Why is decluttering books so hard?

Decluttering books is for many a difficult topic. I’m one of them! The appreciation for the printed word, the story that they tell, the knowledge on all these pages… how can books be decluttered? Many simply ignore this area in their life and are brought down by their often large collection of books. Today, we’re sharing our tips to let go of your books.

Read them

It appears some people just buy books to display them. Similar to wearing glasses while having perfect eye sight. For us, that’s a bit hard to believe. Still, books make for beautiful decoration after all. Starting today, pick up one of your books you haven’t read yet. Make it part of your evening ritual to decompress and prepare for a good night’s sleep.

Review them

You may find some books that you have no desire to read anymore. Or you may have those that you are no longer interested. And then there maybe those that you tried to read over and over, yet, you can’t get into them. Set these aside for the decluttering box.

Donate them

There are various institutions where you can give your books to. Depending on the topic, your kid’s school may take them. Local libraries welcome well kept editions of different genres. You can please some in the little box of the free communal library. These library boxes let anyone take a book or two and you don’t need to give a book if you take one.

Your religious community centre, the local community centre or an elderly home may also take some of your books. Give them a call and find out if there are any restrictions on the topics before you drop off your box with donations.

We’ve even seen companies having little libraries for their employees. This then also becomes a way of meeting other colleagues from different departments and interacting with them.

Sell them

In this heat, flee markets may have taken a summer break too. However, you may check for any indoor markets or hold a garage sale in your neighbourhood. Websites like Ebay or Dubizzle also let you sell them and you then arrange for the postage or delivery via courier. A word of caution: Be careful sharing your home address with just anyone.

Second handbook shops also buy books. Some second hand shops are even specialised in them. When we left the US, we went to one of these shops. Perhaps we could have had achieved a higher rate selling them privately, this was a very convenient way for us.

Swap them

If you are a vivid reader, create a book exchange with your friends and colleagues. This doesn’t require you to buy any new ones, you only exchange what you have and getting one you haven’t read before for free. It’s almost like your personal library.

Invest in eBooks

If your passion for reading is occupying too much physical space in your home, invest in an eReader. You’ll also give your shoulders a break from constantly carrying a book with you. 161 grams do feel a lot lighter than 317 grams for the paperback version or 498 grams for the hardcover version. Plus you can take so many more with you, especially when you are travelling!

What have you done with the books you’ve decluttered?

If you’re just starting your decluttering, what’s the biggest challenge for you? We’d love to hear how we can help you overcome them!

Until next time,
Agni