The Secret to Decluttering Books
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- čas přidán 2. 06. 2024
- Today let's talk about decluttering books, magazines and board games! These can be TOUGH to simplify, but with a few guidelines we'll get through!
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My father-in-law said, “A book is not fulfilling its purpose if its not being read .” It has made giving books away and allowing someone else to discover its adventures and insights so much easier.
Excellent way of looking at it
Very wise man, your father-in-law.
I love that!
@Shari where to donate??
@@phyllisfantauzzo4703 My husband went to Sloan Cancer Center in NYC, for cancer treatment, for years. I found a book once that had a note in it that said "Please enjoy this book & pass it on when you're done" I started doing the same thing myself, with books & magazines too. It would always make me so happy when I would go in & see someone reading the book I had left. Sometimes more than one person, so I'm glad that they did pass it on.
Mini-stories about decluttering books.1. I am a school librarian and I often tell students I have to weed and give away books because if I don't we can't get new ones. I only have so much space to keep book inventory. 2. One of my book club members couldn't buy new books to read because her upstairs rooms were so full of books already. It made me sad that she couldn't read new books and that no one was reading her old books. 3. A consultant was getting ready to fly home and he asked if I wanted the paperback book he had just finished reading so he didn't have to pack it. Yes, I said and it was the first Grisham book I ever read! 4. When we cleaned out my Dad's home there were books in the basement we had to throw away because they smelled and were mildewy. Wouldn't it have been better to give them away when they were new and someone could read them? I only have a couple of book cases in my house and I try to give away books when I finish reading them so others can enjoy them too.
That's a very good point. I had around 100 books accumulated from my middle school to college years. I kept about 15. The rest were donated to two different public libraries.
If we're not going back to the books then I agree that we're better off getting them to somone who needs or wants them.
I've decided that instead of buying books, I'll get a library card and read from there. If I adore a book, I'll buy my own copy. If not, I can enjoy the experience without spending money or cluttering my house again. 🙂
I changed my philosophy on books many years ago. I decided that I loved the library for my books-they store them, dust them, heat and cool them for me. And I can get them when I want them. What could be better?
During the lockdown my books literally saved me! The library was closed. I read to escape the doom and gloom surrounding our lives. Television was limited to 15 minutes max. I will always keep my old friends(books) close by.
My books saved me too!! They continue to” be there” for me when I want to read which is often. Books and magazines are full of great information!!
My Kindle was a life saver. We were able to check out digital books.
Yeah after being on lockdown I’m hesitant to get rid of books that could be useful again
Yes! So much this. I'm so much less likely to declutter books post pandemic.
15 minutes max? That's like ordering a child to shut the book 1/4 of the way into a chapter!
I am SO SO glad I saved my children's favorites for when they became parents. Now they look back on them with their children and it's a double win. Some things should be saved!!
I agree. I have my favourite books when I was little. 2-3 and american doll collection
Few specail barbies. I kept my daughters favourites.
yes to this! it's not a problem if it's "some things" and not "all things" that are saved. 🤣
Also very important to do..... i know they are 'passed' books after reading them so many times, but i should uave thought of this too!
I save excellent books for our library, books I know we will love, and that our important for children's and grandchildren's cultural literacy.
YaY 🥳
Reading 📖 was passed down in my family and literacy is fast becoming lost in the age of technology. Cherished books are Precious ❤️🙏
This was the key for me to declutter books: I put books into two categories - Books I read and liked but would not read again and Books I read and loved and would read again. I was able to donate 150 books using these two categories. I was even able to donate a bookcase too.
@librarynan4610 - Where did you donate your books?
@@thlp6872 We have a local non-profit that has a used bookstore and the proceeds go to adult literacy. Find a non-profit thrift store that supports a good cause.
My BIGGEST fear in decluttering books is all the censorship and cancelling happening in our society. I have a box of books that are or will likely end up being considered banned so my potential grand children can learn actual history and have quality literature in the future. It actually makes me nervous.
Yes! I totally agree and will keep as many as reasonable to me. I want my own library!
Definitely keep them!
SAME! I was decluttering and planning to purge books when all this sensoring started. I ended up buying more books because of it.
That is a very valid concern
You do realize a lot of books taught in old days are lies like Christopher Columbus.
