Somewhere along the line I stopped curating my collection. I started keeping just about everything I purchased, even stories that I wasn't particularly keen on. Books sat on my shelf covered in dust and filling me with a vague sort of dread. I'd always wanted my books to reflect my mom's collection. That is, keeping only my most favorite books. The pages that draw me back in time and time again. This is a life-long process, but every path has a first step. Mine? A ruthless sorting of the main block of my collection. Gone are the books of my youth that no longer resonate. Books that have gone unread for well over ten years? In the bin. What remains are my treasured favorites, quite the collection of potentials, and a much clearer picture of what I want my book shelf to become.
Not bad for a day's work. And now to the fun part! Finding these books new homes. Something that didn't tickle my fancy could very well be a treasured favorite just waiting to be found. My re-homing process is multifaceted: I have a selection listed up on Bookmooch, some are going to my favorite used bookstore to be traded in for credit, and others are heading to the donation bin at my library branch.
The best part? Clearing out has made space for some potential new favorites. These came home with my yesterday after my first trip to the used bookstore. City of Ashes because I am determined to read this series before the first movie hits theaters later this year. The two Barbara Michaels' were my lucky finds of the day. She is one of my all-time favorites and I'm on the search for specific editions to match my mom's collection (so I can stop borrowing her's). And what sounds like a fun new series with Tempest in the Tea Leaves. I picked it up yesterday afternoon and I'm far enough in to know that there is some fantastic world building, likable characters, and a particularly wonderful cat. I'll be sure to keep you posted.
I'm curious, do you have a system for managing your bookshelf?
