Tidying Books: Understanding the Process
Many avid book collectors freeze at the idea of tidying their books, but this comes from misunderstanding why we evaluate our libraries in the first place. The ultimate goal is to create a collection of books you love, not getting rid of as many as you can. You may find yourself iterating on books until you get to a number that “feels right,” and that is ok! Many book lovers go through a progression with their collection.
After a recent breakthrough with a client, I wanted to highlight some of the philosophy behind tidying books – why we tidy books a certain way and tips to approach the selection process.
Need specific guidance on your tidying journey? Contact me to setup a free initial consultation!
Why We Remove All Books from the Shelf
Clients often push back when I mention taking every book off the shelf because they think they already know which ones they want to keep. However, this practice has several specific benefits:
Removing books transforms them from background dressing into actual objects, changing how you evaluate them.
Handling books one at a time can help you rediscover old favorites and provide a baseline for your desired collection.
Seeing all the books laid out helps you better understand the number of volumes you own.
For many, a bookshelf is where books – whether read before or not – sit to collect dust. The act of removing and “waking up” these books reestablishes them as actual objects rather than a part of the wall. When you place the books back on the shelf, they will gain new life and you will be able to appreciate them more. A shelf full of books you love and recognize becomes a regular reminder of what sparks joy, rather than a decorative block you rarely glance at.
Why We Hold Onto Books
When we hold onto a book that doesn’t bring us joy, several potential factors are at play.
The “Someday” Books
These are books that we bought intending to read someday, but for whatever reason have gone untouched for months or years. As you handle such volumes, really consider the likelihood you will read it going forward – does it fit with your current reading style? Does the idea of this book still excite you?
Some clients find it helpful to designate a “to read” shelf for the books in this category they intend to keep. Having a designated space for such books puts the sheer size of this category into perspective and provides a visual reminder the next time you consider a book to pick up. If they continue to sit unread though, let them go with gratitude.
The “Obligation” Books
These volumes are often related to “someday” books, but there’s a specific pressure to keep them. Books that were given as gifts can be particularly difficult to tidy. Remember that the purpose of a gift is to receive it. Even if the book never held interest, you can appreciate that someone thought of you when they bought the book. Express gratitude for that gesture and let such books go guilt-free.
Other obligatory books come in the form of coursework, such a college class or seminar. If you are still in these courses, it is important to hold onto the books. However, if the course has long passed, consider why you still own it. If you “might need it later,” ask yourself the likelihood you will ever need to reference it and when it was you last sought such information. Textbooks can quickly become outdated, mitigating the long term benefit of such volumes anyways.
An Example
I had a client with a large set of leather-bound collector’s books that took up half their shelf space. They initially expressed not planning to get rid of any of them, but we pulled them out for posterity. They mentioned that they were holding onto the set for when their young daughter came of age (a “someday book” reasoning).
I noticed that several of books were still in shrink wrap despite years of ownership. When I mentioned unwrapping them so that they could be read, the client rejected the idea on the basis it would ruin the collector’s value of the items. This presented a contradiction – they originally wanted to hold onto the books for their daughter, but there was this new element of collector’s value (i.e., the books may appreciate while in mint condition).
When prompted, they realized that the collector’s value was the main driving factor, and they weren’t even sure how much the set was worth these days. With that realization, they were able to look at the set differently and truly consider which volumes they (and possibly their daughter) would even want to read. In the end, they only kept the books in the collection they truly enjoyed, and managed to get some good resale value for the rest!
Interested in more client examples? Check out my Before & After Projects.
Iterating to Find the “Right Amount”
Books are a difficult category to get right the first time, particularly for a book lover. Of course the goal of tidying is to keep books that spark joy in your life, but part of this equation is finding the right number of books.
Tidying expert Marie Kondo herself went through an iteration process to finalize her ideal library size. In her book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” she discusses how her first attempt to trim books got to 100 volumes. She felt she could go further, so after one or two more iterations, she now keeps her bookcase to around 30 of her favorite volumes.
My own collection has gone through multiple iterations, and I reevaluate my bookshelf about once a year to reflect on what still brings me joy. Sometimes it surprises me – an old favorite now associated with a bad memory, realizing I’ve moved past a certain genre, self-help books that have served their purpose, etc. Going through my books does not take very long at this point, and it deepens my connection to my library.
As you finish going through your books, you’ll get an intuitive sense whether the number feels right. If the stack of books still feels like too much after a first pass, find a stricter parameter for tidying books. Which of your books give great joy versus moderate joy? For series - do you truly enjoy all the books, or do you find yourself only going back to certain volumes?
An Example
One client had a large library spanning several bookshelves they struggled to tidy. Despite the fact that many books were untouched, the client insisted they would be read eventually. We stacked all evaluated books in this category into a separate pile to highlight the size. With the visual perspective, we discussed the likelihood the books would be read in the future and understand the deeper reasons for holding onto them.
A second round of evaluation left two final categories:
Read books that were well-loved.
Unread books that still sparked curiosity.
With multiple bookcases for storage, we dedicated one to the unread books and created a deadline to start reading them. This storage gave the client a clear visual reminder of which books they pledged to read. As they read through each, the client could evaluate whether the book finally served its purpose or deserved a spot in the hall of fame.
Conclusion
There are many factors that go into tidying books, but have patience with yourself and reflect on the reasoning for each choice. Books should be revisited periodically as new volumes come in, and it will become easier to find your ideal number as you develop your joy sensor.
Interested to learn more? Explore my home organizing services.