I have been watching your video a couple of years and my son has learned along side of me about declutter and organizing. During this video he said "I was thinking about using the container method for my books mom." :) He is 5 and so adorable. He melts my heart. Thanks for all of your help and encouragement Dawn you have impacted my whole family.
Corrine, I love this!!
Oh how sweet❤ 5! & saying that! That will make my boys smile too😀
This is so awesome! I can’t believe how much my kids have enjoyed this process of minimizing. They are constantly bringing me stuff to give away now that they aren’t using without me asking.
That is adorable 🥰. My daughter is 6 and she is a huge fan of Dawn, she loves the 5 minutes decluttering strategy 👍😻
If only you knew someone who could put some doors on that shelf to hide everything 😉 xx
😂🤣
Wow! The above statement was not even posted on this page. It won't erase or keep an edit. I can't get rid of it. Strange!
Her organizing clutter bug style likes things in the open but organized. I think the lady bug likes things hidden. Everyone’s style is a bit different
"You don't need a ton of games to be a family that loves playing games."
You're on fire in this video! Hitting home some great points.
Over the years I have reduced my 200 or so books down to 30-something. 50 is the maximum acceptable number in my head, and the bookcase is the container.
We have old red phone boxes in the UK that are being reused as either community defibrillators or little libraries which is really cute to drop off books and see what's there.
That's so cool! - an American
We have one in our town that is used as a seed swap location 🌱
There’s little free library book stations in the US too.
I’m in the USA and I have a little free library on my property. It brings me so much joy 😊❤️😊
I live in Florida and there are a few free little libraries in my area.
Organizing is an ever evolving task. Each time we organize, we are in a different season, and our space and family function differently, thus our space does, too.
Pre-mum: I'm a total cricket
Mum Life: I'm a ladybug now, but my husband and our boy are butterflies 🥴
Any other clutterbug changers out there? 😂
@@hannahpaul1988 I really did the exact same evolution as you!
@@hannahpaul1988 yes! And when I spend any time away from my kids I go back to my old style!
So True !
We go through different seasons
in life too, our tastes, priorities and interests change
I found that watching CZcams hauls caused me want to go buy that cool thing that they got. I don’t watch those anymore!😊
As a former homeschooler of 27 years, I found that having good science, history, biography, art, etc books around made it easy for my kids to follow their interests. It helped to cultivate a love of learning which was one of our objectives. They learned as much on their own as they did from curriculum.
How did you declutter books after you retired from homeschooling?
I have over 3000 books and it's the one area of the home that I don't want to declutter harshly. Everything is organized extremely well (and catalogued!) and I'm relatively happy with them as they are. I do go through once every six months or so and attempt a minor declutter, but there are usually no more that a handful that go each time.
A like-minded soul.
I'm with you
As Dawn says, "You do you." Keep your books if they're your thing.
The whole point of decluttering is to find what it is that you are willing to manage. It will be different for everyone - for me, it is all in my sewing room. You hold close that which makes you happy!!
If you are happy with them the way they are then they aren't a problem. Leave them be.
I am on a mission to declutter as much of the house as possible before school starts, and the mantra running through my head is, "How much inventory do you really want to manage?"
Thanks, Dawn!
Almost every book you talked about getting rid of, I was like “I want that book!” 🤣
Agree… especially the apologetics study Bible!
I have never been overwhelmed by the number of books I had (probably numbering in the high hundreds) until I had to pack to move after living in the same house for 42 years. THEN, I was actually shocked at how many books I had.
Same here! How can one person accumulate so many books?! LOL I have cut back the number I had and I don't miss the ones I gave away to parents that home school. Who by the way pass the books around to other home schooling parents.
@@katherinerichardson1767, when we were packing, every time I pulled another stack of books out of somewhere to sort, my husband would ask, "More books? Where did THOSE come from?" We had them EVERYWHERE. And that was after a huge purge about four years ago when we first started talking about moving. I lost track of how many we donated to Goodwill and other places. Probably enough for a whole library. 😂😂😂
During lockdown I sorted my book collection and realised I have nearly 2000 books 😱 but fortunately I live alone in a 3 bedroom house so I have space and I am an addict 😅 I also do not have a library etc nearby so I had to make my own. It's my one area of weakness, I am going more minimalistic in all other areas 😅
@@michellekemp9453 , you live in a library! I did, too, until I moved. Also I now carry my library on my iPad. Over 1100 in Nook, Audible, and Kindle. Didn’t count how many on Kobo and iBooks. Maybe 200-300 hard copies in my house. 😱😱😱
@@lkreinmiller-author To be honest, I have about 5000 ebooks as well 😅😅 I did actually volunteer in a library as a teen so I completely agree (and love) that my house is actually just a library with a bed in it 😅😅
And … I had a stack of magazines on decorating … so I was having a yard sale and I took a stack and wrapped in twine marked …. FREE!
