The (Not So) Great (Book) Purge: Part III

Books are extremely hard for me to get rid of...I'm sure I've mentioned this a few times before. Regardless, I was able to give away some of my old books last winter. (Now that I have Jane Austen in hardcover I really don't need all her paperbacks! I also had doubles of some books like Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Song of Bernadette. However, I'm not sure eliminating doubles can be considered progress....) I've decided if I can't see myself rereading a book within ten years, it's gone. And so I continue to ignore the piles of books I can't get to, because--ten years from what point? I'm my own worst enemy here.

I broke a cardinal rule just today by running to a rummage sale across the street and buying another bookcase...and four more books. The first blunder I admitted by mumbling it quickly to Eli after he woke up, and once he understood what I was trying to say, I tried to defuse the situation by explaining: "It was only $3.00!!! And..but...but...schoolbooks!" I'm a chicken and never brought up the fact a few books made it home with the shelf. Ergh.

I was actually able to weed down some of the boys' books lately. Though most of them were board books that have served their purpose, it helped that the bookcase was a cluttered, overflowing, heaping mess that made my lungs contract every time I looked at it. I was tired of passing it with my eyes closed.

I even flipped the middle shelf so it can start bending back the other way.

This box is all going onto the garage sale Eli's Mom is hosting at the end of the month. It's a little over a week away. This also explains the frequency of these "purge posts".

I'm sure there will be more books to discard once I go through next year's curriculum and reorganize all the shelves. If I do I'll update this post with the progress and may be able to delete the Not So part of the title. I'm not holding my breath, though. :)

For the mother post to this series, read "The Great Purge: Part I", here

and The Great (Furniture) Purge: Part II here.