Farewell Old Friends
Posted by annastan on April 28th, 2010. Filed under: Books, Random Fun.I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m a bit of book hoarder. For the most part this affliction hasn’t stopped me from leading a normal life, but the other day I came home with a book a friend had given me and I realized I had absolutely nowhere to put it. My bookshelves were already about to burst, and there was a stack of books on top of one of them that was ready to topple. So, in a fit of what I can only assume was rabid spring cleaning, I went through all my books and took out ones to give away.
I almost never get rid of books, even ones that I’m 99% sure I’ll never read. It’s because I’m afraid that one day I’ll change my mind and want to read (or reread) the book and it won’t be there. But this time I was tough on myself. Any book I hadn’t read in the past ten years and/or didn’t see myself reading in the next ten years was weeded. So here it is, the stack:
Sixteen books total. That includes a few academic-type books, several adult novels, and one lone YA. Of course, even after getting rid of these, my bookshelves are still at maximum capacity. But I think this is a step in the right direction. Maybe book hoarding isn’t something I just have to live with. Maybe I can take control of my hoarding tendencies and, every once in a looong while, give a few books away.
April 28th, 2010 at 6:12 am
Anna, I’m like you when it comes to books, and my shelves are bulging like yours, too. Every once in a while (maybe yearly) I pull books to donate to various local fairs, etc. If they’re children’s books in pristine condition, I send them to the Lisa Libraries (started by Ann Martin). It’s an important and worthy cause, getting books into the hands of kids.
April 28th, 2010 at 6:17 am
I’m like you, though I also love taking in books to the used bookstore for a trade.
April 28th, 2010 at 6:21 am
Oh, that must have been hard! I have the same problem getting rid of books. My current solution has involved buying more bookshelves, which probably isn’t sustainable, heh.
April 28th, 2010 at 9:50 am
Andrea, I found out one of my local libraries is accepting donations for a book sale so it was perfect timing. If I ever decide to part with any of my children’s books (which is a big “if”) I’ll definitely look into Lisa’s Libraries.
Caroline, I thought about trading my books at a used bookstore, but that probably wouldn’t make my bookshelves any happier!
Deva, until now buying more bookshelves has been my solution as well, but since I’m quickly running out of wall space, it was time to do something different. I’ll probably still have to break down and buy a new bookshelf in the next year or two. Oh the joys of being a book addict…
April 28th, 2010 at 10:13 am
One book at a time, Anna. You can do it. We’re rooting for you…!
April 28th, 2010 at 10:21 am
You show a lot of willpower! When I had that problem recently, I bought bigger bookcases…
April 28th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Me too! It’s the only thing I hoard.
April 28th, 2010 at 10:30 am
I don’t know why but I don’t have this problem with current books. Its the books I’ve had from my childhood that I can’t get rid of. Too many memories.
April 28th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
I’m a book hoarder, too! It’s the only thing I can’t give away. I’m a cleaning/organizing pro- I can get rid of clothes and shoes and anything else with no problem. But books? Good heavens, mention getting rid of my books and I feel like someone’s dying. So I just give away other stuff to make room for my books.
Books are the only inanimate objects I’m completely attached to (well, books and my American Girl doll Molly!).
April 28th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Uh, you scared me with your blog title. I was like “What does THIS mean?” Ha.
This is really funny book twin because I gave away books this weekend as well. I cleaned out my office and I donated about 40 books to the library (a mixture of non-fiction and adult fiction). No YA books made the cut. Go figure!
April 28th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
It always hurts to give away a book, even if I didn’t like it! But common sense has recently won out, so I give away loads of books to charities about twice a year. But not signed copies, even if I didn’t like them.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
I have a really hard time getting rid of books, too. I’ve done okay with the academic books and some ARCs I’ll never read, but otherwise, I just love having them.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
So tough. I did this before we did a major renovation. And I have to say, a couple of times I did look for those books that I had given away. Oh, well. There is always the library!
April 28th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Haha – thanks, Anne! It’s been hard, but I’ve pulled through.
Sarah, that’s what I’ve been doing until now, but I’m starting to run out of places to put new bookshelves. I’ll probably still need to buy another one soon, though.
Keri, as far as hoarding goes, there are far worse things to hoard than books – like smelly sneakers.
Laura P, that means you’re a very strong person! I definitely can’t get rid of books that I had as a child, but that’s because of sentimentality. I have a hard time getting rid of more recent books out of sheer paranoia.
Laura M, I like your idea of getting rid of other things to make room for your books. I’m afraid that might be dangerous, though. Soon we’ll have no dishes because the cupboards will be filled with books!
April 28th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Karen, I can see how my title might have made you concerned! I’ll try to make them less ominous-sounding in the future. And of course we decided to give away books at the same time – we wouldn’t be book twins otherwise!
Wow, Vonna! I can’t believe you suffer this kind of torture twice a year! But maybe now that I’ve done it once, it won’t be as hard next time.
PJ, I think there’s just something comforting about being surrounded by books. If I could, I would just line my walls with them – it would be heaven!
Heather, that’s what I kept telling myself as I was looking for books I could part with: “There’s always the library!”
April 28th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
I’m now tripping over the pile on the floor that won’t fit in any of the bookshelves, even the new one. Sigh. From time to time, I give books to the library. Must do it more often.
April 28th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
I feel your pain. Isn’t that hard? I’ve had to clear out books too, and it’s not easy. I’ve donated them to the library, figuring someone else will get to read them too!
April 29th, 2010 at 8:31 am
In our house, the problem is it isn’t just me. My husband still has his college textbooks taking up space in case he ever needs them as a reference, my kids won’t let me get rid of their baby board books because they love them still (even the 11 year old). So I’m the one who ends up making concessions and ousting books. I always donate them and yes I feel bad, but they are almost immediately replaced by twenty more!
April 29th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Jeez, in the last ten years? That’s being tough? Oh, you have so much to learn.
But you know… I’m not sure if book hoarding is such a bad thing.
I book hoard (just a little, nothing like your epic hoarding skills) and I very often do get to reading or at least looking through these books gathering dust. Plus, it’s just nice to say that I have certain books in my home.
But sometimes I really just don’t bother with reading them. Chronicle of the 20th century… I bought it for a dollar about two years ago and have never once looked through it. But do I care? I’m keeping that 10lb book on my shelf, regardless of how fat and boring it may be. Who knows when it will come in handy, right?
April 29th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
I can’t do it!! Once I have read a book it is then part of my book family and I just can’t bear to part with it.
Of course if it’s a book I couldn’t quite get into then I am willing to entertain the idea of a trade….
And ya. I’ll be bookcase shopping soon. Again. =)
April 30th, 2010 at 6:50 am
Tricia, that’s how my house was starting to be like too. Since I’m super accident-prone, putting stacks of books in my way was a BAD idea!
Julie, I’m going to give these to the library too. It does make it better, knowing that someone else might get some use out of the books.
Lisa, I shudder to think what will happen when I have kids! The book takeover will be complete – there won’t be room in the house for us humans!
Dominique, there certainly are worse things to hoard than books. I’m glad you have a similar enabling view of the topic.
Angelique, that’s how I feel with books too. The only reason I was able to give these books away is because it had been SO long since I’d even looked at them that it felt like they weren’t part of the family anymore. I’ll see you in the bookcase aisle.