You should have seen the young wife with her husband reaction when she found them and saw FREE! So happy was she! This was almost 20 years ago and I still can remember her happiness at finding these books! 😂😂❣️
Books can be someone’s teddy bear type comfort.
Completely agree! I think that is one reason it makes decluttering them so hard. My Nancy Drew books from childhood are among my favorites and I do reread them!😄
Sounds like my daughter, now a Preschool teacher! I actually grounded her OFF books more than once (we homeschooled), because she was always reading. But she also rereads (I rarely do) and rewatches videos, based on how a particular book/movie makes her FEEL.
I knew books were identity clutter, but the FOMO of it all is a total revelation and right on point! Thank you Dawn for being so stinking useful all the time! ❤️
Tiffany Houston ° Right?!! 😁
I never considered putting the books back on my shelf in the order of my favorites. I love that tip!! It makes it so clear which ones can go. I’m quite sure I learn something new from you each week. Thank you, Dawn!!
yes, such a great tip! 👏
I couldn't. I would spend a week agonizing over order, lol. Some tips are great for some people, and poo for others.
I have a VERY hard time with books! Last year I took a hard look at how much space the books were taking up in my home and ended up donating 4 large totes full. I still have more I know I could declutter but I'm chipping away at them as my decluttering confidence builds - all thanks to you 😊❤
Maybe think about as sharing the ideas and stories with the world, it's a waste to keep them unread and unloved with you. I like to sell them to used books stores, I feel the kind of people that would appreciate it more (probably) would seek that kind of stores. I don't know, it's like finding a good home for puppies 🤭
It may take time, but you will get through them and find you have an even more special collection. Good luck!
Where do you donate them??
@@tinab758 I have been known to do the book depository at the library! (Night drops are best!🤣🤣🤣🤣)!! Then, I let them decide if they could use it, or add it to their book sale. ☺️
@@renanims6630 thanks. My library will take "newer" books but I have a lot of text books that no one will take. I won't just put them in the trash. If i recycle them i have to remove all the hard covers as can only recycle the paper. Nightmare!!
One of my goals in life is to have a home library. I love books and the illustrations. Nothing like a good book!!
I feel the same and have 10 bookcases that I limit myself too. Minimalizing other aspects of my life makes room for the books
I recommend "Where the Crawdads Sing"
I have enough books for a library, but in serious need of organisation!!
Books are hard for me because they are sentimental... Like I really loved it and it made me think on a new way or helped with something I was going through...I really identified with a character... So I feel like not keeping that book makes me not a fan. But I can love a book or author without keeping each one they write. My identity as a book lover isn't measured by how my house is full of books. Also, if I could check out out at the library, I decluttered. If I won't read it again, I decluttered. It was hard but I went from 3 rooms of books to 1 room and 4 shelves.
I decluttered a load because I thought I could always borrow from the library - and then Covid closed our library for over a year...I've learned the hard way not to declutter books too much as I really missed some of them this year, not being able to borrow them!
Exactly. I 100% understand. . We are still ourselves without all the books. Keep the really special ones.
I read every day but I haven’t bought a physical book in years. Ebook are the way to go.
I have homeschooled my children for 10 years now. The curriculum is ever changing and evolving. My spine is usually a solid history curriculum with good literature to accompany it. I’m grateful for co op teachers who teach the subjects I don’t love enjoy as much, like science, writing, etc.
I homeschooled for 9 years and EVERY year the curriculum looked different at the start than at the end 😂 Life of an eclectic homeschooler 😁
Yep!
Wow, the comment you made about the home improvement magazines making you feel like you needed to make your house better really resonated with me. A good reminder to appreciate what I already have. I love a good home improvement project but we need to balance those with down time where we relax and appreciate what we have.
I love how upbeat and positive you are. Last week I went through the game closet and shelves in my family room based on your video of last week. It was quick. But books... you're right, they're tricky. Every character is my friend and every story is now my story. Books and sneakers are where I allow myself grace and keep them all.
