Too many books. Too many shelves packed with books.
There, I said it. I have too many books and they are beginning to weigh on me more than I want them to. So it’s time to start deleveraging. So to speak.
It’s a big decision to make. But I plan on getting a box, then going through all the books on my shelves and I will keep only the books that fill that one box. No more, no less. I have too many tomes that I haven’t looked at in 15 years. I have those ‘Art Of’ books from animated films. Probably a dozen of them. Beautiful big, heavy, books. Love the art in them.Wonderful to casually page through, like I have time to casually page through anything anymore.
I do almost all of my visual research on the web now. I have directories full of art samples. I find myself going to the books less and less often for research. Either because of sloth or…well mainly because of sloth. This will not be an easy task but I need to clear the overstuffed shelves, the stacks on tables, the piles on the floor.
I’ve done this with CD’s and DVD’s and records and cassettes. Media storage nightmares all of them. I have three or four comic book cartons that need to go too. I’ve managed to ignore them, stick them in the back of the studio, move them to different corners, but honestly – it’s time. I realized I haven’t looked at what’s in those boxes for many, many years. Some I don’t think have been opened since I moved from Wisconsin to LA. Oh my. I feel even older now.
Just one box? Ahh, it’s like a parent picking their favorite child. I don’t think I’d ever be able to do this. I applaud your determination to simplify though.
I know, I know…But I can’t keep going like this. I have fears of another 20 years passing unchecked and I would literally be covered in books. I’d find one of my dogs buried under books 10 years after it ‘disappeared’…Of course, this cleansing is all theory as of right now…I haven’t started doing it.
Would love to hear how it goes. Keep us posted and good luck!
Getting rid of books isn’t easy! I did this recently for a move, and it was hard letting go of a lot of them.
The good thing, at least, is I had Half-Priced Books (one of my favorite stores now) — a great way to drop some books or magazines without having to resort to garage sales (which often don’t work), libraries (which often can’t take them), or worse: throwing them away. Let’s not even consider that option! :O
That’s the 900 pound dilemma that goes unspoken of in my post…What to do with them? I have a few ideas about places to donate some. I might try selling a few that I know are rare or at least of some interest to a collector or another geek less overwhelmed with middle age. I know used stores hardly want, or need, to buy more stock. And I have already ‘archived’ several boxes in my garage. Throwing them away is a horrible feeling. Well, recycling them.
Definitely check if you have a Half-Priced Books store in your area! Anything they don’t accept (and sell to other people), they’ll recycle for you. But it’s a good way to get some extra cash!
I like to trade stuff in and then shop for more, heh.
I don’t usually pimp my blog posts, but this one is relevant to this topic – http://bit.ly/WAYDFi Books are one of the few things I can’t stop buying and find very difficult to get rid of. The attic is full of them.