Sunday, November 13, 2011

De-cluttering My Books Is Surprisingly Painful


I don't, generally, form sentimental attachments to "stuff." Growing up in the nomadic way I did, you'd think it would be the opposite. But no. "Stuff" doesn't mean much to me. I have only a few physical items from my growing up years: letters from my family, some of my better artwork, five expired passports, a piece of Kolonyama pottery from Lesotho, and a leather jewelry box from Ougadougou that got stained by a green marker in one of our moves. I have kept only a shoe-boxed size container of the girls' baby stuff I can't part with.

I'm a ruthless purger. If I don't love it, and/or it's not performing a function, out it goes.

But not when it comes to books. I have a hard time letting go of books, except for those I didn't care for. I have a theory about that. Books were the one constant -besides my family- of my nomadic life.  They were the steady friends that never failed me, bringing comfort and pleasure.

But my shelves will only hold so many books. So it's time to purge...I guess. Either that, or buy more bookshelves, which Todd's not thrilled about. I'm not either, since it means I'll have to put them together.
Theoretically, I don't believe I need to keep every book I buy. And just because we homeschool doesn't mean we need a house full of books...does it? See, here's the problem: that sounds like a great idea to me: a house full of books. Bookshelves as functional decoration.

I've been working on book purging for over a month, but I'm killing my effectiveness with my waffling.

Do you have regular book purges? Any ideas on how to get over my dread of missing a book after I get rid of it?

12 comments:

  1. No way do I ever want to get rid of books I like! Just because I've read them once doesn't mean that I won't ever want to read them again, and if I want to read it again, I want to know where to find it!

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  2. I'm exactly the same. Especially about putting book shelves together! So annoying! I have no advice. I only get rid of books I HATED. If only we could all live in huge houses with massive libraries and all the bookshelves we'd ever need.

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  3. I'm with you on keeping the books you really like and love. So what do you do about the books that were just okay? Keep or send on to others who might like them more?
    With every book I'm tempted to get rid off, I'm stopped by the thought: what if the girls discover this at the library and it becomes one of their most treasured books, I'll kick myself for getting rid of it, especially if it goes out of print. (This has happened already.) But of course, logically, I can't let that keep me from getting rid of some. AHHH!!!

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  4. I have absolutely no advice for you, because I have the exact same problem. And your shelves don't look that bad yet! No need to purge! :)

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  5. Suey, those are the new ones downstairs. There are still the way over-stuffed ones upstairs that I'm trying to process too!

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  6. This is exactly why I can't collect books in the first place! (Well, that and a)I am cheap; and b) I have no place to put them in our tiny apt.)

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  7. Oh! If you're purging, can I come shop in your bookstore? I love used books!

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  8. SC, do you not keep ANY books, and just get all your reading material from the library?

    Kathy, I do have a box ready that you can look through. Bring the kids and browse while they play.

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  9. I have a difficult time getting rid of books, too...it's only those that I don't like for whatever reason that I manage to weed out.

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  10. I did both: buy more shelves, and do a little bit of purging. But I'm having trouble actually offloading the box of books I did decide to jettison. The used book store won't take them. Where to try next -- Goodwill?

    My rule of thumb is: if I am waffling about getting rid of something, then part of me obviously want to keep it. So I keep it, and then I come back to it some time later to see if I still the same mixed emotions about it or if I am ready to give it away.

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  11. FH - Goodwill, schools (school libraries and classrooms can always use books.) I've taken mine to hospitals (where they have long-term patients), elder-care centers, crisis shelters...there are lots of places.

    My problem is I'm too good at indecision and not good enough at decisiveness.

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  12. I'm no help here. I have a bag and box of books waiting for a new bookshelf in the school room. :-)

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