Mission accomplished !!
One completely empty bookcase ready to be moved out of the living room ready for it being redecorated, and the even better knowledge that there are no books to go back onto it once we have finished the room.
Seemingly back in February 2015 we had 619 books in our entire collection, as documented and pictured over three blog posts starting HERE. If you want to read all three posts just click on 'Newer Post' at the bottom of each day.
After sorting through and tidying up each bookcase ...
... and each ledge ...
... and shelf downstairs, I worked my round the upstairs rooms.
Mostly fiction in the spare bedroom,
... an astonishing amount of books in my bedside cabinet.
Including one on top that I nearly forgot!!
Some more on Alan's side of the bed.
There were even a few lurking behind the computer screen.
And to the left of the desk in the office, another selection of Alan's books.
I drew a little plan so I could write the number of books on each shelf down in case I lost count, and as you can see in the end there was a grand total of 569. So a lower number than two and a half years ago, but still a large number of books considering how many we have sold over the car boot season. I guess there have been a few new ones in and lots of old ones out but luckily more out than in :-)
So my plan over the Winter months is to hopefully read lots and jettison even more books ready for selling next year, and if possible whittle down the collection to a nice round 500 .... or even lower.
Hands up who else is a bookaholic :-)
Sue xx
Hands up who's a Bookaholic? Moi? Surely not!
ReplyDeleteThe big secondhand NSPCC book sale coming up soon......I will be there!
Your empty bookshelf looks so sad
We are definitely bookaholics ! I think at last count it is well over 1000 ! We do use some for work but I feel inspired by all your work to maybe try something similar with ours ! Good luck with the decorating
ReplyDeleteI read more in the Winter months and have been buying from charity shops and car boots when I see anything cheap enough, I read them then sell on ziffit or at the car boot, I only keep certain ones.
ReplyDelete< puts both hands up > I love my Kindle too!
ReplyDeleteJ x
My hands are up - we have had a good book declutter recently as we have been redecorating - haven't counted our collection - might just do that though
ReplyDeleteI've never counted but we are definitely book collectors. We've been unpacked since we moved in except for the boxes and boxes of books that we have to sort out. A great Winter project! Chy
ReplyDeleteI am a bookaholic!! I finally got organized about 4 years ago and made a word document with all my books documented-over 2000, yikes!! I have it colour coded with black for HAVE, red for NEED and green for READ. I do get rid of most of the books as I read them, only keeping a few that I feel are special. The word document is a Godsend as I have it on my phone and can check if I have a certain book when I am at the big book sales. I also pencil in my initial inside the cover so I don't get it back when trading with friends and family.
ReplyDeleteI confess, I am one too. Hopelessly addicted to books, and collect in several genres. I daren't even start counting mine (there must be over two hundred on the shelves behind me in my office, nearly all archaeology/history).
ReplyDeleteI am never without a book, and in desperation, will read the back of the cereal packet or sauce bottle!
We sorted out quite a few boxloads to go - some (desirable ones) I will try and sell, but there are some paperback novels I can bear to let go and they can benefit a charity or two.
I am a bookaholic!! I finally got organized about 4 years ago and made a word document with all my books documented-over 2000, yikes!! I have it colour coded with black for HAVE, red for NEED and green for READ. I do get rid of most of the books as I read them, only keeping a few that I feel are special. The word document is a Godsend as I have it on my phone and can check if I have a certain book when I am at the big book sales. I also pencil in my initial inside the cover so I don't get it back when trading with friends and family.
ReplyDeleteGuilty as charged! Even though I have given away or sold about 200 over the past 6 months. I have stacks and stacks still to be read so I anticipate a lot of cozy days spent indoors during the upcoming winter.
ReplyDeleteIf it makes anyone feel better - I was at a Mystery Writers/Readers Conference last weekend and met an elderly gentleman who was quite famous for having well over 26,000 - yes thousand - books in his collection!
My name is Jacqui and I am a bookaholic. Great to get that off my chest. Have never counted how many, but the overflow is in the attic and at our works unit. I will address this some time soon, honest!