I think there’s always room for what you value! :-)
Exactly. Perfectly said.
I decluttered my 100+ books a few years ago in anticipation of moving. I sold the better ones online and sold the rest to a used book store. I had had some of them for 30-40 years, but it got easier as I chipped away at them -- and I hope it will for you, too. I don't miss single one. I only kept 2 nonfiction books and 3 fiction novels that I reread every few years. It feels GREAT!
Where did you sell them online? I have a hard time recouping any money. Even our local used store doesn't always buy books.
Well done! That must feel amazing
Awesome job!!
@@jodimurphy8440 You can sell books on eBay or Amazon. Whenever I'm getting rid of a book I search for it on eBay to see if I should try selling it there or go ahead and donate it. Many, many books are listed for $3-4 with free shipping. I donate those. Occasionally I find one that's worth $20 or more. To me that's worth a try.
@@lydia8965 Thanks for the info! I used to have good success on Amazon years ago, but I don't know how/why people list them so low on there now.
A good friend once told me that if it's hard to let go of something out of nostalgia, take a photo of it so you "keep it" while letting it go. And that made so much sense to me. And when it comes to board games, I feel there is so much waste when it comes to the boxes and inserts that TODAY, I'm ziplock bagging all our games because I realize how stressed I've been trying to find a true home for them in our home, because the boxes are NEVER the same size. As always, thank you for this very helpful video!
I do that with the games too when we travel. The boxes take up so much space. In our home I do leave them in their boxes. What really works well for our family is putting the games upright (like clothing by KonMari!) in a big beautiful looking soft bin. We have two of those bins with the boardgames and a drawer for the cards and dice. The kids like them and I’ve taught them to put the games back after using them
The bit about books being 'dear friends' really resonated, thank you! I also have the category 'respected colleagues' for people's studies and interests. Anything that can't fit in those two categories is eventually leaving, after a reasonable period to prove itself.
In the town I live in in Iowa, we have little libraries I take our books we don't want to the little libraries. Then its also fun to see what other books were put in those little libraries.
We have those in Ohio, too.
And in Wisconsin
And even in Kansas. 🤣
And Queensland in Australia
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Since I bought my Kindle, I almost have no books… just my Bible and some I really love to read again sometimes… I’m a doctor and used to buy many books… but in fact, all the med books are available for Kindle and what we doctors read most are papers… medicine changes very fast and nowadays we find everything on internet… thanks, Kindle and internet! Thank you, Dawn! You’re an inspiration! Love from Brazil 😘❤️🌹
Did you donate or sell; where to donate? I’ve med & nursing books probably outdated.
I decluttered my books 2 years ago... I don't miss them!!
I love books so much, but they’re definitely one of the biggest items on my silent to do list! They whisper: Read me! You bought me, so you have to read me! Come to think of it…my books sound like my mother when I was a kid! 😆😆
I still have a LOT of books, but one thing which helped me was figuring out how many hours of reading I had at 3 hours per paperback. There was no need to keep anything I might possibly want to read again - I have a few weeks of books which I really love to reread that I'd go for first. In the unlikely event that I somehow have time to do nothing but read for weeks with two small children, while our internet is broken.
We have 100x as many books as your family and you’re so wise to point out how we identify ourselves through our possessions. (I will say that having lots of books for ourselves and our children has definitely given them a love of books!) We have too many but we do keep them contained to the shelves we have and besides a couple house plants, they’re our only home decor! ☺️
I feel the exact same way about magazines!!! I have felt stress seeing the stacks I had accumulated “thinking” I would read them. I agree that I also feel discontent with our home when I read through magazines….we have a “small home with a big heart” and that makes us happy ❤️
I had the same thought and so I take one magazine off my stack and sit in the living room flipping through it, if there is a headline that I think, "oh, I should read that" I tear the page out and continue flipping. I get through and then have a small stack of things to read and I recycle the magazine. The full book may be overwhelming and so I like that these are easy to pull apart... Plus most of the book is advertisements for things we don't need and so it's nice to feel less overwhelmed when you physically only have what you want to read out of the full book.
I was helping my mom declutter her basement and her books. She told me a story about how she checked out an organizing book from the library and the book inspired her to go and declutter her books. She went to go declutter and found an identical book to the one she had checked out from the library 🙈 oh my goodness how ironic!
