to give all my books to the charity shop?

[Boomba]

I'm fed up with all my clutter. I'm not really a hoarder, but very short on time and want to streamline so I can keep clean and tidy.

Ove got loads of books. In the sitting room 2 bookcases stacked 4 deep on each shelf.

I don't have time for reading anyway ant more. I've got a kindle

I feel strangely attached though. And a bit sad, that I don't have time for reading

Do you keep your books??

I keep a couple of book shelves' full, reference books, a few old favourites that sort of thing.

In my spare room I also have apporx. 75 books waiting to be read .

It is so liberating to sort through your books, really, who is going to re-read their universtity reference books .

My parents have recently 'down sized' and it has been a nightmare getting them to sort through their books, so please do it, so your children don't have to in the future !

I think there is something wrong with a house that doesn't have books on display. I'm know I'm being a total snob, but there is something really learned and erudite about having a well loved collection of literature on the walls (no matter what type of literature it is). It just adds so much character.

Having said that, I totally agree with pruning one's collection in order to keep it manageable!

Epic strike through fail I was very disappointed that my local library wouldn't take my books. All in great condition etc, but I was told that it wasn't their policy. Which is a shame because I have had a wide range of books and the amount of children's books that I have given away as the DC's outgrow them would be enough to allow them several copies.

The local hospital takes them for the children's ward so I donate the DC's books to them and some of mine to the various wards for the patients. Someone else might as well have the pleasure of them

We got rid of over 400 books when we moved, so liberating. We still buy books but when we have finished they go straight to the charity shop.

I now have a kindle :)

"I think there is something wrong with a house that doesn't have books on display."

And ... BINGO!

Agree with the poster who mentioned kids.

If you've read Freakonomics, you'll recall that one of the factors that determined greater intelligence was growing up with books in the house.

"Decluttering" doesn't apply to books.

Dont do it! I love looking at bookcases when I visit

I gave loads of mine away years ago. I have now built up a bigger collection!

My one piece of advice is keep the books you really treasure or you'll just buy them again :)

I love reading, but I've culled my books.
Something wrong with a house that doesn't have books?
How judgy is that?
It could also be said that people that overtly display their books are snobs, who want visitors to think how clever they are.

And aren't books supposed to be read?

Keeping books you know you won't read it again is pointless imvho. They are real dust catchers too if anybody in your house has a dust allergy.

I used to have a rather large collection of books, buying several a week and when I first got onto amazon went a bit mad. I had a lot of uni type reference books I thought I'd use. However I started to move quite a lot and they lived in boxes in my dad's attic, in our attic etc and still moving several book shelves worth.

I'm not quite sure what caused the turning point but I decide to actually cull the books, getting rid of anything I'd not read in the last 2 or 3 years and anything that would be easily obtainable on amazon (most novels). A cull as opposed to my previous attempts at 'thinning'. Different mindset - not what could I bear to part with and won't miss but more what can I pass on with the aim of reducing by half.

Its very releasing. I used to be emotionally attached to books in a big way but started to declutter elsewhere and its the same feeling of release and freedom. With each move I tried to cull again, then finally went through my dads attic, and then books from my childhood -just keeping a few favourites.

I like the librarians approach above that you don't need to prove you've read it. My self esteem is no longer tied up in them. I love books and read a lot, but I on longer feel bound to keep them. I have a few shelves of recently read books in the sitting room that can be passed on to visitors or talked about etc but I won't let them take over again!

Don't get rid of them all - but I bet if you went through them properly you could get rid of a huge percentage, only keep as much as you can store and browse properly, otherwise what's the point? Your kids can't read them if they can't get to them!

We went through our books recently and got rid of a huge amount just on basic terms out-of-date/crap non fiction that can all go, fiction that isn't worth reading twice? Gone.

YABU - I could never get rid of my books. I hardly read any of them anymore (other than cookery books probably) as I have a Kindle too. But I have two huge bookcases in the alcoves in my sitting room and I would never clear them out because they look so lovely

I know that's probably a bit sad.

