Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Robyn Devine.
It is unmistakably comforting to curl up in a thick chair with a tattered copy of a book you love, listening to the rain while you let yourself get carried away by the words on the page. I know – I used to hoard books. Don’t let the title “minimalist” scare you off – I have a love of books that dates back to my years toddling around with Dr. Seuss, a love that was handed down from my mother.
Until just a few years ago, books were stacked everywhere in my home. My two huge book cases were double-stacked with volumes ranging from children’s fiction to college text books, and piles had formed next to couches and the bed, not to mention on any available surface. I could not imagine my life without these friends surrounding me – the very thought of letting go of just one was enough to send me hurling at my shelves, attempting to wrap my arms around every book I owned in protection.
Today, I am the proud owner of approximately 20 books – six of which are craft books. To move from one extreme to the other took some serious work, and was not an overnight process. It started with the realization that I was not so much attached to the stories and words themselves, but the physical books sitting on the shelves. Once I had that realization, I began to let go of some of my books, and moved slowly towards a more minimalist reading collection.
The best way for any book-collector to tackle their bookshelves is by looking at one book at a time. When we look at the whole expanse of our book collection, it can be hard to imagine ever letting a single book go, but in reality there are volumes hiding on those shelves that we truly don’t need or want. Taking time to pull a book down off the shelf and truly look at it as an individual item will help you decide for that book alone if staying on your shelves is the best option.
Here are a few suggestions to help even the biggest bibliophile relieve your sagging shelves of stress:
1. Write It Down.
Sometimes, it’s the way a book made us feel, our connection to the story or a character that keeps us from letting go of the book itself. Take some time to write down those feelings, those connections. Maybe you’ll keep these notes on your computer or in a notebook, or maybe you’ll begin a blog for them. Once you get those emotions and thoughts out, it can be easier to pass the book on to someone else who you think would love the story as much as you did.
Tiny Action: Grab a notebook and start writing down your thoughts about each book as you take it off your shelves. If you can’t think of anything to say, you probably won’t miss the book if it weren’t there anymore.
2. Divide. Get ruthless with your “yet to read” pile.
My rule of thumb is simple: If it hasn’t been read in six months, it probably won’t ever be read. I went so far as to test this theory myself as I found books on my shelves I hadn’t yet read, but couldn’t yet bear to let go. I dedicated a shelf to “need to read” books, and noted the date. Any books that started out on that shelf on that date but were still there six months later I purged – I had discovered I truly had no desire to read them!
Tiny Action: Let go of any book you haven’t read yet that has been on your shelves for more than six months. Afraid you’ll want to read it someday? Make a note of it in your notebook – title, author, ISBN number even – so you can find it at the library if you truly want to read it later.
3. One of the best ways to make use of your book collection is to share it with others!
As you look at books, anytime you find yourself thinking “So and so would LOVE this book!” write that name down on a sticky note, stick it on the front cover, and set the book aside. After you’ve got 20 or so books in a pile, begin handing them out – drive to friends’ houses and drop them off, or put them in the mail (book rate shipping is SUPER cheap).
Tiny Action: Pick five books off your shelves that you’d love to share with someone else, and then send them off to their new homes. Today.
4. Set aside one shelf of your book case as your “desert island” shelf.
Most book lovers have books they know they will never let go of, no matter what. I call these “desert island” books – they are the books I’d want with me if I were stranded on a desert island, that I could read over and over again for the rest of my life. As you come across these books in your collection, add them to your shelf. Not only is it comforting to see those books being saved as you pare down others, you now have a physical boundary – you can have no more “desert island” books than will fit in this one space, so you are forced to think analytically about your collection.
Tiny Action: Clear off one shelf to keep as your “desert island” shelf. It can only hold one row of books – no double stacks or piles!
5. Organize your non-fiction books by topic.
I found when I began to organize my non-fiction books by topic, I had overlaps in some subjects. For me, the largest overlaps came in religious studies (my major in college). As I saw where I’d doubled up on topic, it was easier to let go of a few books.
Tiny Action: Organize your books by topic and author. Begin to pare down where you see overlaps.
6. Look for multiple copies, and get rid of them.
You may laugh, thinking you would NEVER buy a multiple of a book, but trust me when I say I’ve found multiple copies of books on the shelves of almost every sentimental bibliophile I’ve met. Once you have more than a shelf or two of books (not a book CASE or two, a SHELF or two!), the chances of your remembering what books you own dwindles. Even if you love the book, there is never a need to own more than one copy of it!