My 6 year old (who doesn’t understand the concept of CZcams/vlogging, etc): “wow, she talks as much as I do!”
Thanks for the tips!
I think your theory on Magazines making you feel incomplete somehow also applies to self help books, weight loss books, etc. When we moved I got rid of every book/magazine that I could get on Kindle or that I could look up the info online and I only kept a very small amount. I found right away that I felt more content with myself when Suzanne Sommers wasn't staring back at me from my bookshelf, haha.
I think maybe it was something you said in a video that helped me declutter books, it was along the lines of realising there was always going to be a better book to read or another more desirable way to spend my time than on that particular thing, that helped me to easilly let go of many, many books that were great books, but that I was never going to get to.
I just took 4 big stacks of books to goodwill the other day. Most of my sewing related reference books and some of my history books tend to be permanent residents. Any of my paperback novels i pass on to friends as soon as i finish them.
Have always been & still am a book lover/saver with full shelves. However! Since watching your videos & adopting many of your super ideas and insights, I’m spoiled by the serenity of becoming minimized & decluttering. Am a volunteer at our small local library, its wonderful to have begun letting books go & sharing them with others! Think it contributes to not feeling any guilt at sending them on to a new life. At this point in life find can’t even let a few dishes go unwashed in the sink before bed. Sometimes mutter its Dawn’s influence why they have to be washed, now! Then I laugh because I honestly & truly LOVE this new way to live. Only problem now is trying to get the rest of the rooms in the house as peaceful as the bathroom, bedroom & kitchen. Rest of the house is so out of control, taken years to get in this mess. Know I must be patient, but patience has never been my strong suit. Thank you for your smile & encouragement. If I’m having a rough day, you’re now my go to, even if I’ve already seen the video. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
👍😊
Just a suggestion...We used the Sonlight Curriculum when I homeschooled. You can get one curriculum but adjust it at the same time to the different grade levels. I got most of the reading books from our local library & went online for extra activities. We mummified a chicken & made a replica of the Nile in a wading pool when we studied Ancient Egypt, etc. Your oldest daughter could plan an end of module meal for each era you study. Your sons would love making mall chain armour, etc., etc. So many ideas that reinforce the learning while having fun too!
Books are amazing, they are history. Educational, mind stretching and should always be respected and loved. Shared in the proper manner.
THANK YOU for watching!! You can find the Mega Motivation Playlist here: cli.re/Decluttering-Books-and-MORE We hope you have a great day!!
@the minimal mom this comment isn't pinned to the top. 😉
I wish you could do advance promotion when you put one of these together and maybe a separate vid (no message other than a graphics card to show the link is below) because finding the link again is sometimes frustrating. Thanks for all you do Dawn!!
Did you see my comment on your last video? Hopefully you connect and this can help you on your journey. If you don’t want to look for it. I had mentioned a channel called Now I am known. It is a man who fosters and has adopted as well. I just thought it might be a great connection for support and help with the process and through the journey, He is in the states. Although I know from somewhere else in case you hear the accent there. His son snd he gave done some amazing things. Great family. I know there was a community post recently from the channel that made me think of you and then I saw a new video pop up from you.
Do we get a list of Dawn's life- changing books?? :)
I think the reason I enjoy your videos so much, Dawn, is because you say out loud all the things I’ve thought, and felt, about my possessions. I thought I was the only one those feelings of guilt. I will hang on to a magazine, or newspaper article, because I should read it. The problem is that I don’t read it, and I feel guilty every time I see it. You’re right about all the reasons we keep things, and I think you’re right about feeling so much better when we get rid of those things. Thanks for all the great advice.
You say "I love you" in such a joyful, light way ... I look forward to hearing this ''little delight full 'bell'" at the end of each chat with you ... living by myself and enjoying your uplifting videos ... over coffee ... I feel loved and that I have just started my day with a girlfriend ... even though you are twenty-something and I am seventy-something, never had children but still enjoyed hearing about your home-schooling ... friendship is friendship ... keep up this meaningful work ... loving it all !! love from here xo
We have a neighborhood mini-library on the sidewalk - a cabinet for sharing and borrowing books. And I’ve take. All my business and professional development books that I’ve already read to my office at the university where I work and created a lending library for my office and student teams. Brings value to books that might otherwise be collecting dust and we love sharing!
