Often I find myself in a home where there is a huge collection of books and one of the most common feelings that is expressed is “I have so many books but cannot find it in me to let them go”. It is probably one of the most insightful areas of clutter that I discover about my clients. Not surprisingly, it can be very challenging to Un-attach emotion to this form of Clutter.
Books, Books, Books. I love books and I know there is a lot of you who will agree that reading is one of the most fulfilling ways to spend your spare time. Books have taken us on so many journeys.
Maybe you have lost yourself in a gripping thriller of adventure?
Have you cried your heart out with raw recognition of a character you relate to?
Imagine that you have discovered an amazing source of information that has changed your life!
Did your Study books propel you into a new Career, or say goodbye to an old Aspiration?
Have you travelled somewhere new and amazing because you read an article in a travel guide?
YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW HARD IT IS TO PART WITH ALL OF THOSE EMOTIONS, CAN’T YOU?
What happens though when your home is taken over by a mish mash of books? The best way to start to feel that you can bring yourself to part with books is to categorise them first, it could look like this at a first glance;
NOVELS, read and re-read, un-read
STUDY BOOKS, past college books, current course books.
REFERENCE, travel guides, medical journal, DIY, Maps, local phone books,Yellow pages
SELF HELP, How to change my life inspiration, Religion.
COOK BOOKS, How to be Nigella!
CHILDREN’S BOOKS, outgrown or sentimental
SUBSCRIPTIONS, Magazines (gossip, fashion, hobbies), Newspapers.
CATALOGUES, How to spend from home.
It all simply pails down to:
Fiction: poems, stories, plays, novels (THE WORLD OF IMAGINATION).
Nonfiction: newspaper stories, editorials, personal accounts, journal articles, textbooks, legal documents (THE REAL WORLD).
Examining your relationship to books in these two areas is the key to understanding your emotional volume when letting go of books.
TIPS;
I am hoping this blog post can help you to understand your emotional clutter when it comes to the Memory that each book holds for you. Begin with a category that is easy to let go of first, maybe it would be outdated A-Z’s, old newspapers or an expired Next Directory.
There are so many ways you can avoid buying more books, especially Novels. Try instead to use your local library. Post a message on social media to swap books that friends have recommended instead of making purchases. Download the Kindle app for free on your device and gain access to a huge selection of reads.
Donate your books which you honestly know you will not re-read to Charity. Oxfam books are very grateful to receive piles of books.
Read magazines, local news and current breaking news On-line, this will avoid being subjected to the constant “bad news” that appears on nearly every page of the daily newspaper.
Cancel your subscriptions, especially if they are renew automatically and choose to buy a magazine when you only have time to read it.
Good Housekeeping Cooking recipies hold over 3000 on-line to download.
Image courtesy of Freedigital Photos.net
