Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Household Management -> Organizing
Books



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 2:24 pm
My husband has a lot of books, both Jewish and secular. I would like him to get rid of some. We don't have room to put them all - some are in boxes or on desks or night stands. The house is a mess from them and I don't have room for another bookcase. I don't think anyone will read them all but when I ask him, he'll say the book looks interesting or he really liked that book. Anything that I can do to get him to get rid of what I consider clutter?
How do others decide which books to keep?
Posting anon because maybe some people on here know my home. Banging head Can't Believe It
Back to top

amother
Salmon


 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 2:26 pm
try selling on ebay. the extra $ may be an incentive to get rid of them.
Back to top

amother
Hotpink


 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 2:47 pm
I read a lot but all novels get passed on to friends. Jewish books on every topic get shelved. We do have a good amount of book shelf space but even that fills up. They're stacked to the ceiling on top of the shelves too. We go through them once or twice a year and if there is something nobody has pulled of the shelf for a long time and it has no particular sentimental value, we will usually find it a new home.
Back to top

Ravenclaw




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 3:56 pm
First of all, never call books clutter if you want to be friends with me. I will disown you.

Second of all, do you really think you are the only Jewish person globally that has a lot of books lying around the house? That’s not an identifying detail, but okay.

Third of all, assuming you don’t want to be my friend and would rather get rid of the books, only keep books that will be reread or referenced often. Like favorites, books kids will read, and nonfiction. Everything else can be taken out of the library when needed.
Back to top

amother
Green


 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 4:03 pm
I used the Marie Kondo method, got rid of a bunch, still have a lot, and am happy because they are organized by color (though Jewish books are separated from secular) and look pretty:) Here is a fairly good summary, if you're not interested in her "Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up": https://www.mhpbooks.com/the-l.....tion/

I gave some books away, and took the rest to the Strand and made a few dollars.

But, if your dh isn't ready to declutter, there is very little you can do. I know from experience on both sides.
Back to top

ora_43




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 4:13 pm
I'd start with trying to convince him to part with anything he hasn't read in the past year that's available from the library. Or even promising to buy new copies of anything he finds himself missing. Book lovers always have that fear of "but what if I get rid of it and then I want to read it???" Having a solution for that scenario is often 90% of the battle.

It also might help to have a specific cause to donate the books to. Eg "the shul is looking for more books for its library" is more convincing than just "we should get rid of these."

It might help to temporarily move some to storage, and have him see how the house looks without them.

It might help if you declutter some of your stuff. There's nothing like leading by example.

ETA: and remember, it's not now or never. If he resists getting rid of anything now, wait a bit, see how things stand in another few months.
Back to top

seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 9:24 pm
Ravenclaw wrote:
First of all, never call books clutter if you want to be friends with me. I will disown you.

Second of all, do you really think you are the only Jewish person globally that has a lot of books lying around the house? That’s not an identifying detail, but okay.

Third of all, assuming you don’t want to be my friend and would rather get rid of the books, only keep books that will be reread or referenced often. Like favorites, books kids will read, and nonfiction. Everything else can be taken out of the library when needed.

Haha these were exactly my thoughts.

Amother how do you find anything when the books are sorted by color?!

I'm having the same problem myself, my books exceed my shelving capacity but there are none that I want to let go. One general principle is that if it's easy to find in a public library, it can go. But really my collection is curated carefully enough that if I have it, I want it - and right now that's applying to four (narrow but still) full height bookcases. I think I'm going to get extra shelving to put on top because my ceilings are high but then I won't be able to reach my books which is sad. Oh and this isn't counting a large box in the closet of childhood favorites waiting for my kids to grow into. But it does include a few shelves of professional reference.

Anyway, send help but not books.
Back to top

amother
Green


 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 9:31 pm
I'm very visually oriented, and love rainbows, so organizing by color is the best system I've ever used:) I know what color most of my books are, and find browsing more appealing when books are in color order!

I am running out of space, though, (and adding to the collection due to first pregnancy, B"H,) and considering putting one shelf near the ceiling in the dining room to hold the Jewish books. A lot of people have some unused hogh-up wall space somewhere in their home.
Back to top

seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 9:45 pm
I organize by category. Teaching books, parenting books, halacha books, parsha books, cookbooks, etc
Back to top

amother
Green


 

Post Wed, Aug 28 2019, 10:19 pm
seeker wrote:
I organize by category. Teaching books, parenting books, halacha books, parsha books, cookbooks, etc


You can still organize by color within category:) If you want! So pretty ...
Back to top

amother
Ivory


 

Post Thu, Aug 29 2019, 8:00 am
OP what is your real question? What I’m hearing is not “how do I organize dh books?” —you seem like a competent organizer—but “how do I get dh to part with his excess?” in which case this thread belongs less in Household Management and more in Marriage and Sholom Bayis.

You need to negotiate with dh and come to an agreement about the use of space in your home. You are each entitled to a percentage of the space not devoted to necessities like bathroom and kitchen fixtures. Hammer out how much space you can devote to personal items and split it fairly.

The only personal items that go into TEMPORARY storage boxes should be seasonal items like winter clothes. Everything else should be limited to the living space already designated. Books , which count as personal items except for the essentials you share like chumashim and siddurim, go on bookshelves, not in storage cartons or under beds. Decide how many bookshelves you will have and THAT’S IT.

Since books are a variety of personal item, weigh dh books against your personal collections. If your collection of dolls or shoes rivals his collection of books, you know what you both need to do.
Back to top
Page 1 of 1 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Household Management -> Organizing

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Clean library books for age 13 14 Today at 2:50 pm View last post
Questions for published children books authors
by amother
2 Today at 9:23 am View last post
Books, shiurim, etc 3 Tue, Mar 26 2024, 8:19 am View last post
Books instead of therapy
by amother
39 Tue, Mar 19 2024, 9:10 pm View last post
ISO secular books for 13 year old girl
by amother
5 Mon, Mar 18 2024, 11:09 pm View last post