How to Declutter Books: A Guide to Simplifying Your Reading Collection
In this post: Are you overwhelmed by piles of books and crowded bookshelves? Here are 3 steps to declutter your books, along with tips to prevent book clutter so you leave space for the books that bring you joy!
Decluttering Your Book Collection
I know the thought of decluttering books can cause anxiety for book lovers, and I will never ask a reader to get rid of all of the books they love. I know how special they are, and the memories they can hold. With that said, books can quickly accumulate and become overwhelming and can contribute to clutter in your home.
If you find yourself surrounded by piles of books and struggling to locate the ones you truly want to read, it might be time to work on decluttering and simplifying your collection.
Continue reading for practical tips for decluttering your books, and learn strategies to prevent book clutter. The goal isn’t to get rid of all of your books but to create a reading collection that is manageable and enjoyable.
1. Know Why Your Are Decluttering Your Books
The first step of decluttering your books is to understand your why. Think about why you want to declutter your books, so you have a goal for yourself.
Maybe you want to be able to easily find your favorite books. Or maybe you are limited on space and you need to make room for other things. Knowing how much space you have to keep your books is important so you know how many you can keep.
When I decluttered my books as part of my decluttering journey, I knew I didn’t have a lot of space for books. I didn’t have particularly pretty books that I wanted to display, so I chose a shelf in my closet for my books. Almost all of the (non-children) books I own are still on this one small shelf (I keep cookbooks separate in my pantry). Defining that space for my books really helped me know what my goal was and achieve it. Bonus, I always know where to find my favorite books!
2. Sort Your Books
After you know your why and are focused on your goal to declutter your books, you need to sort them. Use three categories to assess your books: Books to Get Rid Of, Books You Love, and The Rest of Your Books.
– Books to Get Rid Of
It’s easier to start with books you know you won’t read. These can be books you’ve never read, books you have read but won’t read again, or duplicate copies of books. You also don’t need to keep outdated reference books – You can find up-to-date information on the Internet! These books likely don’t hold any emotional attachment and should be easier to let go of. Make a pile of these books to donate or sell.
– Books You Love
Next, identify books that you love or have sentimental value that you know you want to keep. Depending on the size of your collection, this might be quite a challenge. Read this post if you are struggling with decluttering guilt.
Start by focusing on the books that make your heart sing, the ones that bring you immense joy or hold a special place in your memories.
Think about the books that match your current interests and goals. Do they give you those warm fuzzies inside? Are they packed with knowledge or inspiration? And don’t forget those books you’ve been itching to read or reread!
It’s not about the size of your book collection, but having a curated set of books that truly reflect who you are.
You might be able to whittle this part of your collection down if you are willing to use a library to check out your favorite books again. Using a Kindle or e-reader is another great way to always have your favorite books with you.
– The Rest of Your Books
After you have identified the books you don’t want to keep and the books you definitely want to keep, you might be left with some in-between books you aren’t sure what to do with.
My friend, It’s time for some tough love when it comes to those books that don’t hold sentimental value but are giving you a hard time letting go. I get it, parting ways with books can be tough. But here’s the deal: if a book doesn’t bring you joy, inspire you, or serve a purpose, it’s time to bid it farewell.
Think about it—keeping books you don’t truly love only takes up precious space and makes it harder to find the ones that truly matter.
Remember, you deserve a collection that sparks excitement and reflects who you are. So, take a deep breath, muster up some bravery, and let those non-sentimental books find new homes where they’ll be appreciated.
Trust me, you’ll create room for new treasures and find a sense of liberation in the process. (And there’s always the library if you decide you want to read them again!) You’ve got this!
3. Finding New Homes for Your Books
After you have sorted your books, it’s time to find new homes for them. Here are a few ideas for passing along your books.
Gift Books to Friends and Family
Share the joy of reading by passing along books to loved ones.
Sell or Trade Books
Explore online marketplaces or book exchange platforms to find new owners for your books. Bookcrossing.com allows you to release books into the wild, track their journey, and connect with fellow book lovers worldwide.
Donate books to the library or other organizations
Many libraries, schools, nursing homes, or community centers would welcome your book donation. If you have a Free Little Library in your neighborhood, you could also donate books there.
How to Maintain a Clutter-Free Book Collection
Once you have decluttered your books, you will want to maintain your clutter-free book collection. Below are some tips for preventing book clutter.
1. Go Digital
I know many book lovers don’t think they can give up the feel and smell of a physical book, but I encourage you to give a Kindle a try. The Kindle Paperwhite is specifically made for reading, so it’s not like reading off a phone screen or iPad. The “e-ink” makes it look like a real book page. It’s compact enough to easily carry with you, and it has a backlight, so you can read in bed without it being too bright for your partner.
2. Get a Library Card
If you are an avid reader, I don’t think there is a more cost-effective or space-saving way to keep your supply of books than to check out your library. If you haven’t been to the library in a while, you might be surprised by the awesome resources modern libraries have.
Most libraries also have apps to check out e-books that you can read on your Kindle, so you don’t even have to make a trip to the library to get your next great read.
3. When You Read a Book Pass it Along to a Friend
I have a friend that signs her name inside her books when she finishes them and passes them on to her friends, and tells them to then pass them along when they are done. This keeps her bookshelves tidy and also blesses her friends.
4. Use Free Little Libraries
As mentioned above, if your community has a Free Little Library, you can leave books in it for someone else to enjoy. The one in our neighborhood has books for kids and adults.
5. Audio Books
Give audio books a try to reduce book clutter. Audible lets you try a book for free so you can test out that format for listening on the go. You can also often check out audiobooks from the library and the Libby App.
6. Practice the One-In, One-Out Rule
Every time you buy a new book and bring it home, donate, sell, or give away one book. This will help maintain the book collection you have worked hard to curate. It will also make you more mindful about the books you choose to buy rather than borrow from the library or a friend, or download to an e-reader.
Creating Space for Books You Love
I hope these decluttering tips have helped you manage your book collection. Remember, decluttering books is about creating a space that reflects your true reading interests and brings you joy. Letting go of books that no longer serve a purpose can be tough, but it opens up opportunities for new adventures and discoveries. So go ahead, sort through those shelves, pass on books to new readers, and create a space where your favorite books shine.
More Decluttering Posts for You:
- Quick Decluttering Tasks for the Living Room
- Where to Start Decluttering When You are Overwhelmed
- 4 Easy Decluttering Rules
