Books have a way of connecting with me at the exact right moments. Or as Stendhal says, “A good book is an event in my life.”
Reading is a daily habit for me, and many significant phases have been marked by my favorite books. Going digital is an awesome idea, but I want to hold onto the feel of books. And because books are such a special thing for me, I keep a large collection. That said, every once in a while, our books require some organizing. I think it is fitting to use books when discussing how to bring order to these treasures.
The book, Feng Shui That Makes Sense says, “Keep the books you’ll read or use as references, and donate the rest to charities, schools, or libraries.”
Here are some questions to ask when deciding what books to keep-
Do I want to read or reference this book again?
Can I give this book away to someone specific?
What did I learn from this book?
Can I easily look up the information from this book or find it at a library?
Does the book have special significance for some reason?
Will I feel lighter without this book? – You can always use the “maybe” bin for a book, if the answer to this question is not clear.
Does this book make me feel good?
There are all sorts of ways to display the books you decide to keep. I tend to like organizing by size and topic, but you could also choose to sort by color, author, alphabetical order, genre, or another system. I enjoy having what Marie Kondo calls a “personal hall of fame”, which is a collection of my most loved books. I keep my “personal hall of fame” front and center on the top shelf of our bedroom bookcase.
Feng Shui That makes Sense has many tips about organizing books. First if all, heavy and/or large books should be stored low to the ground. From a safety perspective, short stable bookcases feel the best. If you have any tall bookcases, leave some empty space on the top shelves to keep the unit from feeling oppressive. Also, it is a great idea to secure bookcases to the wall. In general, Rounded corners on furniture are far superior to sharp ones. One of the main goals in Feng Shui is to create balance and harmony, so stacking books in symmetrical patterns will be appealing to the eye. I took the author’s suggestion to, “Position books at the front of the shelf so that the spines sit even with each other.” And I was amazed at the difference it made! Another idea I liked was to remove hardcover book jackets and store them inside for a cleaner looking bookcase.
I wouldn’t want to write about books without giving a HUGE shout out to libraries! The free resources and sense of community available at local libraries is awesome! Our library allows individuals to check out up to 99 items at a time. Checking out materials from the library is a wonderful way to have lots of books without the burdens of long-term clutter! The library is also a great way to keep children’s book fresh. I have a basket in our living room specifically for library books, which makes them easy to find for returns. The rotating books in this basket are a joy for our whole family. In conclusion, if you do one thing in relation to books this week, I recommend going to the library!
Love Always,
Meg
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