Sandi Shilhanek | Why Can't I Dejunk My TBR Pile?
Sandi Shilhanek September 20, 2009
This weekend the weather has finally cooled in my neck of the woods. It’s the
first day in a little over a
week without rain, and why I did have an appointment on Saturday afternoon I
really had nothing
planned. I decided it was a good time to get a start on cleaning and dejunking
my home, so that my
husband could begin his annual decorating for Halloween.
In this vein I was able to make several bags of garbage, and to sort my dresser
and make not one, but
three bags of clothing I haven’t worn in forever for the charity coming next
week. I also managed to
guilt my husband into making two bags of various items from his stash of
treasures. When my
youngest came home from bowling I attempted to guilt him into sorting and
dejunking as well, but thus
far little success there, and my oldest is hopeless, but he wasn’t home this
weekend to guilt. So it appears I was successful at being ruthless with my clothing, which leads
to the question why can’t
I be so ruthless with my TBR pile? I attempt it, and read the blurbs and think
I really do want to read
this, so back onto the shelf or into the storage bin it goes. Why can’t it go
into the trade/sell/giveaway
pile? How about you? Can you go through your closets and assorted treasures and
ruthlessly give items to
charity or loved ones, but have trouble letting loose of the book you’ll never
read? If you can weed the
pile how do you decide? How often do you attempt to weed? How often are you
successful?
Here's a picture of the living room pictures before Mike gets to decorating!
Watch this space next week for some pictures of the transformation from what I
consider a normal
home, to what my husband considers a normal home. Until then happy page turning! Sandi Shilhanek
DFW Tea
Readers Readers 'n 'ritas... celebrating literary obsessions Comment and win a bundle of signed books from Fresh Fiction!
Comments
46 comments posted.
Re: Sandi Shilhanek | Why Can't I Dejunk My TBR Pile?
Thank you for your post, Sandi.
I've got whole boxes of books accumulated through the years---mostly remainders and books from yard sales, rummage sales, library sales, and second-hand stores. In almost each case I read a few chapters and couldn't get into it. Only about one-tenth are in the box of books I intend to trade or give away.
And I'm loathe to part with those. I keep wondering if someday my tastes will change and I'll want to read them.
I should know better. The best course is to sell or give them away so that readers who want to read them can do so and enjoy them. (Mary Anne Landers 1:49am September 20, 2009)
I can never part with a book unless it's a double. Then I don't mind giving them to friends who I know will appreciate them. I have thousands of books here at home. My dear husband built me a lot of book shelves for them, the darling!!! (Valerie Bongards 5:13am September 20, 2009)
Just in the past year I've started giving my books (that have been read) to my daughter. I tell her to pass them on to her friends - I don't want them back. I do keep a shelf or two for "keepers" but I don't keep nearly as many as I used to. Now, my TBR shelves are another story. Right now I have FOUR shelves of TBR books. I keep reading but the shelves stay full. I think I need a support group :D (Mary Hundley 8:09am September 20, 2009)
I am loathe to part with books- until I had to move or add a fourth shelf to what was my tiny apartment. In my new house, I was able to hide my addiction until I filled a whole closet. I realized that with an exception to maybe five of those titles, I wasn't going to re-read so I started a "Have to Keep" bookcase and anything not on that bookcase did have to go. With my book group ladies and a once a year donation to my local library I don't feel so bad about getting rid of them. With my current budget I have found that my TBR pile has finally started to go down- with a TBR pile that was at least a couple of years old. So keep reading Sandi- there will come a time (even if it is many years later) that it will start to go down :) (Sara Edmonds 9:26am September 20, 2009)
I was actually able to part with some books to donate to the humane society garage sale. I went to the sale and bought books (probably some of my own) Oh well at least I tried to weed out books for a good cause. (Theresa Buckholtz 11:10am September 20, 2009)
What a great post. Yes when it comes to other things, I have no problem giving them away but books are another issue.
I hold on to books that I haven't read yet and maybe that is why they are all over the places.