ReplyDeleteI am definitely a bookaholic. My one saving grace right now is my ereader. Harvey doesn't know how many books I have on it, and once it is filled I have a micro card to download more on.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
\o/ ...that's me...with my hands up :) xx
ReplyDeleteMy hand is up too, but I have to say I have just got rid of three large bags full to our local community library.
ReplyDeleteJulie xxxxxxx
I had a huge clear out of my books.I used to have book cases just like that!I only keep the ones that i really need now...thats still about 50,lol.Debi,x
ReplyDeleteI have very few now to be honest, I think my partner has more than me, I'm trying to get rid of my proper books to start on my kindle, really ones ive read, why bother keeping especially when they weren't that good, I have about 10 now to my name. ive given a lot to the library so I can always reborrow if needed. I have an email bookbub that comes once a day giving me one or two free books for my kindle if I wish to download, I have about 15 on there I haven't touched yet. Having had a problem with my eyes in the last few years, reading has sort of gone out the window as I was very sleep deprived and sore hurting eyes it tends to put you off reading, even though I have always loved it. Now thinking of moving house I am filtering everything. Would love to be out in the countryside where you are and love your cover photo.
ReplyDeleteCrikey Sue you could open a small library with that lot!! Funnily enough about ten minutes ago I was looking at my huge pile of roughly fifteen books. After selling and giving most of my collection to charity shop. I have the de-clutter bug at mo. Thinking I must get rid of some more books I have much to much of them. With a heavy heart.
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Despite several culls, and trying to switch to borrowing rather than buying books, I dread to think how many we have. I have been laughed at for organising my books by genre (fiction, biographies, children's books, history, poetry & plays, travel, cookery, gardening etc etc) and then alphabetically within some of them. But once it's done, it's relatively easy to maintain and much easier to find things.
ReplyDeleteI'd raise my hand but that would mean putting down my book....have never counted how many books we have (am afraid to!).
ReplyDeleteMary Eman
I'm a bookaholic but not as bad as I was. I should really take a leaf out of your book (ha ha) and read and ditch what I've got.
ReplyDeleteMy worst nightmare would be to have no access to books. I'm a book-tart in that I will read anything. I bought a beautiful Scandi inspired Christmas book last week and have had great pleasure already looking at the ideas for christmas crafting. Catriona
ReplyDeleteHand up & happily guilty to be a bookish gal - currently searching for a spot in my home to squeeze in another book shelf.
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem in my house, although I try to limit myself to two bookcases and when they are full I have to purge....
ReplyDeleteOh yes up goes my hand...I have so many books, but I do purge from time to time. My addiction/collection includes simple living books, gardening/permaculture, frugal living, lots of recipes books (more than I need or use), and then there are Australia's Grass Roots and Earth Garden magazines...think I better stop there as I know I have too many, but I cant seem to part with these favourites.
ReplyDeletexTania
2,747 here, just counted. One can never ever have too many books. Love em! I do cull, but still add. Love the look, feel and smell of books as well as the reading of them.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the blog.
I have a hard time reading now but somehow books keep appearing in my home.
ReplyDeletecheers, parsnip
i love books & only dream of having a part library in the house! i envy you all your bookcases & wish i had half as many! i am in the process of collecting books; novels, simple living, homewares, homemades, etc; am trying to talk my SiL into putting a few 'book' shelves in some of the weird corners i have in the house, at least it will give a bit more storage
ReplyDeletethanx for sharing
About ten years ago, I decided to cull my books until I had all books on a shelf. I had seven bookcases. Plus, books were in boxes, in bags, on dressers, on any flat surface. My plan was to get rid of ten books a day until all books had a home on a shelf. The books could rest crossways on books, be slid behind books, just be on a shelf.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I got rid of old ratty, disintegrating paperbacks. Then, books I got that actually held not interest any longer and were gotten free or secondhand. Shakespeare went because I can easily find that. I kept things like Rats and Fleas in History, not easily found. In the end when all books had a shelf on which to live, I had worked at this for 80 days, clearing away 800 books, leaving me with about 1200 books. I was happy and miss none of my books and cherish the ones I have left.