So you’ve finally decided to downsize your bookshelves. You’ve made the decision to keep only those books that you really enjoyed, would recommend to friends, or hold sentimental value. But how do you decide which books to keep? The answer depends on your situation, so you’ll want to consider the reasons you haven’t read them yet. Is it because you haven’t finished reading it yet? Or is it because you’re unsure whether it’s a timeless classic? If you’re unsure, consider taking it off your shelves and donate it to charity.
Why you should keep books you’ve read
If you love reading, then you may be wondering if you should keep the books you’ve read. Many books are considered “stuff” and should be tossed. However, a new trend has come to light: the book spring clean. In a recent book by Marie Kondo, the author recommends that you go through your books by category and touch everything. The goal is to keep only those items that spark joy. This means you should toss out all your books that don’t spark joy.
18 ways to get rid of them
If you’re a book lover, you probably have too many books in your home. It can feel like all your room space has been taken up by your collections. However, you may not be ready to give all those books new homes. Listed below are 18 ways to get rid of books you’ve read. Here are a few options to make your life easier. If you’ve finished reading a particular book, consider donating or selling it online.
One way to donate your books is by holding a book swap. Gather a group of people with similar reading tastes, and host a book swap event. You can donate your books locally or through an international organization that donates books to impoverished communities. Not only will this help a struggling community, but it will also give you a new collection. You can also consider giving away your books to friends, family, or the local library. There are so many ways to recycle books that you’ll never need them.
Matching books to your situation
Adding a book to your Wish To Read list is the same across all platforms, except that with Hardcover, you can save a book straight from your search results. Hardcover displays its Match Percentage so you can easily decide which books to save to your Wish To Read list. This feature also helps you sort your Wish To Read list by the percentage of match. Regardless of which platform you use to add a book to your Wish To Read list, it’s important to match books to your situation as best you can.
Donating them to a charity shop
One way to donate your gently used books is by donating them to a charity shop. These stores can often use new books, but you can also donate gently used books in good condition. Before donating books to a charity shop, consider contacting the charity in advance to learn what types of books they prefer to receive. Also, try to sort your books by genre or condition. Donating gently used books is more likely to be appreciated than damaged books, so you might want to consider separating them into multiple categories first.
Another option is to donate the books you’ve read to a local retirement home. This charity shop accepts new books in good condition and often gives them away for free to bedside readers. You can also visit the organization in person and donate books. This is a great way to give back to your community. Make sure to call the organization ahead of time to see what they need, as some may already have a large supply of donated books.
