Day four of the Spring Fling and it’s time to hit the books …
Of all the things that people have a hard time getting rid of, I think books are at the top of the list.
As an author, that feels like a very good thing.
But as a woman who is working to make the world a Clutter-Free place, I need to stop being selfish, worrying about my residual checks, and challenge you to release some of those books back into the wild.
It Gets Easier to Clear Books
I have reduced the books in our house from twelve bookcases to three. Yes, in some cases it did feel like a crime. Books are wonderful and awesome—if someone is reading them. But just having books for the sake of owning them doesn’t improve your life or the lives of people who could be reading them.
I have a list of books that I will just keep. Books that I reread on a regular basis, reference books, my favorite writing books, a few cookbooks, and different Bibles. Some of the books I plan on keeping for the rest of my life (or until I change my mind…)
- Celebration of Discipline
- The Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio
- Wesley the Owl
- The Good Good Pig
- Entreleadership
- Getting Things Done
- On Writing
- Born Standing Up
- Yes Please
- America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook
- The Betty Crocker Cookbook
- Bird by Bird
- More with Less
- Several books my friends have written (which I will not list here because I don’t want to leave anyone out)
Instructions:
– Set up your three boxes/totes and two bags.
– Start with one bookshelf.
– Do NOT pull all the books out at one time (in some homes, this could be dangerous).
Do you love it? Will you read it again? If you haven’t read it, and want to, create a shelf for “To be read” books and put them in the order you want to read them.
Bonus:
Want to stay Clutter Free when it comes to books and media? Commit to reading what you have before buying new. My challenge is to read three books I currently own before buying a new one.
Share Your Fling
After you fling, either tell us about it or share a picture in the comments. Remember, each day (at the end of the Fling) there will be one winner, randomly drawn from the comments, who will receive a copy of The Cure for the Perfect Life from Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory. So, share below and tell us about your fling.
Thank for the book list! I love seeing what others are reading, it gives me great ideas!
I have a twofold problem with books-I am a librarian and am constantly bringing home the new books that I can’t wait to read and I love to buy special books to own. My one son also is a reader and likes to own his collections of manga and certain comics. We have piles everywhere! So for the challenge I not only flung all the old magazines and newspapers but also returned many of the books to the library, I can always take them out again! More work to do but now I can get to that TBR list.
I have 3 stacks (!) of magazines under my end table that I commit to going through and purging. Our library has a bin for people to donate magazines – give one, take one – I’ll just be giving today. 😀 We purged our books a few months ago when our family room renovation was finished. Gave over 50 books to family, friends, and the library sale. My daughter is working on her room this weekend.
Books are tough to clean out. I cleared about 20 though. Some I’ve read and some I’ve had for years, have not read, and gave myself some grace in accepting that I won’t read them. Today I’m donating them to the local library. What they don’t use gets sold and supports library purchases!
Thought this would be harder than it was because I’ve been going through my bookshelves these past couple of months. Pleasantly surprised that I found 19 books and about 30 magazines to fling!
Books are so tough to purge. They bring me joy just seeing them in my home! I decided to try and let go of at least 20 that I won’t re-read or reference. I did it! It was painful, but I selected 20 to send away.
I gave a box of book to good will last week so I thought this might be tough- it wasn’t -12 books to the donation pile-4 video games – lots of DVD boxes( movies have disappeared- these went to the trash- Done. I am loving this challenge – now if I can only get the hubby on board to really toss some of his stuff.
Other than a couple of Bibles I only have a few books. So, back at the cook books and flung two subscriptions I never read and three more books for a total of 27 items. My hubby is working on reducing his muscle car mags this weekend.
I love books but truthfully I hate our bookshelves–they make the room seem small and heavy. I am getting ruthless, however, and am determined to pare down. Plus I’m tired of all these books hanging around from lives I had eons ago and trying to encroach on the life I have now. I think some of them are even mocking me. So, you 20–hit the road. Take some friends, too.
We had worked on our bookshelves yesterday after the bathroom closet but decided we would go over it one more time and we found 20 more things! We are loving this Spring Fling!
Yes, harder to find 20 books to give away! Did a big purge on books a few months ago so this was a little hard but I found 20 to give away and give back to my mom.
Perfect! My daughter was bugging me to go through the books anyway because they are doing a book drive.
Books are so difficult! I don’t have many of my own, but I was a teacher and have a ton from that. I have them for my kids 14 months up to 8 years old. I have a hard time getting rid of them, since I don’t know what they’ll be interested in as they grow. I did manage to get rid of 20 today though (granted 7 were chewed up by my baby).
Last summer I decided I had had it with all the books I had and thought I might read one day! They were overtaking (overwhelming) my life! I love to read and sometimes I think having those books around me brings me comfort. I love the library. I love bookstores. But with all the books I had, I could have started my own library and bookstore! I sold or donated over 100 books. I still have plenty left but I only kept those I reference or gave me a good feeling when I held them (hahaha) or from an author I love OR those I haven’t read and know that I want to. Thank you for your challenge and your confirmation. I probably need to go right back through my book shelves tonight and do it again! I use books to decorate with as well but if I want to be clutter-free, I need to repeat this purging exercise every 6 months! Thank you for the encouragement!!
No!!!!! Not my books. I’ll do anything. I’ll go back in the closet and get rid of more clothes. I promise. But not my books!!!!!!!
This should be easy-I have piles of books, magazines, etc everywhere! Can’t wait to get home and tackle tonight.
Oh this is great! Especially since the kid books are overflowing beyond measure, and they are only 2 and 4 years old! Eek! Thank you!
Each day I see that you emphasize NOT to pull out everything – whatever category it is. From my years of experience of attempts at decluttering, organizing etc., I found the perfect solution for me was to use the spiritual reality questions addressed in your book (the biblical philosophy) with the “technique” from “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up”. While I don’t agree with her basic shinto philosophy (No, I didn’t thank my objects), the technique of pulling out EVERYTHING from the different categories and asking myself the questions addressed in your book are what finally made a difference in years of failed attempts at “Decluttering”. Visually seeing the sheer volume of a certain item was staggering and made me want to enact real change. The “picking” at it method of a few items a day etc, was so short lived for me and didn’t really effect long term change. THEN, I use the 3 bag/box method for maintenance. I realize everyone is different, but for me, this is what finally made REAL change in my life.
I have given away over 100 books since April. Yes