B is for BIG Book Boot

Yes, we are back to talking about books. Michele and Ashton, [whose comments will be in brackets].  I felt like we kind of left you hanging in our post about having too many books, so I thought we would enter the fight with you.  Again.  You see, we have gotten rid of a lot of books lately.  Once when we moved to SD almost a year ago.  Then again two months ago when we had to make a move to a smaller house.  Let's just say that the Goodwill people know us well these days.

But we still have tons of books.  And yes, there is such a thing as too many.  At least, that is what my minimalist daughter says. [Yes, I do. Because it is the truth.]

So following her lead (because she made me)[I sure did!], we set off one day to go through our remaining books and pair down once more following a few rules she laid out for you before.

[We started in Colby's room, and we did it when he was gone. Now, if it would upset your child to come home and find books gone, don't do it without him. Colby still hasn't noticed.]

Before: Colby had books on a shelf and in a basket

 [This is mom whining over the cow books. But I insisted, and out they went]

• Get rid of things you do not want to read over and over.  That was actually easy.  There were a few books my 6 year old had that I cringed everytime he asked me to read them. I may have even hidden one or two.  In the pile they went!

These are going

• Stick to one or two series.  Only the ones you love and MUST have.  For most in this family that results in the Berenstain Bears.  We have a lot of them,.  They insisted we keep them.  Don't get me wrong, they are good stories, but they are L-O-N-G!  Not my favorite to read, but I got outvoted.  

[Of course we kept Skippyjon Jones, which are amazing books.]

• Board books - out the door.  Yes, I have managed to hide one or two that are near and dear to my heart, but CJ is too old to be reading board books now.  I managed not to cry!

These are going, too.

After: Colby's bookshelf, all his books fit with extra room! 

• Out went a few coffee table books.  Pretty, yes.  Read, no.  No reason to keep something that is just collecting dust.

• Out went reference books we do not use.  Ok, this one was harder for me, but the minimalist pointed out we never go bird watching therefore having three, OK-maybe four, bird books was a little over the top.  I talked her into keeping one.

[All of Mom's bird books]

• School books.  Here is where she and I part ways, just slightly.  While I have gotten better, I do have a hard time getting rid of school books.  We may need them sometime.  We may write a report about bears sometime.  We may get interested in volcanoes and need that book.  Maybe.  You never know!  But under a mean watchful eye, I did weed out a few.  We did go from two bookcases down to one in our den, so I think that you can call that a success.

Before: Bookcase #1

Before: Bookcase #2

After: Just one bookcase!

[This is the shelf of old book of mom's that mom decided we are going to wait on. AKA, she won't go through them =)]

Each of my kids have a bookcase in their room.  The rule is if you have space for your books you can keep them.  If you want more books, you will have to make room for them by donating ones you no longer need.  

Are books good things?  Absolutely.  Some of my favorite, actually.  But they are also STUFF!  Just things. And I am determined to not let them take over my life or my house.  If you are reading them and love them, by all means have them.  But if they are just trophies on a bookshelf gathering dust, I would challenge you to take a good hard look at what you have and WHY you have them.

Maybe it is time for you to do a BIG book boot.

Blessings,

   [and Ashton]