I don't know if I wil ever get by tbr shelf under control but I hope to try. (Cheryl Koch 11:11am September 20, 2009)
No way can I dejunk my books. Books are friends LOL. You cannot have too many. (Ellen Christian 11:13am September 20, 2009)
Sandi--Another good question. Like you I am able to get tough with clothes and household items but the books are another story. I do donate a bag of books now and then for the library sale but they are books I have read. Mostly I hold onto unread books and my keepers. I am planning to start weeding in the tbr though. Just don't know when. (Mary Perry 11:38am September 20, 2009)
Yep I have trouble with de-junking my TBR pile. I love my books and I hate to get rid of them. I even keep books I have read. I have boxes of books everywhere. Attic, bedroom you name it I have them. I am an addic (Gail Hurt 12:37pm September 20, 2009)
I can honestly say alot of the books I have in my TBR, I have not read because I constanty buy. I do go in the pile and try and read the books so I can do the trade/sell/donate piles. (Ronica Rainge 12:41pm September 20, 2009)
De-junk my house??? Ummmm, Okay, confession, I am the world's worse housekeeper.... I hate cleaning house..... I lose interest really fast. But if I run across a book that has been there a couple times that I have gone through it, then they go to be swapped out. Oppps. I guess my reading is the only orginized thing,in my life.... so I try to keep it orginized. (Melissa Tackett 12:52pm September 20, 2009)
I can dejunk my home but not my TBR pile. Those I am not thrilled with I still have to peruse the pages before selling them. (Armenia Fox 12:54pm September 20, 2009)
I can't dejunk all at once. Too daunting...even if it's just old clothes. Lately, I've noticed that when I open a cupboard or a closet or move a book on one of the many TBR piles I have, if I take even ONE thing away to give away...I feel successful. In this vein, I've managed to free up a section in my closet (yay!)and I've taken a bag of books into work for the readers I work with.
It's all about the baby steps...heh (Cindy Ferrell 12:56pm September 20, 2009)
I really need to declutter my home. I've started with old clothes and have 3 garbage bags full. I tried with my TBR and have a few boxes but something keeps holding me back from getting rid of them. Someone else mentioned that they think their reading tastes will change so they hold onto books, that's me too. I've got tons of brand new books why I bought I don't know, but I'm loathe to get rid of them cause I think "well maybe someday this plot will interest me". I've been watching the shows on tv about hoarders and decluttering and I know I need to get on the band wagon but I just hate getting rid of things! (Shauna George 1:39pm September 20, 2009)
I have about(or what seems like)300 books in my TBR pile. I have a UBS that I use and I often think great I'll sort thru this and get rid of some. Except I rarely do decide to trade some of those in. (Joyce Mandle 1:50pm September 20, 2009)
I don't re-read so parting with books is not a problem for me and in some cases a necessity. I also tend to collect way more books that I can read so some sit on my shelf long enough that my reading interests change before I can get to them. Those are pretty easy to purge off the TBR. (Michelle K 2:07pm September 20, 2009)
My keeper and TBR shelves/piles are overflowing. Periodically, I make myself go through and re-evaluate what I will read and what I will keep. Then I donate them to the local library. It's not easy, though. (Cheryl Castings 2:34pm September 20, 2009)
When it comes to clothes or household objects I have no problem de bunking; books however are another story since I re read any book I have enjoyed; I do give away about 10 to 15 boxes of books I will no longer read about twice a year and same goes for clothes etc. about twice a year. Now getting the other members of the family to do so is another problem. (Diane Sadler 3:25pm September 20, 2009)
Me and my daughter have yard sales about twice a year. I am always going through my clothes and items I am ready to get rid of. I just can't seem to get rid of any of my books. I have many authors that I read. I keep them for sure, but when I get any other book and read it or have not read it yet, I still can't get rid of it. My husband has built all sorts of bookcases. I even have alot in boxes stored in my house. I think I have a phobia!!!:) (Judy Cox 3:26pm September 20, 2009)
I would love to winn the bundle of books from Fresh Fiction! Thank-you :) (Tamara Bennington 4:25pm September 20, 2009)
My 2 daughters and I went through their closets and old clothes that were torn or stained we threw out but we had 6 big bags full of clothes that were new and some like new no tears or stains we gave them all to a woman's shelter down town and we gave them a bunch of toys dolls they never played with too, they were so happy for them. It made us feel good too. Penney (Penney Wilfort 4:42pm September 20, 2009)
I have a hard time throwing away clothes I haven't worn in years. They're out of style, but I always think I'll wear them again someday. (Jane Cheung 4:46pm September 20, 2009)
