One of my biggest hobbies is reading and books. I love books and I love reading them. I love displaying them and perusing my bookshelves. But early this year it started to feel overwhelming and I'll explain why in each point below where I discuss how I simplified my reading hobby so it doesn't cause me stress and overwhelm. I Only Borrow/Read Books I KNOW I'll Enjoy
I used to read anything and everything I could. So when I'd go to put books on hold at my local library there were so many and by the time I'd get them and start reading them I'd lose interest after the first little chunk I read. That's when I realized I was creating my own chaos and it was time to be more picky. Now before I bother borrowing or putting a book on hold I read the description and make sure it's something I KNOW I'll enjoy. This has freed up so much time for me!
I Only Request Books for Review I KNOW I'll Enjoy
Same thing as above. I get to read advance copies of books to post on social media about and to leave reviews for but I was beginning to request anything that looked remotely interesting and it often turned out it wasn't but I had to force myself to read the whole thing. So now I am more picky with the books I choose to read and review and it's really freed up time and digital clutter for me.
I Purged Any Books that Wasn't a FOREVER Keeper
I only purchase books that I've read and consider forever favorites that I will read again and again. This way I create a perfectly curated library for myself. But I began getting books from thrift stores and library sales that were taking up too much space and weren't true forever keepers. So I made myself read the vast majority of them again and it turned out about 25% weren't worth keeping and taking up valuable space in my home. I donated those.
I Limit Shelf Space
As I was rapidly filling my 2 bookshelf units I began to panic because I realized I'd eventually run out of space in the next couple years and honestly, I don't want to get rid of any of my forever keep books. They are favorites from the last 20 years of my adult life. I started thinking of ways to shove another bookshelf into my home office/library which simply wouldn't work because there would be NO space and it would also make that room feel crowded as opposed to the airy feeling it has now. So I must keep only what fills my 2 bookshelves and honestly, that's PLENTY of room for even another 20 years of forever books.
I Stopped Holding Onto Gifted Books
When I received books from friends or books for review, after I read them, if they weren't a forever keeper I immediately put them in a bag to donate or give to others. I didn't even set them on my shelves. This has really helped me and now I find it a struggle to force myself to keep a book I don't truly want to keep.
If you're wondering how my shelves look now or even about my reading habits make you sure you follow me on Instagram!
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