Tiny Action: Every time you notice a multiple of a book, immediately give one copy away.
While going through this process, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Take breaks. When I first began paring down my books, I would get dizzy after 15 minutes!
- Take five minutes to step away anytime you begin to feel overwhelmed – this is a new experience for your body, and it takes some getting used to!
- Stay hydrated. I found I would get drained and tired as I went through my books – keeping a glass of water next to me helped keep me alert and focused.
- Set a timer. Sort through your books for no more than 30 minutes the first go-round or you will find yourself getting frustrated and overwhelmed.
- Honor your emotions. Your sentimental attachment to your books is not something to feel ashamed of or sad about. Acknowledging your emotions as you sort through your books can be the first step in helping you move past that attachment and towards a more minimalist reading habit.
- And above all, remember this: you did not acquire those books overnight, so you will not release your attachment to them quickly either. By spending a few minutes a week and by letting go of a few books at a time, you will find your feelings shifting towards the stories and the moment rather than the books themselves.
***
Wondering how to get rid of books? Consider donating them. Here’s a list of 20 places you can donate your books.
For more help with decluttering, see our list of 10 creative decluttering tips.
Thank you so much for this! My husband & I plan to empty-nest to a 600sf home, and I’d say over half our household “clutter” is books. As we homeschool, it’s difficult to weed down MUCH, but I have been trying to cut down on my book addiction lately.
Purchasing a Kindle has helped immensely – both with schoolbooks AND my personal library. We borrow from the library constantly, and I have also begun book-swapping with friends.
A rule of thumb I adopted many years ago is the three-times rule. I will not purchase a new book unless I find myself borrowing it from the library for the third time. For schoolbooks, we don’t purchase a book unless it’s unavailable from the nearest two counties in our library system.
I will always have more than a handful of books – for me it’s the tangible comfort of curling up with a book that can’t be replicated by the Kindle. But my hope is to reduce to a single 4′ tall bookcase by the time we move.
Hi,
I stumbled across your article when contemplating writing on my blog about my feelings concerning the box of books that is still standing in my hallway awaiting departure to the local charity bookshop.
Here’s what I wrote:
http://stumblingwithconfidence.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/why-is-it-so-damn-hard-to-get-rid-of.html
Thanks for a fascinating and stimulating blog and article.
I recently purchased a Kindle because I wanted to get rid of my book collection…literally, the entire collection. While not every single book I owned was available in digital format, many similar books (nonfiction) were available as replacements. I sold what I could on eBay and donated the rest to my library. I have only a few books remaining; a travel guide for Paraguay (where I’m moving to in a month), a translation book of the local language, and a book about Yosemite (that I don’t think I can get rid of…ever. Even IF they make a digital version.) I can hold all the books I own in one hand, and it feels amazing. And having a Kindle gives me access to a huge collection of work without having to add another object to my life. It’s great!!!
In my second paragraph above, the text should read, “largely an intellectual, rather than a sentimental, attachment.” I accidentally left out the word “than.”
Well, I did get rid of some of my books (about 1/4 of them). I decided to donate them to the English Department at the University that I attended, so that English majors, instructors, and professors might perhaps use them.
(A note concerning the title of this post: My attachment to books is largely an intellectual, rather a sentimental, attachment, but I have concluded that if a book is not a) one that I use for scholarship, b) a favorite that I re-read frequently, or c) a canonical text that should be a part of Everyman’s and Everywoman’s library, then I really don’t need to keep it.)
Well, my bookshelves are now lightening up — a LOT. I was browsing through articles and blogs on minimalism one day, and I read something that really struck home with me.
“Do you like your stuff more than you want your space?”
Wow. I’d never thought about it that way before, but I definitely want my space more than the stuff I “kinda like”. I’ve hauled many bags of books to the used bookstore, and I’ve no doubt I’ll be taking more in the near future.
I used to need my book collection to declare my values, what kind of person I am. It was tangible, I could review it as it (I) changed. I would arrange the books that people saw when they came to visit me, as if they were seeing a private glimpse of me.
After years of moving these books back and forth across country, however, and after years of different life adventures, I came to realize that the physical books were in fact a glimpse of my inner self — but not an inner self that I still needed. I’d outgrown needing to view and assess my inner self manifest on bookshelves.