I'm a ladybug! I like visual simplicity. Our large book collection does not bother me. I am a former story time teacher and my husband is a librarian. We use the container method. We are very good at donating books to the school and public library when we are finished. Our local library has a magazine trading table in their library, which I love.
My son woke me up at 6 am today to declutter his books 😅😅 It was the first time he showed interest so I had to get up to do it lol (we got some new book organizers from dollar tree and he couldn't wait to use them
What kind of book organizers?
I want to know what kind if book organizers you are talking about too please 😁.
@@karenhalk7542 Hey! I can't post a photo. I think they are called Magazine Holders. They aren't the best system but he requested them to organize his books. I wanted to encourage any interest he shows in organizing so I bought them lol
@@jujube2407 Hey! I can't post a photo. I think they are called Magazine Holders. They aren't the best system but he requested them to organize his books. I wanted to encourage any interest he shows in organizing so I bought them lol
@@livingmooresimply1750 ahhh ok! The plastic "cereal box" shape cut on a diagnol! I know what your speak of...we have way to many books for those... even with donating some...gotta go thru them again with my crew
I had the same feeling about magazines! I stopped all my subscriptions and really don’t miss that feeling of being sub par to all those amazing ideas/projects. Thanks for all the very useful information.
I'm starting my 18th year of homeschooling. I've always used a mish mash of curriculum and adjusted as needed throughout the year! Also my grandparents played Rummikub together every night for decades - said it kept them "sharp."
I used to have a lot of books. When I decided to de-clutter my books, I painstakingly went through all of the books from one bookcase, checking to see if these books were available in the library. Any book that was available in the library, I donated. I kept a list of these books. I have not checked the list in the last year, and I have definitely not missed the books. What I really enjoy is the extra space that I have in my house without that bookcase of books. Many thanks for another great video!!
Pointing out that books are often an identity issue was so insightful for me! So helpful - as usual. Thank you, Dawn!
Dawn, what you said about magazine's just clicked for me! I have made the choice not to purchase them anymore either. Like you, they made my house, self, wardrobe, looks, etc. feel insufficient. I am so much happier without them! THANK YOU!
I like the idea of having a library basket! I'm going to have to do that. Thanks for letting me be a part of this collab!
I read so much more when I just have one book at a time to go to.
I used to have shelves and shelves of books because I identified as a reader and wanted other people to see me as one as well. It looked messy and made me feel guilty and pressured about the books I hadn't read.
I've gradually, over 6 years, gotten to the point where I now only have library books, and I've found that works best for me!
A library basket/bin! Why have I never thought of that? Brilliant!
Dawn, what about a flat curtain that splits in the middle? I have made curtains for book and supply shelves before and it works great to visually simplify.❤️
We have an open lower shelf in the kitchen that has a curtain across the front. I installed a screw-in eye at each end to hold a thin curtain rod, then added clip-on rings to a colorful tablecloth that is simply folded to the right length. Easy access to my storage canisters, but the clutter is out of sight behind a beautiful design that makes me happy to look at. I do love how you organized your curriculum, especially the boxes. Have a great school year with your kiddos!
I have an open bookcase I use as a pantry. To hide the contents I put a short curtain the length of the bookcase on the front held up with a tension rod. This has worked really well of it hides the contents but helps it look neater in it's spot. Maybe this would help your open bookcase until doors can be added.
I can totally relate with the whole books being a huge part of identity. A couple weeks ago, I got rid of the last couple stacks of books from when I got my masters in counseling (I’m currently not practicing) and that was for sure difficult. On the bright side, I got $70 for the books that I hadn’t looked at or read in over a year AND I got the shelf space back :)
I just purged my graduate books. Was so hard.
Thats great!👍🏻 & a good encouragement thanks
For those of us with professional books as counseling, nursing etc., what suggestions for where to donate? Public library probably not of interest to gen public. Colleges see these as outdated.
@@psymompa where did your books end up?
@@MercyUS Half-price books for those that I could get some money and goodwill for the rest.
When my son was about 6, if he woke up during the night, he'd get out of bed & get his math book off the shelf. He'd do a lesson or 2 on his own, and then go back to bed. lol. I'm not sure what your homeschooling requirements are in your state, but in PA we had to do a portfolio and get an evaluation to turn into the district after the end of the school year. I believe the portfolio requirement has since changed, but it was like a scrapbook so I didn't mind doing it :) But I was thinking that giving each child a notebook with their tasks for the day will make it easy to prove what they've accomplished if you need to turn that into the district :)
My friends knew I was serious about decluttering because I decluttered my books. 🤣🤣 I LOVE MY BOOKS!! And I still love them but I really couldn’t buy another bookshelf, lol! The ones I kept are the ones most important to me and FIT my container.
