I have been working with a client to encourage her  to let go of some of her hundreds of books. The walking area between many of her stacked books on the living room floor is only about 16 inches wide. This is a safety hazard, as pathways should have a minimum width of 36″ throughout the home.

Are you someone who loves books, collects them, and keeps purchasing more?  Have you run out of space on your bookshelves?  Have you let them spill over onto a table, chair, or the floor with similar narrow pathways between?

If you are this someone, ask yourself why you keep so many books. Maybe you think you might read them someday, or they portray the history of your life (how old you were, and where you were when you bought a certain book) so you think you need them to recall your past. But, are they really serving you?

Why not share your wealth and give some away! Set a little time aside as a first attempt, and sort through at least one shelf on your bookshelf, or one pile of books. If you bought it a while back and haven’t yet read it, maybe it’s time to let it go. Fill a box with the books you no longer want/need and share the joy of reading by donating them to your favorite charity. Keep only books you really love. And, I don’t mean keeping 95 out of 100 books. Schedule half an hour once or twice each week to continue sorting and purging your books.

If you live in the greater Boston area, I recommend you donate your books to  ‘More Than Words’, a Waltham, MA based organization that empowers youth who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. Youth ages 16-21 work as a team to manage their online and retail bookstore and café as they gain skills and accountability while receiving intensive support to map plans for their future. Contact information: http://MTWyouth.org/       781-788-0035

To schedule a complimentary 1/2 hour telephone consultation, contact Judy at [email protected]

 

Tags: books, too many books, donate books, get organized, give books away, more than words, professional organizer, declutter