I’m excited to share the first guest blog post on my home organizing website. The second KonMari method category is books 📚 . Just like with clothes, there is no right number of books 📚 . I love ❤️ applying the KonMari method to home organizing because it allows you to focus on how you feel about each item. If you love to read, decluttering your books can be challenging. I focus on keeping the books 📚 that I enjoy reading over and over, such as any Jane Austen novel. However, I thought it would be fun to ask a librarian and KonMari method enthusiast to share her tips. Lindsay Sakmann Rafer has an MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh. She's worked in both academic and public libraries and gives the best book suggestions.
It’s a pandemic and I am determined to declutter my home: what do I do with my books 📚 ?
Spring is in the air and with that, my urge to purge. As a librarian with experience in both academic and public libraries, I know the importance of keeping my collection relevant, which means I also understand the importance of proper culling of books 📚 .
When decluttering books and preparing for donation, consider the volunteers who work at the charitable organization. It takes time and resources for organizations to process book donations. Donating a large quantity of books 📚 that are out of date or unsuitable for donation takes away from time that organizations can use to generate resources for the particular charity.
Quick Check Before Donating:
Important to know before looking for organizations who will take donated books is to know what makes your books 📚 ineligible to any organization:
Mold: nothing spreads faster to kill a book collection than mold. Once one book has mold, others next to it will get it unless you identify and dispose of the moldy book right away.
Odor: if a book has a heavy odor or mystery stains, thank it 🙏🏽 and throw it away.
Sand: often books read at the beach bring the beach home in the form of sand, which goes everywhere and is impossible to clean. Thank it 🙏🏽 and throw it away.
Age: Printed information is dated. Policies for large, urban libraries, for instance, is to buy no book over five years old. Check the copyright date on the inside cover of your book, and if your book is over five years old and otherwise in good shape, recycling is your best option.
Trends: Even though information on how to knit may not change, styles do change. Most would not want to use a book with 1985 fashion patterns in 2021. Craft books are also susceptible to trends. Macramé was a popular trend in earlier years, and if it becomes popular, most readers would look for an up-to-date book on macramé. Everything comes back in style (hello scrunchies!), but there is no need to hold on to a craft book for 25 years.
Many factors exist to make it difficult to find an organization to take donated books. The Marie Kondo philosophy of a home filled with only the items you love has prompted a rethinking of how much stuff we need. The digital age causes us to rely more on digital works than physical paper. Organizations have limited space to house relevant materials and operate with limited budgets and a downsized staff. The pandemic exacerbates the situation with those homes more than usual taking time to organize, downsize, and declutter. Many libraries adjusting to pandemic protocols stopped taking book donations altogether.
If you believe you have books that contain relevant material, check with the organization before dropping anything off. The following are organizations that may accept donated books:
Programs that accept donations by mail:
The Women’s Prison Book Project: This program is specifically for women and transgender individuals in prison. Founded in 1994 near Minneapolis, MN, the WPBP is looking specifically for books on crochet and other nonfiction books.
Better World Books: BWB is a wonderful resource for libraries to send their used library books. You can mail your donations to BWB or you can search for one of their drop boxes.
Programs that require in-person drop-off or a scheduled pick up:
Opportunity House: Opportunity House is a charity based in Reading, Pa for the homeless. They run a retail shop called the “ Opp Shop,” with proceeds supporting Opportunity House. They will accept book donations in their donation bins or at their drop-off facility.
Starr Books: Starr Books/ Gently Used Books is a used bookstore in Douglassville, PA. They accept donations of books for store credit. Once you have donated your books you can use your credit to shop in their store. If they do not take your books for credit they will donate or recycle them. They have a fantastic selection! If you are donating a large number of books, please contact them to arrange a drop-off.
Greendrop: a service that offers scheduled pickups of items for donation. Proceeds go to various charities in the Philadelphia Area such as The American Red Cross.
Vietnam Veterans of American: A nonprofit dedicated to helping not only Veterans of the Vietnam War but all veterans. Pick-ups can be scheduled by visiting their website.
By Lindsay Sakmann Rafer, MLIS
If decluttering books 📚 leaves you feeling overwhelmed, a virtual organization session or home organization session will help. Please contact 📧 Yuriko, certified home organizer in Maryland and Pennsylvania, if you feel stuck. Anyone, including people who feel chronically disorganized, can live in a tidy and organized space. Organize by category and reach out if you need support.