How do you get rid of books?

[Tybee]

I will try the Kondo trick on one bookshelf and see what happens.

[catherine]

I will try the Kondo trick on one bookshelf and see what happens.

TBH, I think I did a version of that. I remember piles of books, sorted by genre, on my living room floor. Some boxes were marked for Vermont, and some were marked for the library.

[iris lilies]

The last time I culled children’s books, I went through using Kondo’s “Sparks joy “idea. I used the immediate feeling in my gut as if I like that book, love the book, or if I had the book only because it fit into my collecting strategy, but it didn’t especially move me. That was during Covid when I had time to sell things on eBay, so I took the ones I thought were sellable and sold them. Then I had a whole bunch left, and I packaged those up as five for the price of one or two picture books. And I sold all .

I took the ones I thought weren’t especially marketable to a local book seller who was thrilled to get them.


I kept ALL of the Victorian illustrated books, even though they don’t necessarily spark joy. At this point in my financial life, I’m not keeping them because I have invested money, I’m keeping them because… I haven’t run out of space for them yet. But there will come a time when I weed a few of those items.


If there are still an antiquarian booksellers around town, I’ll drop them off there because they will know what to do with these books.. I probably won’t ask for any money

[catherine]

The last time I culled children’s books, I went through using Kondo’s “Sparks joy “idea. I used the immediate feeling in my gut as if I like that book, love the book, or if I had the book only because it fit into my collecting strategy, but it didn’t especially move me. That was during Covid when I had time to sell things on eBay, so I took the ones I thought were sellable and sold them. Then I had a whole bunch left, and I packaged those up as five for the price of one or two picture books. And I sold all .

I took the ones I thought weren’t especially marketable to a local book seller who was thrilled to get them.


I kept ALL of the Victorian illustrated books, even though they don’t necessarily spark joy. At this point in my financial life, I’m not keeping them because I have invested money, I’m keeping them because… I haven’t run out of space for them yet. But there will come a time when I weed a few of those items.


If there are still an antiquarian booksellers around town, I’ll drop them off there because they will know what to do with these books.. I probably won’t ask for any money

I was just watching Antiques Roadshow, and someone had three or four Raggedy Ann/Andy/Belindy dolls and books. I clearly recognized one of the Raggedy Ann books, but when I saw that it was published in 1918, I wondered what book I read? Clearly not the first edition!! The story I clearly remember is Raggedy Ann and the Washing. It was so sad!

[iris lilies]

There is a whole series of Raggedy Ann books. they are pretty old. I don’t own any. Those are not what you would call “fine “illustrations but they aren’t that bad either. I think a lot of of them are Volland editions which are known for quality paper and decent quality illustrations. Literary wise, they are not good but that’s not why they are collected.

[rosarugosa]

Here is the current state of affairs with books in my household (with a bit of seasonal decor thrown in from autumn):
bdrm shelves 1.jpg
bdrm shelves 2.jpg
book bench tbr.jpg
books front porch.jpg
books living room.jpg

I counted 2- 3 years ago and I had about 500 books, and that was after a massive culling. I probably need to do another cull again in the near future.

[Tybee]

This is very appealing, very orderly. I like the idea of counting mine again, have not done that in a while, and culling down to a particular number. Off to count.

[happystuff]

I have been steadily culling mine, but dh has not. He has a stack on the floor right now that he is supposed to be "dealing" with (last month or more!). He is going to have some really thinking to do once we find a place to downsize!!!

[Tybee]

Just did my cookbook shelf with the Kondo method and let go of five cookbooks. I want to select a number and get down to that. But it's hard to let go because of associations--memory plus possibilities, I think that's my issue. Now to pick a number and get the collection down to that.

ETA: Got rid of a few more, realized I did not have one I used to have and wanted, so ordered a new one of the old one, and now will have 28, probably want to get down to 25 which is a nice round number. Am down to them all fitting on one shelf again.

[iris lilies]

Just did my cookbook shelf with the Kondo method and let go of five cookbooks. I want to select a number and get down to that. But it's hard to let go because of associations--memory plus possibilities, I think that's my issue. Now to pick a number and get the collection down to that.

ETA: Got rid of a few more, realized I did not have one I used to have and wanted, so ordered a new one of the old one, and now will have 28, probably want to get down to 25 which is a nice round number. Am down to them all fitting on one shelf again.

Surprisingly, I actually ADDED a cookbook last week called “Six Spices: a Simple Concept of Indian cooking “and I think it’s the one I got from the library years ago.

I wanted something that was very, very basic. Only two cookbooks and both of them are Indian cookery.