How are you all storing your books?

[11stoneTess]

I have hundreds of books. I'm feeling weighed down by them because I simply dont have space for them. They're piled up in every space I can find (on the shelf, in drawers, in boxes in the bottom of the wardrobe, behind the bathpanel, under the side tables etc...).

I'm so conflicted, I obviously love books, but I resent them taking over my home.

All new purchases are going on kindle, and, I have a library card. Will I regret giving them to charity?

@ShesMadeATwatOfMePam

I really wouldn't get rid of all of your books though, especially if you have children. Having physical books in the home and seeing adults read them makes a big difference to how well they do at school.

Id be interested to see the evidence for that.

Page 23 of this or google <a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284286/reading_for_pleasure.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjK5LOwsprsAhW1RBUIHdYLCZUQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw3aLUDQBXNGA7ETkONgw3Fz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">gov reading for pleasure pdf

There's quite a few studies that back this up.

I’d definitely have a cautious cull, but one word of warning. I’m currently spending a fortune on second hand books that are no longer in print because I miss them and want to reread them. We too have piles of books (and a lot of bookcases) - they are more important than other things because they take you to different worlds, and much as I like my kindle it isn’t the same as a book.
And to PP asking for evidence that children do better at school, I just had a quick google and got pages of results reported on this.

I had a cull a few years ago using the Marie Kondo method. I did literature at uni so had absolutely masses that were taking up enormous amounts of space and were lugged around with every house move. Don't look at what you want to get rid of, instead approach it by looking at you want to keep (it does make a difference). Books that 'sparked joy', for whatever reason, were kept and everything else was donated to charity shops. By most standards I still have a lot of books, but at least they fit on my shelves now.

I have been spendng far too much time at home this year (as we all have) but it is making me crave a more minimalist existance. I feel owned by my belongings, not the other way round.

Ok, a cull. I can do this. There are many i've moved at least three times and not re-read. There are a number never read at all.

I have one visible shelf full, I will keep that. It fits about 20 books.

I'll hold off looking at storage until i've let some of them go.

This is my current problem, I’m not yet capable of putting them in the bin, but local charity shops are not accepting donations yet.

Taking them to the tip will just cut out the middleman. I’ve watched charity shop vans chuck hundreds of books into the recycling at the tip n

I’ve watched charity shop vans chuck hundreds of books into the recycling at the tip

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Yes Martinis same here. Although in my case I have a lot of books packed in a storage unit from when we were planning to move house. I have old favourites I just need to reread during lockdown, and they are inaccessible so I buy (used) new copies! If ever I get reunited with my books that will be a glorious day

When we first exiled the books to storage my house looked spacious and uncluttered for a while, but it's not lasted........

Another criteria you can use for sifting what to keep and what to let go: If there was a house fire and I lost all my possessions, would I want to replace this item? Would I even remember I had it in the first place?

Rehoming books: if you have interesting books (non-fiction or classic fiction/literature) it's worth putting some effort into finding suitable ways to rehome them. Some charity shops have branches that specialise in books (Oxfam, Barnardos). Some normal highstreet charity shops have proper book sections that would welcome donations of good books but many just have a couple of shelves of dog-eared popular fiction and think books are a hindrance. Research what you have locally. There may also be second hand bookshops.

Major book hoarder here, but even I have to dump thrillers/whodunnits etc on a regular basis. Even "literary novels" that I might want to re-read, I'm getting better at asking myself the question "did you honestly enjoy that?"

Also getting better over things with sentimental overtones. I learned a good lesson from a friend a few years ago who said "it's possible to love the giver dearly without loving the gift".

If I think about rebuying, interestingly, I'm thinking i'd rebuy the majority on kindle. For physical books, I might limit myself to ones with pictures (coffee table book style), anything signed, or if I get into collecting first editions.

If I think about it, I havent missed CD cases and DVD boxes at all. I will probably feel the same about the books.

Definate preference for rehoming vs landfil. I'm googling my options.

@11stoneTess

I’ve watched charity shop vans chuck hundreds of books into the recycling at the tip

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Oxfam can only sell so many of the DaVinci code and its like. What did you think they did with them.

Are you in a neighbourhood WhatsApp group, or on Nextdoor? Every so often, our WhatsApp group organises a Saturday or Sunday book giveaway - people leave boxes of books outside their front door for people to help themselves to.

If you don't have one of those perhaps you could start one? It's a really good way to share books and make sure they actually get read. The idea of throwing books away at the tip is horrendous

@11stoneTess. Well done! That's a good start! (Mentally, if not physically)

@ShesMadeATwatOfMePam

I just looked up that book, there are several different authors with the same title! Which one did you read?

I once decluttered books by giving them all to a friend. She turned her third (double) bedroom into a 'Reading Room'. and has worked her way through them. She loves it & I have permanent visitation rights 🤣 (Shame she lives in overseas -where I was living!).

I've decluttered my books a number of times - I'm down to two small bookcases of adult books and one of kids' books.

Like someone upthread said about a fire - I didn't look at whether I wanted to get rid of something. I looked at whether I wanted to keep it, which is a different frame of mind. It's a good way of looking at it.

Sometimes when I look at the prepper threads I have a feeling of sympathy.

Maybe I need my books just in case society collapses and I can't download books to my Kindle!

Someone has created a village "library" on a take a book, bring a book idea - it's basically an upscale cupboard for people to use out on the street.... just an idea?

In my village I should add 😆

Just a quick update to say thank you. I have looked into schemes in my area and there arent any, but i'm seeing if there is enough interest in starting something. I have also emailed the library to see if they would accept donations.

My local charity shop is taking limited donations, so i'll bring some to them.

I've ID'd 50 to rehome to start off with. Not looking at the rest until I've dealt with this first batch.

50 is a heck of a start, OP. If I manage 20 in one of my culls, I'm doing well.

Global Educational Trust
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46511256

I can't find the link to the charity itself but it's a charity that runs shops where people can wander in and have 3 books.

It's so tough with books. I grew up in a house stuffed with books (parents' house was lucky to have a room with 3 walls of built in shelves), and I have very happy memories of scanning through selecting something to read (a classic, a thriller, a reference book, an ENCYCLOPEDIA - anyone remember those? 😂). My mother is a voracious reader with a particular interest in history, and her love of reading definitely passed to me. I've been lucky enough to recently move into a house with a 'library' (actually just an entrance hall with built in shelves 😂), and it means we've now got quite a few redundant bookshelves.

I prefer to keep books that I want on my shelves for a reason - a really good read, thought provoking biography or history book, I've got a few really old books, a Dr Seuss first edition ❤️. Now my DD is in her teens, I'm starting to suggest things on the shelf for her to look at. Unfortunately, the internet is still a bigger draw for her than a good book, but I'm hoping she'll ultimately enjoy having both in her life.

Oh Lord, that was all about ME, sorry.

In fewer words, try to keep the books you LOVE, for whatever reason, and give away the ones you don't remember or don't care about (for me, lots of throwaway chick lit from the 90s/early 200s).

I get the embarrassment of stuff like chick lit @EmmaStone (that's what my Kindle is for ), but don't forget anything that triggers a desire to read is a good thing. My dad used to say to us when we were kids, "I don't care if all you read is The Beano, as long as you're reading!"

Don't the charities sell them off in bulk to second hand internet booksellers?

Are there book exchange places near you, like a phone box? I'd give them to a charity that will sell them on if they can't sell them themselves, or if you can sell directly to one of those booksellers? They are so cheap to buy second hand again though if you do want one back.