This could have been the easiest, most straightforward of all my projects. See books on shelf, put books in box. How hard can it be? You know what? I put if off all month. I did most of it in different spurts TODAY so I wouldn't feel guilty about not posting -- and I've spent the rest of the day trying to figure out how to make a post about purging books interesting.
Guilt is not the best motivator.
Turns out that's exactly what I learned through this project. There's a TV show called "Hoarding: Buried Alive" that I occasionally watch while I fold laundry. Have you seen it? It's enthralling, in a "I-can't-believe-I'm-watching-this" kind of way. Some of the hoarders' living conditions are downright horrifying, the prisons people create because they cannot part with possessions. Some hoarders desperately want help, others refuse intervention from loved ones. Along with professional organizers, psychologists work to help family members understand the reasons behind the hoarding. Fascinating stuff. (Ha ha! A pun.)
Some people on the TV show keep things that represent their dreams. If they throw them out, they throw away the dream (or so they believe). I realized that many of the books still on my shelves represent good intentions. Oh, I'll read this someday. Ooh, I've always wanted to read about this. Man, we started this chapter book but never finished. Maybe next year.
Some people on the TV show can't part with possessions because of perceived value, sentimental and otherwise. I realized I do the same. I have a beat-up paperback copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe -- with my brother's childhood signature inside.
Certain genres make me feel guiltiest of all. Unread parenting books seem to taunt me with their rigid spines -- but I can't part with them out of a sense of duty. What if they have just the words I need to read?
Think I'm ridiculous yet? I do. Enough!
Today I tackled the project with a very pragmatic approach. I left my husband's biographies and leather-bound church books. I screened the others this way:
1. Can I get this same book or information at the library or online?
If not,
2. Is it a book I will reference again?
3. Is it a book I want to share with my children?
I also allowed myself to keep a few favorites.
Sure, I still have a lot of books, but I filled two boxes today from this shelf and another. It feels gooood. Now I need to sort all my piano music. I tell ya, that will really make me feel the loss of dreams. All the music I haven't learned yet, and probably never will. But that's ok.
Next up: Clear the shelves so I can paint the bookcases. (No, I didn't get rid of our scriptures. Now the inside cupboard is cleared enough to store them there.) I'm also considering making covers for the remaining books with a thin tan paper I have on a roll. At arm's length the book titles would be visible through the paper, but from a distance the effect will be a cohesive block. What do you think?
November's project: Map out money for gifts and do other Christmas preparations so I don't get discouraged and shut down next month like I usually do. I also want to produce a family Christmas card, something that hasn't happened the last three years.
2 comments:
What an accomplishment! All our books are still in boxes, a place where you just might as well not have them because they're not accessible. Yes on the paper experiment. It think it would look so cool. ANd YES on Christmas cards. We can work together on them.
I bet this feels so nice to have it organized and purged! Way to go!
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