20 years ago that would cost what I paid for or more to buy used now (for a worse copy than what I already have).  And while I like ebooks and love my Kindle for reading all sorts of free e-files, I don't find ebooks to be a one-for-one replacement for paper books.  Not all books are available as ebooks - new ones and popular ones, sure, but I wouldn't count on it for older books that are out-of-print.  And the whole experience is just different - e-readers are great for reading straight through, but it's much easier to flip back and forth to different sections with a paper book. 

I'm still only in favor of getting rid of books I'm okay with never having access to again - there's just too many ifs for me to get rid of a book I still want to have access to, on the theory that I could always obtain it when I wanted it.  But I am trying to be more ruthless with evaluating the "keep just in case" books - how likely is that eventuality, and how likely would I really want this book even if it came to pass, if I don't want it now - especially the books that I *bought* "just in case" and have never actually used at any point in owning them.  I'm far more ok with keeping books with sentimental attachment - books I *have* used and loved, and want to keep just on the off chance that I can introduce them to others - than books that "might be useful", but have never *actually* been useful at any point up to now.  I probably won't be too sad to be unable to put my hands on a never-used "might be useful" book should it actually become useful (although it is annoying), but being unable to re-read an old favorite, or to share it with others - that *would* be sad.

[8filltheheart]

34 minutes ago, Attolia said:

 

You are just trying to make me more jealous, right?  What world do you live in?  ?  I want to move into your amazing world too ❤️

Only if you want to live in incredibly high priced and very small housing. ;)

I'd much rather our sq footage with large treed lots and privacy even if it means buying and driving. :)

[Ann.without.an.e]

1 minute ago, 8FillTheHeart said:

Only if you want to live in incredibly high priced and very small housing. ?

I'd much rather our sq footage with large treed lots and privacy even if it means buying and driving. ?

 

27 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

 

Housing costs are sky high here in Silicon Valley. 

Kings County, Washington State is supposed to have one of the best public library system.

 

 

Good point ❤️ I'll stick with my crappy library and 6 acres with farmhouse ??

We lived in WA State for a year and the library there was very nice.  COL was shockingly high though.

[Lecka]

I don’t anymore.  I was at a point with limited storage and having to go through bins, taking books in and out of bins, and losing track of what I had.

So I am down to two large bookshelves, probably equivalent to four regular bookshelves.  

[cintinative]

5 hours ago, Attolia said:

 

 

This is part of why it is hard for us.  Your library is continuing to keep good books?  It is getting harder and harder to get good books at our library.  They are moving to ebooks and only the trendy stuff. And we are using interlibrary loan to try to find the good books too. I have had to buy lots of books for DS that I used from the library for the older three because the library doesn't keep them anymore. Things like Grandma's Attic, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Encyclopedia Brown, Frindle, Penderwicks, etc.  They just aren't restocking these when they go missing or damaged.  So sad ? 

 

I am finding this and we have a large library system. Not so much with the series like you mentioned, but older classics that are on the WTM lists.  

[Sherry in OH]

I gave away carloads of books in our pre-move purge.  It hurt to see them go, but we haven't missed them.  We need to purge more and this round will be tougher because the bulk of the remaining books are the ones we loved.  

[GailV]

I get rid of books all the time.  We have a Half Price Books nearby where we can sell some, and we have a homeschool learning center nearby where we can donate others.  A few weeks ago our church had a book drive for a school district that wanted to give books to students who didn't have many in their homes -- wow, it was so much fun to go through and pull out all sorts of treasures to give to that.

Even with constant weeding of the collection, we still probably have a couple of thousand books here. So, although I feel ruthless in my culling, obviously it's not THAT ruthless.

 

 

[homemommy83]

On 7/25/2018 at 9:35 AM, HomeAgain said:

I keep the hard to find, much loved, or ones I've invested in (like our OUP collection).  I get rid of easy-replacements: award winners, simple readers, popular subjects.  These are things I know I can get from a library if we do go through the time period at that level again.

I agree that anything that will be reread and is not able to get easily or on a kindle can be given to a family whom would enjoy it.

 

I am emptying my bookshelves right now of the following:

1. Curriculum I bought, but realized I have never been in the season of life to have time to do it- I have six kids and counting so time will not be more available anytime soon.?

2. Books that I can get for free on the kids Kindles.

3. Children's books or treasuries that I have not chosen to read in the last year.

4. Textbooks that I was given and thought we may use them some day- but that day hasn't came in 3 years-lol.

Brenda

[katilac]

We always have new books coming in, so we get rid of old books out of necessity! If I kept all the books we had acquired over the years, there would be no room for us. 

[NotesFromTheParsonage]

Books are the only thing I have ever decluttered and regretted. I went digital about 5 years ago, which resulted in a major purge, and my digital phase only lasted two years. I still miss books I gave away or sold during that purge. 

[Meriwether]

I do, but really only to free up space for new arrivals. I have almost 7,000 books. Last summer we put built ins on one side of the basement. I really like my selection. It is getting harder and harder to cull. Once my 4 year old is past the easy reader stage, I will get rid of many of the easy readers. Soon I will cull the picture books. I have one shelf of books that I will get rid of once I have read them to her. But I am fine as long as my books fit on our current shelving.

[MerryAtHope]

Perish the thought!

[pinkelement]

I resisted for the longest to purge, but once I did it, it actually felt great to have just a little bit more space on my shelves. Sadly or happily I know it won't be too long before the shelves will get cramped again!

[G5052]

I thought that I had done pretty well purging, but we moved, and the number of books we moved was horrifying. I had built-in bookcases at our old house, and here I'm using shelf sets from Home Depot that came from the garage and basement. We finally decided to stack them while I go through them and open other boxes one-at-a-time. I'm listing on Amazon and making bags of ten for the library sale. They currently only take one grocery bag a day, so I'm making up bags and putting by the front door.

Oh, books!

[Tsuga]

On 7/25/2018 at 10:17 AM, Arcadia said:

Housing costs are sky high here in Silicon Valley. 

Kings County, Washington State is supposed to have one of the best public library system.

It brings tears to my eyes to think that some people don't have proper libraries though. We are fortunate to live among many others who place a high value on books. It is easy to get books there.

But also, I collect books. And yet... Someone else could use a used book! So we also donate and re-sell a lot. We probably sold about 500 this year. Many weren't ours. They came with the house.

I love books but they are still just things. I have to prioritize.

[Mimm]

I recently dropped four boxes of books off at the library. What CM people would look down on and call "twaddle". ? But they were low quality books I wasn't interested in my younger daughter reading and my older two had outgrown. It was nice to get rid of them. I also did a purge of curriculum. Things I bought and didn't like, and know that I won't use for my youngest. ?