I did have a clear put when we moved house a couple of years ago and it was hard, but I feel my bookshelf looks better for it. I think I now have approximately 280 books. Realistically there are some that I won't read again, but these will be donated to the charity shop once my bookshelf starts looking too disorganised again. I have re-read a lot of my books since moving house and organising my bookshelf, so perhaps this is the way to go OP?

Re the freakanomics -I would imagine that having tons of library books, seeing parents reading etc, having just one bookshelf of adult fiction would do to fulfil the criteria. Having walk to walk bookshelves doesn't really add anything.

The big thing is if children see books read, and normalise it as an activity. There's sadly a large number of families where that isn't the case (hence bookstart etc).

I love having books but have pruned a few times and am moving towards only having the ones I really love.

It makes for sparser bookshelves (and presumably visitors assume I'm not that intellectual ) but it's a happy medium.

Would you feel better if you sold them than giving them away? I've had quite a lot of success with Amazon.

Walk to walk. Meant wall to wall. Certainly in the case of books in boxes, or books in the loft, or books on the shelf behind other books, as we were doing, is all very pointless.

I couldn't give a stuff if people think I am not intelligent because I don't have my living room cluttered with books. Not a flying fuck!

I am more well-read than most and made my living for years and years through reading.

A home without books is a body without soul (Marcus Tullius Cicero)
^^
This explains it all

I have started to collect all my childhood books again. Mainly picture books like Hector Protector and the Quanglewanglewee that my dad still has in his house because they remind me of sitting with my dad while he read to me and hearing his voice rumble through his chest. I may have several copies of Wind in the Willows because of that

Do it. Join a library and let them store all your books for you. At least that's my idea of it.

I love books and read nearly everyday but don't keep them. Only the instructional ones if they are any good.

There are millions of books out there, too many to ever get through so I prefer to read something new than re-reading.

I bring the children regularly to the library and buy them age appropriate books. Not having 100+ adult fiction books on my shelves does not mean I'm anti books or literature. When i was growing up I was brought to the library and encouraged to choose my own interests. There was no book banned no matter what the topic.

I do love looking at others peoples book shelves but am massively private and hate people taking the piss out of me for reading romance and fantasy. Reading is for my pleasure and not to impress others.

I lived in a tiny wee house and got into the habit of pruning regularly. I'm currently going through another cull: I've got rid of hundreds and am likely to get rid of a few hundred more.

I'm keeping my classics and my much-loved books, the ones that are falling to bits from rereading, and some reference books.

I have 3 bookcases still in flatpack, and 30 to 40 banana boxes (mostly computing stuff, but books in there too) in the two sheds, which have not been touched since I moved in, January 2012.

I still have about half of the computers (my sister and I took around a dozen to the council tip in October/November 2011). It really felt like half my life was being trashed at the time, but essential to empty the house for auction, and now I'm in 2 up, 2 down (well, 2 up + tiny bathroom, and 1 of the down is the kitchen) it was good she was so tough. I still have at least half a dozen laptops, 5 iMacs, 42", 40" and 32" (+4x 22") TVs though (the latter group used with some tiny, almost silent, 'nettop' computers... so small can be fitted to back of a TV and are almost invisible).

If you can rid yourself of a portion, eg to a charity shop, then great (but I'd make sure it was one you don't go past, so you are not tempted to check which items have sold, nor what prices they have been marked at).

The books I have (tiny number of sci-fi) are nearly all computing, mostly bought on holiday trips to USA, and I had to buy an extra suitcase to bring them back. Many came with CDs and were reduced from $50-$75 to $10-$15 but that was 10 years ago, and most have only briefly been used. I also bought two 'corner' cases from British Heart Foundation when I went on a 400 quid spending spree, the day they opened in March 2012, and have not yet dragged them upstairs, but this week I hope to swap bedroom to front and 'office' to back (as sunny days are too bright and I cannot see the screens well enough, even with the blind closed)

Agree with Mintyy and TheThickPlottens.

Yanbu.

Me and dh both read a book and then give it away immediately (or sell on eBay). I hate clutter.

There are no books on display at our house. I couldn't give a stuff what anyone thinks about that.

My dc both have books but I will be encouraging them to pass them on to younger friends at the appropriate moment.