The Book Shelf has been purged
By maezee
@maezee (41985)
United States
July 18, 2019 10:58am CST
Hey all! How’s it going today? I wrote up a big post and then the internet connection broke up and I lost it. Hmm. So i made it my goal this weekend to go through clothes, shoes and other items and do a massive “sweep and donate”. And I did get rid of a lot. Me and my sister decided to tackle our respective book shelves for items to donate.
I came up with 10 books to get rid of, my sister came up with 30. Funnily enough-most of those 30 were books I gave her to read and she never got around to.
But wow, a total of 40 books! That is impressive. I already feel lighter.
It got me thinking why I keep certain books. What’s your criteria? I want to push for mine to be that I really love it or I plan on rereading it some day. Or some emotional attachment to it.
What’s your criteria for keeping a book? Do you ever pick a day to do a massive book purge?
10 people like this
12 responses
@Marilynda1225 (91013)
• United States
18 Jul 19
I've been doing the same thing...going through books and having a keep pile and a donate pile. So far I'm keeping books that I haven't read but intend to and am letting go of those I have read but kept. Our local nursing home has a library so they are always looking for books so I'm happy knowing my books will go to a good home 
2 people like this
@marguicha (230334)
• Chile
18 Jul 19
I used to keep most of my books. But lately I will have to do a big clean up and purge. I will start with books, however good whose letter font is too small.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230334)
• Chile
18 Jul 19
@akalinus I have shelves and shelves of books in the second floor as literature has been my passion. But some books belong to other people now.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
18 Jul 19
@marguicha I am sure that they were happy to get the books. Someone should be reading them.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
18 Jul 19
That is a good idea. I had "Hawaii" by James Michener which is an awesome story. The font was so little that I had to use a page magnifier to read it. What were they thinking? I finally tossed it and found another copy that was much easier to read.
If you have trouble seeing it or reading it, I think is a good place to start.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (208757)
• United States
18 Jul 19
I too have purged some books from my case, but need to do more. I guess my criteria is whether I need them, will use them, or might re read them. I have books in every category.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
18 Jul 19
My criteria include books that I know I will read again. I call them keepers. Some, I read them and enjoyed them but don't want to read again and donate them to the thrift shop or the free shelf. Some were just unbelievable garbage. Those go on the free shelf in the laundry and a few go straight to the recycle bin.
I have way too many books for this place but save some to give to my best friend when we go back home. She always gives me a large donation of books in return.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
25 Aug 19
When we moved (about a year and a half ago) I purged both books, CDs, VHS, and DVDs. This gave me lots of new shelf space (I'm also down a book case or two), but in the last year I've been slowly adding more. I try to donate or pass books along after I've read them.
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
18 Jul 19
I get reading material from the library so books I own are keepers.
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
18 Jul 19
What kind of books do you keep? I think I probably have as many books as the library. I have donated hundreds of books and even sold a huge amount at a park sale one time. I charged maybe a quarter each for books I bought at the thrift store or on Amazon.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
19 Jul 19
@JohnRoberts Those are books? I don't understand.
1 person likes this
@DesirousDreamer (34776)
• Peoria, Arizona
18 Jul 19
I do not think I ever done a book purge. As soon as I read a book and did not care for it I would donate it to my old school and most stuff I have I read again.
@porwest (112768)
• United States
22 Jul 19
I used to read more. These days I just don't have the time I'd like to have to read more. I keep most of my books just because. Who knows why? I have only ever read a few books more than once. Those that come to mind would be The Stand by Stephen King, Ghost Story by Peter Straub, and Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
@Michellekidwell (29953)
• Sonora, California
19 Jul 19
I have many smaller print books, but won’t get rid of them because they had been in my family for years the oldest dating back to the late 1800’s! I did get rid of about 30 or 40 books though, but books are never easy for me to get rid of!
@Nakitakona (59987)
• Philippines
20 Jul 19
That's good for you and your sister to donate your books. That's my weakness I don't know on what to do with my old books to declutter my mini library shelves.
