Downsizing your book collection can be a journey in self discovery.
Books are different than most anything else you own… far more than print on paper.
They may know more about you than Alexa or even Facebook. Hard to grasp, isn’t it?
Have you ever thought about…
- Why do we keep books?
- What do books mean to us?
- What do books say about us?
- Can books be clutter?
- Is it okay to get rid of my books?
You’ll find plenty of “How to Downsize My Book Collection” posts out there. They only touch on the last two questions above. Most approach the process in a black or white, KonMari fashion.
This is not one of those posts. Instead, I’ll share with you what I discovered as I scoured through my collection.
Be careful though, you may decide to take a shot at it yourself.
But first, let’s take a closer look at what makes books so different when we’re quick to trash so many other things.
In our homes full of too many things, books are held in higher regard.
Books have a hard-fought history. In a free country, we respect what books bring to this world. We don’t concern ourselves over a possibility they may be ripped from our hands.
If you’re at all a student of history, you’ll know that thousands upon thousands have been confiscated and burned. These acts alone bestow books a special place, a higher ranking, and due reverence in the order of our possessions.
Our personal libraries become a guide for us, a trusted friend.
- Books are a look into our past, how we’ve grown, what we’ve become;
- They offer a look into our future;
- Books are an avatar, a personification of ourselves.
- Some are guidebooks.
- And there are books we simply love…
The act of downsizing your book collection will prompt you to revisit each of these.
I knew this one going in, I just wasn’t consciously aware of it until I was well into the process…
You’ll learn a lot about yourself while downsizing your book collection
If you’re up for some self-awareness and calling on your observational skills, the act of pruning your assemblage of books can be a peek into your past and a glance into your future. (And if you want to go deep… a view into your soul).
Whether fiction or non-fiction, books are a window into what and whom you choose to align with. And what you do not. Something you read for a class assignment or a book club may not be congruent with who you are. Allow yourself to feel that, it will tell you something.
You’ve got books that failed to speak to you.
Hopefully, you stopped reading them after giving them a fair chance. If not, give yourself permission to stop reading anything that isn’t serving your needs and expectations.
If you’re not getting it, if the book isn’t moving you, or at least reaching you in some way… If you find it pure work to read, then ask yourself this, “Is this book for me?” If you’re being honest with yourself and the answer is ‘no,’ then stop.
Mrs. Nebergall, my senior English teacher, taught us that rule and I am forever grateful. That alone saved me from hours and hours of painful, uninspired reading.
Purging those titles was not an easy process.
My home office and home of my books had become a disaster zone. Almost a year ago to the day, I attempted to rearrange and organize the space to make it more usable.
Safe to say, I clearly underestimated that process. My books weren’t the only commodity contributing to the mess. But they claimed the prize for the biggest.
Your home [office] should be the antidote to stress, not the cause of it.”
—Peter Walsh, professional organizer
Again, I will stress this was not an easy endeavor. I began to develop a short list of questions to help me downsize my book collection.
Should I keep this book? Some key questions to ask yourself…
- Will I ever read it? I’ve owned some paperbacks so long the pages had yellowed beyond readability. That takes a while, my friend. Those books are now gone.
- Is it one I’ll ever read it again? – “Some people think the possibility of rereading is the only justifiable reason for keeping books after you’ve finished them.” I’m not so sure. Still it’s a good question.
- Will I ever refer back to it? I had easily fifty plus books where I honestly answered ‘yes.’ Obviously, I chose to keep them.
- Is it still relevant? Software and other tech manuals clearly have a short shelf life. Nobody is still running Windows Me. Think recycle instead. Gone.
- Is it congruent with who I am now? In college I had a copy of “Looking out for #1.” I’m proud to say I dumped that one long, long ago.
- Can I give it away to a friend or mentee? Some books may be special enough and you may have the opportunity to give one to someone who would appreciate having it.
- The nuclear question—Would I be caught dead reading it? Or ask it this way… many years from now after I’m gone, Would I want anyone to see it on my bookshelf? See how that works? Just sayin’… you get to decide now.
The vast majority of those I purged will go to charities who actually want book donations. Google ‘book donations near me.’
Questionable Reasons to Keep a Book
Are you starting to see how personal this whole personal library thing really is?
In my first draft I called this section, “Bad reasons to Keep a Book.” Then I quickly realized it wasn’t for me to say. You will have your own reasons and I will have mine.
But, here’s questionable reason to keep a book…
When you get a book as a gift, you’re kind of obligated to keep it.”
— bookriot.com
Obligated how exactly?
So, I offer you a solution…
When you loan a book, don’t expect to get it back. period.”
– me
That’s good cover for that book you feel obligated to keep. If they ask, tell them you loaned it out because you just had to share it.
Some final thoughts…
The most appealing idea I found while researching this post was this.
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.”
— Robyn Devine, guest blogger on becomingminimalist.com
What do you think? It would be just like your desert island discs (you have those, right?). You may want to save a shelf.
And above all, remember this: you did not acquire those books overnight, so you will not release your attachment to them quickly either.”
—Robyn Devine
Remember this, most books banished to a bookshelf will never be read again. That in itself would be unfortunate.
Books need to be read… they need to be shared, passed along.
Be untucked.
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Copyright © 2020 Jeff Meister – All Rights Reserved
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