So as we start to pack for our move this fall, everything is getting purged before it can be packed. The first victims during our Hurricane Irene weekend were the books. We've thinned our books every year and have at various points made substantial donations to the local library. However, our shelves always seem to still be laden.
Said shelves are not making the move to the new place. Their slightly warped nature (courtesy of DH's law books-also not making the move) really makes them a prime candidate for purging. However, this will leave the books that did make the cut languishing in boxes until we resolve what to do with them.
After the cut, we still have 11 boxes of books. Eleven. Seriously? That's post purge? This does not bode well. So a dilemma. Create a shrine to the books at the new place and take up precious square footage or slice again?
What makes a book worth keeping? My first job was at a book store so I have some serious attachment to "real" books, but their sheer volume is running counter to our "less is more" plan. What to do?
My general rule of thumb is to toss anything I know I know I won't read again (chick lit, dense or serious stuff that was good once) and out-of-date reference stuff (most of my grad school stuff now). Of course we haven't moved in a few years so we have overflowing bookcases of our own to tackle. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteApartment Therapy just had a page on ways to incorporate books into your room and even staircases.
ReplyDeleteAnd having just packed a bunch of books ourselves, I agree with Jess that if I'm not going to read it again or it's out of date, it goes away. Also we have finally purged 99% of all college books. The exceptions are the Complete Works of William Shakespeare and a couple of politics books. My one downfall is that I keep books people have given me that I plan on reading at some point. I think an entire box was dedicated to that category.
We did it in two stages--one purge before and one after. Once you get into the new space, you'll be even more protective of the square footage and your perspective on which books you can live without will change again.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to what Jess and Alicia said, we'd like to get to a Hardcovers-only policy. Eventually. ;)