I also realized that about other stuff I’ve carried all these years. My values are private and don’t need to be expressed through belongings. When I do express my values, my words and actions are expression enough. The young French family I gave my air-conditioned room to last week in Yosemite doesn’t know that I have read a lot of Native American and Zen Buddhist spirituality books. All they saw was a stranger who gave them a night off from sleeping in a hot tent cabin with two crying toddlers.
And I love that I can read 3,500 books on my Kindle, anywhere anytime and no one knows what I am reading. On planes no one can see the cover and start up lame conversations about the book. Thankfully so far no one has said “what are you reading” when I pull out the kindle.
I do still have some physical books, like art and trading books with graphs and charts that don’t read well on a kindle. But those will go whenever I’m done with them.
Purging my books was a several year-long process, that required soul searching, letting go, accepting change into my life. I started by picking out types of books to get rid of. For example, first to go a few years ago — books on writing grants, or opening retail stores, or other business-types ventures that I never got into. Then I moved into types of books that were closer to my heart, but still represented chapters of my life that are now closed: Russian literature, Western history, physics, etc.
In addition to the art and trading books, I do still have some books on spirituality, simply because I pick them up still and I’d rather not buy them again at this time on the Kindle, while I still have good copies.
All in all, as a former book person I am here to attest that the wonder of books lives on, even without the physical realization of an old-school book. Though I do think there are still places for physical books — gifts to my non-e friends, children should be surrounded with books, books with artistic fonts and images, historical books, etc.
Just keep reading, however you do it :o)
Some methods I have used to get rid of books:
– Goodwill, Salvation Army
– Online book buyers (use a search engine, they will tell you how much they will pay you for the books you have and some will pay shipping to them)
– Giving individual books to friends and family
– Left a few in the lunch room at work
Trade them on paperbackswap.com!!
But I have all of these beautiful bookcases! I have pared down my collection by 1/2 but still have more than we’ll read in the next 10 years. I love the ‘look’ of full bookcases but maybe I would appreciate some blank wall space even more . . .
My family members always tell me that I hoard books. I’ve always said that you can never have too many books. All of those brilliant minds in one place, right at my finger tips. I realized I was getting out of hand when my husband set a book budget for me; a monthly amount that I was not allowed to go over.
When we started purging the house my husband was always asking about my bookshelves, we have at least one in every room; we also have piles of books scattered throughout the house. We finally went through them, it was so difficult. He pointed out that I will buy paperbacks of books I have in hardback because I don’t want other people touching my hardbacks. I would purchase the paperbacks for my husband and friends to read if they wished to borrow a book. It has been pointed out that this is not normal.
I love my books. They have provided me great company over the years. I have always felt at home surrounded by piles of books. With my husband’s help, I have managed to get my collection down to one large bookshelf. This does not include our children’s books or the books we use for home schooling. I am speaking only of my books.
I will have to try your “desert island” idea. My husband will love that.
I saved some hard cover books of various sizes that I didn’t want and turned them into a coffee table, so some books were put to a practical use. You need large ones on the top and bottom and small ones in the middle. The top one was a picture book of the city that I came from, to give it some meaning.
Part of my journey into minimalism has been confronting my love of books. I finally came to the decsion that I would get rid of all my shelves except the built in bookcase in my living room, and only keep the books that would fit on that built-in. I’m also getting a kindle.
I love these suggestions. I’ve realized that a lot of my books are reference, or inspiration (quilting, knitting, general design) and unless I’m making a specific item, I have no need to keep the book on the shelf.
I keep a private wish list on Amazon.com for books that look interesting, but I know I’ll only peruse. When I’m in the mood, I then look over that list and place books on hold through my library.
I am a scholar with a degree in English Literature, and one of my biggest obstacles to getting rid of books is that I have heavily and extensively annotated most of them. I do not even loan out books to others that I have annotated because I consider my marginalia private. Therefore, even though I would like to (at least somewhat) minimalize my book collection, I do not want to get rid of any book that contains marginalia. Yet I feel I need to do something about my massive book collection.
Thank you so much for posting this! My significant other bought me a very large (locally made wood) bookshelf for my birthday. It was so nice – we painted it together and filled it together with my books. Unfortunately, it became full! Now he’s moving in and we have no space for his hoard of books. We were going to buy another large bookshelf but I became concerned about the future since we’d like to live in a tiny house (along the lines of a Tumbleweed house). You’ve inspired me to go through the books and release them. I’m really interested in BookCrossing as well! What fun!
