Getting rid of books… isn’t that a crazy idea? Yet, everyone does it at some point. The main reason I have a hard time with getting rid of books is thinking of the money I spent on them. I mean, buying a book and reading it only once seems like a waste, right? In that case I’d be better off using the library. However, it’s not like I know whether I’ll love or hate the book when I buy it (this is why I’ve gotten more selective in my purchases this past year) so I don’t know before hand if it’s a “waste” of money or not (books are never a waste, really… but there are exceptions).

Sometimes I feel it’s necessary to go through my collection once in a while and see what books I should let go of. I mean, I’d love to one day own my own house with a big room for a library so that I don’t ever have to get rid of any, but then again, I’d eventually need the space for all the new books I’d be getting. But for now, I move around a lot, so I like to keep the collection a size that’s not too hard to pack up and move.

The main reason I ever get rid of books is partly in what I mentioned before, which is that I just didn’t like the book or I know it’s one I won’t reread (or at least I don’t plan to). I don’t see the point in holding onto books that I won’t read again. They’re better off if I donate them to the library or sell them cheap on PangoBooks, because that way those books will find a new home. It’s likely that the person who ends up with the book will love it more than I did, you know?

There’s also the fact that sometimes, even though I like to reread books, that there’s some I just decide I don’t need to hold onto anymore. Well, at least the physical copy of it. There are times when I’ll get rid of a book and then buy the ebook version so I still have it, but it’s not taking up space. Plus, it’s always on hand for travel (I say that like I travel a lot, ha). This doesn’t happen very often though.

That’s pretty much the criteria I use for getting rid of books… whether or not I’ll reread it. Sometimes, like the classics, I’ll hold onto because, you know, it’s a classic. Unlike at the library, my books don’t get moldy and gross, so I don’t have to factor that in when I’m going through my books.

If you happen to be in that place in your life where you need to get rid of books, check out this Book Riot article, ‘When to Get Rid of Books.’ It’s pretty helpful with five tips of how you should decide if a book stays or goes.

Do you get rid of books? If so, how do you decide which ones to let go? Discuss.

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