If ever there was a time to catch up on your backlog of unread books, this pandemic is it. Whether you’re staying safe at home or working from home, time has opened up for most of us. No commuting, groceries delivered – it’s like we jumped a century or so to a more leisure-filled time. With all those extra minutes, how’s your to-read pile looking?
Have you opened any of the books you’ve been meaning to read? Getting the vaccine gives us a deadline – how many pages can you read until you get your shots? If you decide to take this challenge, notice what happens when you reach for a book you’ve been meaning to read. Do you dive right in or do you find yourself continuing the search for a better book ? How many times does that have to happen before you consider the possibility that you don’t want to read these books you’ve been saving to read?
If you find yourself powering through your to-read pile, then that’s a decluttering win too. Now you know which books you want to keep. Keep an eye on whether you get excited about reading them but then don’t find the time to do so. If that happens, pick one randomly and start reading. Sometimes a few minutes in, you’ll remember why you didn’t get very far last time you tried. Other times, getting past the first few pages is all to takes to discover a book you love.
What to do with the books when you realize you don’t want to read them after all? The simplest solution is to donate them to your nearest thrift store or library bookstore. If you want to explore more specific options, check out this comprehensive article on how to donate your books by my colleague Julie Bestry.
READ MORE >>> Three games to help you declutter books
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by Lucy Kelly