Paring down books
I've been paring down my gardening and natural history books, with upcoming consolidation to a smaller living space.
It's an interesting process (not without angst).
I think about and weigh (based on my de-cluttering inspirations): have I looked at this field guide lately? Do I really want to know as much about dragonflies as this very nice guide provides? Ditto about caterpillars? Hmm.
My gardening companion and I don't need duplicates, either, so extras are being shed.
And doesn't the internet now provide access to virtual field guides of all sorts, I'm thinking?
This is at least the 4th time I've gone through the book shedding process, now with increasing intensity as moving looms near (three weeks from Friday), thinking about how much space I'll have for books, and what I really need to go forward in my work in the future, volunteer and otherwise.
It's an interesting process (not without angst).
I think about and weigh (based on my de-cluttering inspirations): have I looked at this field guide lately? Do I really want to know as much about dragonflies as this very nice guide provides? Ditto about caterpillars? Hmm.
My gardening companion and I don't need duplicates, either, so extras are being shed.
And doesn't the internet now provide access to virtual field guides of all sorts, I'm thinking?
This is at least the 4th time I've gone through the book shedding process, now with increasing intensity as moving looms near (three weeks from Friday), thinking about how much space I'll have for books, and what I really need to go forward in my work in the future, volunteer and otherwise.
Books are the hardest for me to shed. Some of them are good friends, heavily underlined, notes in the margins. I can't part with them. Then there are the ones I loved and was sure I would re-read many times...until I move again and bid them farewell or pass them on to a friend they seem just right for. I'm envisioning you sorting through the memories along with the books.
ReplyDeleteYou're right; there are so many memories to shed along with the books, especially the ones from childhood.
ReplyDeleteI've not been one to mark up my books, but the sorting is so about why and how I acquired this particular book.
Now, my hubby and I will definitely need to make sure we only have one copy now of our favorite references -- uh, we don't need the three or four copies that were our office and home versions collectively!