Woohoo!! So excited to be part of this collab! You are the best Dawn. I'm giving intermittent fasting a try too! 💕
There's a podcast I'm listening to as I think about starting intermittent fasting called The Intermittent fasting podcast wherever you get your podcasts
@@kellistanford2604 anything by Gin Stephens is gold!
@@kellistanford2604 oh thx for the rec!!
@@carriepinkduck will check them out too thx!!
I love the idea of a library basket. My daughter got eight novels and my son got six readers the last time we went to the library. I need to find a way to keep them organized because they end up stacked up on the dining table.
Years ago I put a plastic bin on the dryer to catch the library books. We pass through the laundry room to get to the garage so it is very convenient to grab the books on the way out. It was a game changer! We could have up to 100 items out of the library at one time and having everyone know where the books needed to be was SO helpful.😊
When my daughter's were little, we used to have three library baskets. One for church library, one for school library, and one for city library! Our baskets were near the door in the entry.
oh good! We can be friends! I love Rummikub - and it is great for camping as it doesn't blow away! Keep books you can't get back really quick. All the others can be "stored" in your "storage unit." (Note - Amazon/Target/Barnes and Noble/ is your storage unit!)
What are the books in your “life changing book closet”?
We just moved and all our homeschooling supplies came with! I homeschooled last year so my kids wouldn't have to be subjected to e-learning all day, and now plan to re enroll in public school. But, if the e-learning comes back around, I'm pulling them out again. So I have a huge quarantine pile! We try to minimize screen time so most of our materials are books/paper/pencil based curriculum and wow it takes up a lot of space!! Great video.
I remember it taking hours as a kid to organize a book shelf, because I kept reading the books. I still have a hard time letting go of books, especially ones I haven't read yet. Thank youf for the advise!
Thanks Dawn, I was just decluttering books but couldn't get rid of any. So I said let me go look up Dawn on decluttering books. Now Im ready! ❤
Wow! No magazines! I admire you Dawn. I don't hang on to old ones, but still, too many lying about the house!
When my kids were at home and we always had a ton of books to go back to the Library. We had a basket as well and a hook on front for the paper from library so we knew the date they had to be back .It also let us keep up with when we all were done and check list to make sure they were all there !
Your comments about magazines really resonate with me! Every. Single. Thing. I recently decluttered all mine and I feel so much lighter. I had some dating back to 2014! I realised that although I loved looking at home magazines for inspiration they made me feel bad about myself and my home because I was constantly comparing and coming up short.
Dawn, can you talk about decluttering items from your spiritual past? There are some items that have held value in the past, but I’m in an in-between phase, and am looking to the new.
She’s a Christian. There aren’t “items” that hold importance, unless we’re including the Bible in that. The Word is important and that NEVER gets decluttered.
We just burned approximately 300 magazines - many years worth that I thought I would for sure revisit for recipes or decor ideas. Sheesh! It feels SO GOOD to be done with that massive silent to-do list!!
How did you know that this morning I randomly started decluttering books I've held onto for almost ten years 😅 I read them as a senior in college and LOVE them, but I haven't read them since. Books on George Washington, George III, the American Revolution ... 🤩😭
I was glad to hear you plug libraries! They can hold a wealth of options even on the internet now, too. With covid, many libraries have opted to bring online more user content, including books, audio-books, magazines, and even movies/tv shows. Check out the newest offerings from your local library, or even a library from a neighboring town/city and see if they can hook you up with a card to use for their internet options.
The last time I decluttered books, I asked myself if each book was available at the library or as an ebook. If they were, I got rid of my copy. Some of them were available on Kindle for free. I kept 2 shelves of autographed books, most of them personalized to me, and a few other sentimental books.
As for magazines, I canceled all my subscriptions. I had years of quilting magazines. The first time we downsized, I kept about a dozen special ones and donated the rest to the ARC thrift store. I was able to take a substantial tax credit, since they were selling them for about $2 apiece.
In my experience, it's hard to sell books and magazines. Instead, I donate them to a cause I believe in. It's just as good as donating money and others can enjoy what I've passed on.
