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Original poster

Do you have a bookshelf with books on?!

244 replies

VerrryNice · 04/11/2023 09:24

I used to have hundreds of books on shelves around the house and loved them. Then I moved house several times and put them in boxes and they got dusty and mouldy so I got rid of them. Then I started using a kindle a lot more.

Now I don’t have any books on display in the house at all. I pass them on to friends or charity and keep a few favourites at the back of a cupboard.

I watched a programme about homes in Wales yesterday and one couple had all their books organised and on display around the house and it looked fantastic and you could really get a sense of the kind of people they were. If you came to my house you would think I was a complete non-reader with no interest in much at all! I was wondering what the norm was these days.

OP posts:
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NorthernLiner · 04/11/2023 09:42

We have 4 floor to ceiling bookcases in DH’s home office, 3 in mine, 2 in DC’s room who also has a low table/bookshelf/magazine type thing.
There also books on our bedside tables, and also on floor next to beds. From where I’m currently sitting in the living room, I can see a stack of five books on the floor beside the sofa.
We donated about 2/3s of our books when we last moved. I know there are also plastic storage containers out in the garage with books in them too. We have a problem 😳

DeathWinsAGolfish · 04/11/2023 09:42

Bookshelves in every room, with 4 in DH's study, double stacked.
We all have kindles too, I have been ruthless with lots of my books, DH not so...

Gnomegnomegnome · 04/11/2023 09:43

I recently had a massive sort out and now currently only have two bookcases and probably three books on my bedside table. I gave hundreds to a local hospital.

I like proper books.

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Soozikinzii · 04/11/2023 09:43

We are the same as you OP . My husband is an avid reader and prefers to read from a book although he does use a kindle as well . He reads a book or two per week so we take them to charity shops . We just have a few books : bird identification, atlases etc on some industrial type selves .

WineWithAView · 04/11/2023 09:43

I completely understand what you mean OP, about getting a sense of what people are like from their book shelves. It's such an insight into people and their lives, and I also always saw books and CDs as a history of my life almost.

We moved two years ago and I did get rid of all my CDs then. Sadly. But I wouldn't want to be rid of books entirely. Our living room has a full wall of Billy bookcases. And other rooms have book shelves too.

Funny thing is, I rarely get through a book these days. Between lack of time and my menobrain's inability to focus, I am not much of a reader any more. Although I do still buy books as if I am. 😂

There's an Anna Quinlan quote I love, along the lines of: I would be most content if my children grow up to think decorating consists mainly of having enough bookshelves.

Thingamebobwotsit · 04/11/2023 09:44

Yes in every room except the bathrooms and guest bedroom. I don't get on with e-readers as I spend most of the day at work on screens and the last thing I want to do is look at one in my down time. So I only use one when on holiday.

Gnomegnomegnome · 04/11/2023 09:44

Oh I forgot the bookcase in dgs/ guest room.

Zebedee55 · 04/11/2023 09:45

Yes, I was bought up around books, and have always had bookshelves. Must admit I don't buy many proper books nowadays, and just use my Kindle.

StarShipControl · 04/11/2023 09:45

We have book cases in the living room and kids have one each in their bedrooms.

PetsAreBetter · 04/11/2023 09:46

I have book cases. I love to be surrounded by books and couldn't imagine having none around. Less than I used to have though as I now also use audio books.

Goingwelltrying · 04/11/2023 09:48

The only rooms without at least one bookshelf are those with a toilet. We have slim ones on the landing and in the porch everywhere else has at least two. We’ve cut right back so now there is a little space on some for new books but have more time to borrow books from the local libraries so that helps.

Original poster
VerrryNice · 04/11/2023 09:49

Oh and as for CDs I got rid of them twenty years ago. I spent a whole week putting all my favourite music on to an iPod which I don’t use any more!

OP posts:
DappledThings · 04/11/2023 09:49

Hundreds of books on shelves. After the bathroom and the kitchen my fitted bookshelves are the most expensive bit of our house.

WitsEnd10 · 04/11/2023 09:50

I have thousands of books. Three floor to ceiling bookcases with about 4-500 books each in, the rest are in crates in the loft and I rotate them. I’ve never gotten rid of a book, I re-read them all the time. I once was made to get rid of all the kids baby and toddler books, and I cried all day. I deeply regret it.

AuntieMarys · 04/11/2023 09:51

I have about 300 books on shelves in various rooms. When I moved I binned about 1000.
Now I only keep non fiction and coffee table books....fiction gets sent to charity shop.
I read about 7 books a month

jellybe · 04/11/2023 09:53

We do. We have big bookcases in each kids bedroom which are full. One in my study that is also full and piles of books next to our bed in our to be read stacks.
Can imagine not having any physical books in the house.

KnickerlessParsons · 04/11/2023 09:54

We also have lots of books on shelves.
When we moved a few years ago the removal men said they'd never seen so many books and asked us what we did with them all!

*we haven't got that many, just a normal amount.

Papillon23 · 04/11/2023 09:54

I have about 9 shelves worth. Not millions and I mainly buy on kindle now but the house wouldn't feel right without any books.

Davros · 04/11/2023 09:55

I use a kindle to read fiction but there's plenty of books in the house, lots of "reference/interest" books, childhood favourites etc. I buy books on subjects that interest me and if I want to support an author (E.g. Graham Linehan) but I don't buy paperback fiction books. I think books look great as "decor" too. We moved a couple of years ago after being in the same house for 25 years. The only thing I regret getting rid of was some boxes of books. I had a minor freak out because I thought I didn't have anywhere to put them (forgot the three storage rooms we had at the time 😂) and I couldn't take any more boxes in the house. Big mistake but I've still got plenty and still buy

IjustbelieveinMe · 04/11/2023 09:55

My books are my pride and joy. Apart from furniture I don't own much apart from that and my books . Every single book is one I want to keep. It's only two IKEA book shelves strung together, but means such a lot to Mr and my identity.

Passepartoute · 04/11/2023 09:55

Yes, we've got shelves with books in every room bar the bathroom, and even a couple of shelves on one of the landings. I am gradually trying to weed out books I'm confident no-one will read again, but it's a slow job.

LBOCS2 · 04/11/2023 09:55

Since my teens I have curated my book collection from 1000+ to probably only about 200 well loved physical books, which are spread across two bookshelves in our downstairs space. The DC have bookshelves in their rooms too, and there are always sometimes small piles of books next to my side of the bed. Oh, and our spare room has a couple of shelves with books on too.

Despite all of that, I do the vast majority of my reading on my kindle nowadays.

BananaHamster · 04/11/2023 09:56

I have two overflowing bookshelves. I keep the ones I love, and then charity shop the ones I know I won't read again however I also have a kindle with 100 + books on so it's taking longer to get through my actual books. 😂

IjustbelieveinMe · 04/11/2023 09:56

That should say me not Mr! No man lives here and never will lol!

Cabbagey · 04/11/2023 09:56

I've moved house five times in the past ten years and my big book collection has been pared right down to one full-size bookcase of real favourites I'll re-read and things I'd struggle to replace. Anything new I'd much rather get as an eBook, an audio book or on the library app. Physical books do creep in from charity shops and our local swap shelf, but I tend to send them straight back once I've done with them.

Our house is still full of books, but they're my DP's. She has two book cases downstairs, two shelves of books for her work, and more shelves for her hobby books and old favourites upstairs.