Congratulations – we have already completed one week of GO! (Get Organized!) month. Today’s challenge may take a bit longer, but it could clear significant space. Today we tackle your stash of books.
Let’s recall the process we are using throughout the month:
THE PROCESS
- Gather your supplies:
- Boxes or bags labeled with:
- “Donate”
- “Elsewhere”
- “Store”
- Trash can/recycle bin
- Damp rag/wet wipe
- Boxes or bags labeled with:
- Empty challenge area for the day. And by empty, I mean EMPTY.
- Once the area is empty, wipe it clean with a damp rag.
- Now sort the items into these categories: (The Seana Method’s R.E.D.D.S. system)
- R- “Restore”: items to go back in
- E- “Elsewhere: items to keep, but which don’t belong in this space
- D- “Donate”
- D- “Dispose”: trash or recycle
- S- “Store”: items to keep for sentimental reasons, or perhaps for a long-term future use, but which are not regularly used. (These items will eventually need to go into a bin/box in an attic, basement, or closet.)
- As you are sorting, put items into the boxes/bags you prepared.
- Once you are finished sorting, put the “Restore” items back into your designated area.
- Carry the “Elsewhere” box/bag around your house and redistribute its contents.
- Move the “Donate” box/bag to the car to be donated.
- Trash/recycle the “Dispose” items
- Put the "Store" box aside for now. When the month is over, these items will be packaged for long-term storage.
THE TASK
Books are a great gift, are personal, are fun, are low-cost, and are portable. As a result, many of us have piles of books. The new trend toward e-readers may lessen this in the future, but hard copy books will likely always be around.
The key to organizing your books is all about LIMITATIONS. Having some books is wonderful, having too many books is a burden. So use the process outlined above to gather and sort your books. Here are a few tips on sorting:
Quickly (don’t overthink it!) cull through and stack the ones that you
- don’t want to read,
- won’t read again,
- see are damaged,
- determine are out of date, or
- don’t want for ANY REASON.
It is important to not feel guilty about passing a book along (even if it is one in a series or one that was given to you by someone special…. if you won’t read it again, you can let it go.) Books are the ultimate reusable item!
Many of us are holding books for our children or grandchildren. This is fine, but you need to set a limit based on your available space. For instance, you might say “I have these 2 shelves for picture books” and then keep only what fits on these shelves. Designating a physical space for a type of book is a great trick for helping you live within your space. If you are holding books for a future generation, put the books in a clear, labeled box and move to long-term storage.
Many places accept book donations (in Darien, for example, you can donate to Darien Book Aid, Darien Thrift Shop, or the Swap Shop at the Darien Dump very easily.) If you need help finding a spot to donate your books, just contact The Seana Method for some assistance.
Happy organizing – let us know how it’s going by posting a comment!
Submitted by Seana Turner, founder and President of The Seana Method
