During my latest home organization efforts, I saved the hardest category for last: books. For many people (especially writers!), the idea of getting rid of books is a difficult subject. In early 2019, there was even a Marie Kondo controversy about the idea of limiting the number of books in your home.
Image from Pexels/Pixabay
Can we really have too many books? According to "Why You Should Surround Yourself With More Books Than You'll Ever Have Time To Read", no. But there came a point when my shelves were overcrowded, and I bought multiples of the same book because I didn’t know I already owned a copy. It was time to clear some out.
The criteria I used during my office cleaning:
- Do I love this book?
- Will I reread it?
- Is it sentimental or hard to find through the library?
- Can I use it to teach (as an example to others in a one of my workshops) or learn (for myself as a mentor text)?
Many organizations accept used books, so they’re relatively easy to donate. You can also organize a swap event with book-loving friends. (We once hosted a children’s party where each kid brought a few books and they took turns picking “new” ones. They even decorated bags to carry their treasures home.)
Sorting through hundreds of books can be a tough process. But now that I’ve finished, I’m happy to have some space on my shelves for new stories. And while I admire shelves arranged by color, I use categories like young adult, middle grade, adult nonfiction, or even narrative POV (see below). When I finished, I treated myself to this fun bookend:
One of my newly organized shelves. Fun fact: The books to the left of the bookend all include a second-person narrator.
What criteria do you use to donate books?
How do you organize your shelves?
How do you organize your shelves?
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