I love seeing your smiling face! I JUST went through our books and games. I probably need to get rid of a few more games cause they are a little crammed. The word you used was "comfortable" and I like that. Homeschooling is DEFINATELY trial and error and always adjusting. I'm a ladybug too and I'm so glad I am aware of that now!! It helps a ton. Thanks for sharing all that you do. You are such a help and inspiration to me. I'm not sure how I would be doing in this small house and homeschooling without YOU!! Thanks again and much love from Blackwell, MO
Definitely
Could you please do a video on how you homeschool while living minimally? I am really struggling in this department!!
I love these Decluttering Colabs! 😄
Such was a fabulous idea!!
Yeah... books are my sentimental item. I love them and have difficulty parting with them.
We keep books that will be/are read over and over. For a long time I rarely bought them for our kids because they zoomed through them and never picked them up a second time. Now we own series they love and reread often, but we could probably still stand to do a purge. My husband and I recently passed on some of our own. And we do keep a handful in our future-grandchildren bin with a few very favorite toys. 😅
Perfect timing! I had already been through my books a few months ago, but my bookcase wasn't looking as good as I wanted it to. Watching this I realized I kept an entire shelf of books by one author because they're my "favorites" BUT I never actually got around to re-reading them...for YEARS. It's funny how they made the "first cut", but now that you're helping me see things differently I realized I'd rather have more empty space than my image of myself having a collection of books by my favorite author. Thank you!
Same!
Dawn, you are right on target with these magazines. That’s exactly how I felt when I was holding on to them
Shelf looks so nice
I feel like there is some sort of stigma that we as adults should have shelves of books. But why? The day I donated all my books to the local library was such a huge relief. I still love and buy books, mostly ebooks or if it’s a real book I donate when I’m done. And I am the daughter of a librarian! We have only one shelf now of books for the kids and a few reference books for my husband and I.
I agree! I don't have to own a million books on a shelf to prove I am an avid reader! 😆
I no longer buy magazines for the same exact reasons. I don't keep a lot of books, but I had to pause your video so I could go get two books to donate. : )
I used to believe I couldn’t part with books. I’m an avid reader, books are precious, etc. until I really, deeply thought about it. Yes, I’m an avid reader and get loads of books from the Library but how many on the home bookshelves do I actually reread every year? The answer was 2. The rest I either had not read or had not reread in the past 5+ years. So, was I willing to stop borrowing new books from the Library until I read the unread books. Sure...oh wait, when I made a pact with myself to read the books I already owned first...it turns out my interest in what I owned was not higher than my interest to get different books from the Library. This was an eye opener. From that point on, I was able to declutter books. If it was a reread book, since I hadn’t reread them in over 5+ years, was I willing to commit to rereading them within 6 months. Sure...until 6 months later and I’d only reread one and that was more of a skim than a true reread. I found if I truly wanted to reread something I would do it at least once a year. Out of the hundreds of books I donated, I repurchased one at a Library sale and it isn’t holding my interest like when I first owned it because I’ve already absorbed the knowledge.
I just had an epiphany after listening to your explanation about the stress that magazines can cause....this is basically what Pinterest does for me. I love browsing all the different ideas, but it feels like having 100 different tabs open in my brain with ideas/projects that I will never realistically have the time to complete. It's totally FOMA, a time suck & a source of discontentment for me in this season....so, I think it's time to just delete it. Thanks Dawn for your encouragement! :)
Rummikub is one of my family's favorite games and I married into a family that also loves Rummikub! In fact, my husband's grandma was unhappy with the colors of the tiles so wrote in to the company and they sent her a new game with different colored tiles! Also, they have changed the rules from time to time and my family played one way and my husband's played the other. We always have to clarify before a game whose rules we are following. ;-) We upgraded everyone last Christmas to the new version with the extra jokers. It is causing a lot of talk in our family about how to play with those new jokers! So fun!!!
Ha ha! At first I thought this was going to be about the secrets you found in books written about decluttering! Which of course you have already done for us ! Thank you for sharing what you have learned from others about decluttering ! I’ve decluttered for years… but definitely feel my game has stepped up since finding your channel ❤️
The notebook is a great idea! My child goes to school but wanted to keep him on track this summer. This will be easier to track his progress. Thanks for sharing!
Perfect timing!! Thank you!