5 tips for tidying up your books

There are some things we never want to get rid of. But when the shelves of your cabinet are bending and you have to make piles on the floor, windowsill or table, you know it’s time to go through your book collection. These tips will make it a little easier.

Limit the number of books in your cabinet

Determine how many books you want to keep (the number that fits on your bookshelf, for example) and stick to it. It can be pretty painful having to thin out your collection the first time you do it, but then it becomes easier: for every new book you buy, one has to go. This also helps you be more aware and think more about which books you want to have.

Use the Marie Kondo method

Sometimes you hold onto a book because you got it from someone, because it is a signed copy or because it is a special edition. It’s times like these that you have to ask yourself: Is this book really making me happy? Will I (want to) read it again? If the answer is no, then it’s time to say goodbye.

Set a ‘best before date’

Decide how long an unread book can sit on your bookshelf. Three months? Half a year? A year? If you haven’t read the book after that time, you might want to make someone else happy with it.