I currently have around 1500 books, run a bookshop, am just rediscovering my local library system, and have tried a Kindle and hated it. Like you, my ultimate goal is to build/refit/source some kind of tiny house, which has been a huge driving factor in starting to downsize my collection. Right now, Pinterest is my best friend – having boards of tiny houses, well-fitted tiny apartments and dream bedrooms is a constant inspiration and reminder of where I want to be.
I’ve looked at what can be reasonably fit into a small home and I think with a little care, I COULD get down to a sensible number. I’m trying to let go of a book a day right now, by asking myself, individually, ‘Will this book add value to my life?’ If the answer is yes, it’s made the cut – this time. There will be more cuts, plus I’ll keep reading and releasing in the meantime and trying to train myself out of my relentless book-buying habit (which can literally become an addiction, I promise you!). Good luck!
I love this post, espiecally that you have mentioned that connection to most books isnt to the story itself but rather to the material. I used to have so many books I have never read but was going to read one day, in reality I was not interstead in those books. Some I sold on Ebay and some I gave away…..I still have few to go thorugh and let go….but there are some books I can never let go.
I also did the same thing with magazines, once I realised that 6 years worth of collecting
magazines was absolutley silly. I never re-read them and neeeded them apart but to collect dust. They all went on their way to a recyle bin….apart from few things I took out for inspiration. I got rid of so many things from my life and I couldnt be happier.
I think you guys are missing the point, and it is easy to see how attached people are to these. You are NOT the things you own, not your books, you can get them in the library or from somebody else again if you need to read them. Create a simple text file with the isbn #’s…
A true minimalist, one who moves around a lot, these books become a burden to move. I got rid of mine b/c I was tired of moving them. Kindle is a “whichever holy power you believe in” send.
“When I walk into a home with tall, stately bookcases filled with books — to me that says something about the values of the people living there.”
So you judge people by their material possessions? Great! I am a writer with a graduate degree in English, and would be willing to guarantee I have read more books than you, or most of the people that have posted. Don’t judge a person by their material goods, you might want to actually …you know, talk to the person first?
Anyway, great post.
I feel like I have a huge problem with cookbooks. I do cook and try new recipes but now with the multitude of cooking websites, I find I often us recipes from them. Any suggestions for purging cookbooks without having to look through every one of them before getting rid of it?
Susan, I know that you’re not likely to see this, but there is a procedure that only works for cookbooks. Examine the outside, especially the edges of the pages; you are looking for stains and then bookmarks. Then give the book a quick fan, again looking for stains and also check the bookmarked pages.
If the cookbook has been used, it is likely to have picked up bits of food on the good recipes.
I have over 100 books on my bookshelves and over 300 books on my kindle…Do I have a problem??? I have tried to pare down but come up with nothing to donate at the end of my purge…
One step at a time, I think this will come later for me. I adore my books and have some from my childhood that I’ve passed onto my daughter. I feel that books come under a completely different category to any other belongings and toying with the thought of a kindle is just sacreligious. I did spend five years working in an antique bookshop though if that is any explanation.
Or you could buy a Nook/Kindle and not have to worry about overflowing book shelves.
Buy a kindle – dump all your books and don’t even have a bookshelf. Less clutter and more trees.
Recycle all books – to maintain our forests.
I think that much of this depends on what sorts of books a person is considering getting rid of. Getting rid of a bunch of basically vapid books–books that can fairly effectively be made into a movie, books that are much more entertaining than enlightening–should be no big deal. But getting rid of potentially “good” books seems silly. Good books–books that are full of wisdom and insight, books that stimulate and enlarge us–usually need to be read more than once or twice, because how much we get out of them depends on how much (and what type of) life experience we bring to our reading of them. And so good, stimulating books are meant to be annotated, argued with, marked up, highlighted, dog-eared, book-marked, et cetera, because they’re meant to be read differently than most books. These sorts of books were written to challenge us, to loosen and turn the inner soil, to plant ideas in us or try to uproot others, and so they really haven’t been properly read until they’ve been thought about critically, debated with, highlighted, annotated; and more than once. These are the sorts of books that deserve to be on more and more shelves, that deserve to be bought and not just checked out from the library (not supposed to mark up library books, lol). And these are also books that one should have a copy or two of to give away.
Books do furnish a room. And a mind. Of all the things to eliminate, books need not be the first.