My TBR pile is nothing compared to most people. I only have a small bookshelf with three shelves for my TBR. I try not to hoard books just to have them. I go through my shelf once a year.Most books are weeded out by shelf date. If a book has been sitting on my shelf for two years it goes. If I have tried reading it three times but fail it goes and if I look at it and wonder "what was I thinking?" when I bought it, it goes. Now ask me how hard it is to get rid of a book after I read it. Here is where you will find my shelves and shelves of books. I go through them from time to time but most of them are kept for a reason. Over the years I have gotten rid of keepers when I moved, but I vowed I would not do this again! (Sari Nichols 5:27pm September 20, 2009)
I have books everywhere in my house,I even put them in my children's rooms. I hate to give away books if I haven't read them. After I read them I sometimes don't want to part with them, but it is a little easier. I am glad that I am not the only one. (Patricia Cantrell 5:35pm September 20, 2009)
It's hard the closes I have come is joining a few swap sites and adding books even ones I know I have not read to the list so I can at least say I am attempting to get rid of them. I need to start a swap thing with my friends cause this is getting crazy at least this way I get something for what I give away but does this really solve the problem LOL (Desiree Dalton 5:56pm September 20, 2009)
I have such a hard time getting rid of books. The ones I'm wiling to part with I take to the used book store and I have to tell them that if they don't want any of them, they have to throw them away because I just can't do it. Sad I know. (Beatrice Chan 6:55pm September 20, 2009)
I can go through the clothes and house hold stuff and toss it with no problem. My books...well I like to share them. So..I sort of keep them...they're mine ..but they are never here it seems! :) (Jennifer Binford 7:36pm September 20, 2009)
I am jealous of all the commenters I just read. I am QUEEN of the packraters.Five yrs ago when my husband left my oldest daughter packed my house up and moved me into an apt. Moving me things had to be downsized and she did what I wasn't able to do for 25 yrs tossing what was not necessary. The clothing I hadn't worn since high school, books from that era also. So I just can't bear to eliminate my TBR piles even if in another 25 yrs I'm wall to wall books. (Susan Lathen 7:41pm September 20, 2009)
I've gotten tremendously better and dejunking than ever before, and here's my secret. A person in my book club lost her sister to domestic violence and a number of us made a committment to do something for a women's shelter in her name.
I have taken bag after bag of books to a central location which takes the books to the unrevealed site of the shelter. Secrecy is paramount to their safety, so I've never seen or met any of them, though I've been told at the weekly meetings when they are put out, they are snapped up.
It's easier to part with a good book knowing that it may help somebody get through a horrible time in their life. There's also hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, children's homes and more. (Janet Beckley 7:46pm September 20, 2009)
I can't get rid of any books that I haven't read. I have no problem after I read them. (Lisa Garrett 7:50pm September 20, 2009)
Thanks to all who commented! It's nice to know that I'm not alone in not being to dejunk my pile as much as I'd like! (Sandi Shilhanek 8:20pm September 20, 2009)
When I moved last year I managed to sort out some of my books & get rid of them both Keepers & TBR. Since then I haven't gotten rid of much! As it got closer to the actual "move" date I spent more time packing & less time sorting which means I need to get back to getting rid of things! My family tends to be packrats which means it is hard to get rid of things especially books. About once a year I try to go through my keepers with an attitude that I can get rid of some of them. The ones I decide to part with go to the library sale or if it is new enough maybe to the UBS. I rarely get rid of anything on the TBR bookshelf but there are some there that probably should go bye-bye! Glad to know others have a hard time getting rid of their books. (Donna McClure 8:40pm September 20, 2009)
I laughed when I read this post. It is the possibility that I may get a chance to catch up on my reading or that I may miss out on a really great read that keeps me from being able to weed out books from my tbr. (G. Bisbjerg 9:04pm September 20, 2009)
