How to declutter books
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“So many books, so little time” - Frank Zappa.
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Books open your mind to new worlds, concepts, ways of thinking, perspectives, adventures and can literally change your life. And yes, there are still some of us who still love (and need!) to have the physical copy to enjoy reading. So even if you're on the bandwagon to shift from print to audio, here are some tips of what to do with your print books when you’re feeling they are getting a little out of control.
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Set a space limit
This is a super simple and practical measure to decide how many books you want in your home. It may be that you only want to have one bookshelf with only one row of books. Or you may decide to buy another bookshelf and allow the collection to actually be functional in your home instead of having books two rows deep and stacked on top of each other. Or you may decide to build wall-to-ceiling shelves with one of those awesome library ladders to really show off your collection of books because they make your soul sing. Whatever space limit you decide on, no matter how big or small is you deciding how you want the space to function. And is 100% tailored to your home.
I don’t think the system of one-in-one-out works in a practical sense with books, so I would encourage you to allow extra room in your space limit for a bit of growth if you know you will continue to purchase books.
The space limit needs to be realistic and practical for how you use the space and how you want the space to look and feel.
Decide on a limit and stick to it. This will set you up for success as you begin to declutter.
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Avoid physically touching the books as you declutter
Touching items can often trigger memories and make us claim an item as ours. Even though we may not really give two hoots about it. Touch is one of the most powerful senses, so removing this from the process can help you make clearer decisions about your books.
Have someone hold the books up for you as you declutter. If this isn’t an option, only read the cover of each book. Don’t flick through them or worse, start reading them. It’s not about searching for a reason to keep them. You will know instantly the ones you want to keep.
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DO keep the books you want to read over and love
This point will resonate with some and others will be like “who reads a book more than once?!”. If you know there are a series or specific books you want to re-read in your life or simply just love to look at and want in your home, keep them. It's a feeling-based decision and you don’t have to explain every decision.
However, be careful not to use this as an excuse when decluttering.
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Release the books you don’t want to re-read back into the world so others can enjoy them
Remember the joy you had reading that specific book for the 1st time? Well, think about giving that experience to someone else. Sending your books onto a new home gives you a warm fuzzy feeling that another human can experience what you did.
Books change lives. Do your bit and send them back into the world.
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Assess how books enter and exit your home
Take a look at how books enter the front door, back door, in bags or via gifts into your home. If you don’t acknowledge how and how many books enter your home, decluttering your collection will only give you temporary results. If you know you have a high volume entering your home, set up a system for your books to be released from it as well. If you buy a few books each year, appreciate how that can end up being a whole shelf full of books and create a cluttered feeling for an already full bookshelf.
It doesn’t have to be a groundbreaking change. It can be a simple tweak. It may be you set a limit of how many you buy in a month, or it may be that on the 1st weekend of each month you do a mini declutter. Or when the space limit you agreed to is full, that’s your visual cue to declutter. Test out mini-systems and stick with the ones that work for you.
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Don’t force your stories and memories on someone else
A truckload of books from your childhood that make you feel nostalgic when you flick through them will rarely translate as meaningful to others. Including your own kids or the younger generations.
And that’s 100% okay. Your memories are your own, but others don’t have to take ownership of them as well.
Some books are fun to keep for a laugh, but if the books are simply old and outdated, avoid forcing others to care about them. Life will never stop moving and although it's good to keep some of the memories, often just a teeny pile or even 1-2 books will suffice.
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Peel back the layers - it's a journey
For most of us, decluttering our collection of books can’t be done in one hit. As you overcome mental blocks about letting go of your stuff, you get clearer on why you hold onto some items and let go of others. If you declutter for a few hours you will see this happen. You become more confident in your decisions and go into a state of flow. Yes you will have piles around you that will look like a hot mess, but that is all part of the decluttering process.
Keep revisiting your book collection until you have achieved the space limit you set in point 1.
And never throw out the bookmarks, they tend to find legs and walk away all by themself!