I don't know what it is with books, I just can't get rid of them! I have two piles actually: my TBR pile and my "keeper" pile. The "keeper" pile are those books I've read and enjoyed so much that I can't bear to part with them. The TBR pile is a different story altogether. I thought that this year with Harlequin's mini-challenges being a different line every month, that I would be decreasing my TBR pile at a rapid rate. But no, as fast as I read the books, I'm buying new ones! Alas, I think that I just have to have some with current dates as my TBR pile goes back several years. Also, I'm addicted to books. I can't explain it or rationalize it but, I've got to have books to read the way other people need fashionable clothes to wear. When I do part with my books however, I take them to my library so that they can sell them. I used to put them at the pool for others to read but someone started taking them and not bringing them back so I now take them to the library. Since this library started in a store-front almost 20 years ago with all-volunteer help and everything donated and, since I was one of those original volunteers, I have a special place in my heart for the library and don't mind donating my books to them. I think those of us who are truly addicted to books, are also savers of books. (Trudy Miner 9:11pm September 20, 2009)
I haven't dejunked my book piles or shelves but I guess I should one of these days. I keep thinking I will save them for when I am no longer able to get out and get around as I would like. (Joy Hoormann 9:12pm September 20, 2009)
Most of the things I get rid of are either books or clothes. For books I trade them online or take them to used book stores and for clothes I usually see if my younger sister or mom wants them and they usually do. (Jenny Ng 9:42pm September 20, 2009)
Well, I can say I clean out clothes twice a year (change of season is always a good time). And considering I do this with my girls clothes, its not so hard to add mine. Of course, I might not so much if I wasn't always buying something to add to my closet:)
Books, on the other hand, are a lot harder. I do give out stuff I have read (first to a coworker who doesn't keep them - she gives them back to me - and then to various friends, all of whom I tell to keep them). I do have my keepers. Now, if I could just read a little faster (yeah, right), my tbr might not be in the 1000+ range. Or if I could just stop buying them (sooooo not happening). I did get rid of some a few years ago that I hadn't read. They were at least 10 yrs or older (I sent then to Sadhbh, Sandi. I figured she might not have read them already! And you know they'd take her no time to go thru). My theory with books I haven't read is that they'll still be good 20 years from now, when I probably can't afford to buy any. Like watching a movie, its never really out of style! (Amanda Reeder-erdly 10:46pm September 20, 2009)
I've "de-junked" my TBR pile at least once and I'm glad I did too. I probably should do it again. Real soon. (Debbie Beverley 11:49pm September 20, 2009)
I did get rid of a bunch of books a couple years ago because my tastes had changed. I tried to reorganize/declutter a closet yesterday, but became so overwhelmed with the books in there that I just gave up!! Once I've read a book I can usually get rid of it, but lately the books I've been reading are from the library so that doesn't help much with my own personal stack!! I'm happy to see that there are LOTS of other people just like me!! Thanks Sandi for the question! (Carol Norton 12:52pm September 21, 2009)
I can't seem to get rid of a book unless I didn't like it. I'm a bit of a pack rat I'll admit. (Crystal Weems 2:20pm September 21, 2009)
I think the concept of weeding out my mountain of books is just plain impossible. (Jacqueline Lam 5:40pm September 21, 2009)
LOL! What an extra-great topic this week, Sandi!
Hi, Donna. Hi, Trudy.
I don't know about your dictionaries, but in mine, when I look up the word "packrat" they have my picture there. I don't think I could give a book away to save my life. On the other hand, I did just give my friend several boxes of books, because she is planning on adding a UBS section to her greenhouse. I talked myself into giving her these books by telling myself that she was only storing them for me, and any time I want I can go and get them back.
As far as purging my clothes closet. I buy so few new things that there's nothing to purge. I wear them till they fall apart, and then when there's nothing left of them to mend anymore, they get garbaged. (Donna Breitkreuz 7:06pm September 21, 2009)
Guess I should have added that any LI or LIS books I have will eventually make their way to our church library, in which case I can still go and read them if I want to. (Donna Breitkreuz 10:21am September 22, 2009)
I like to purge. I got into flylady a few years ago and still like their system, altho I don't do it exactly their way lol. Books that my dh doesn't want to keep get given away when we're both done with them. There are so many good new books to read that I just don't keep old ones. (Ilene Pedersen 3:14pm September 22, 2009)
I've found that long RVing trips are good for getting tbrs read and then I pass them on to my Mother. However, I want them back! I have a hard time getting rid of them unless I don't like the book or the series. (Sherry Moran 8:05pm September 23, 2009)
I give the large-print books to a senior center and the rest to friends or the library. (Rebecca Booth 3:54pm September 26, 2009)
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