It has been a long time since I actively decluttered these shelves. They hold my journals, magazines, books on child rearing, on being a Mom, and being a Christian. They also hold my decor and design books, fitness and diet. In short, stuff that's personal. (Though all books, really, are personal.)
I haven't referenced nearly any of them in a long, long time. Still, I was shocked at how much dross these shelves held. Fortunately, it was much, much easier to sift it out than I'd thought it would be.
rejects: the chair is piled with magazines and the laundry hamper is full of books.
I started clearing out and cleaning up these shelves ten days ago. Actually, it only took me about three long, concentrated sessions to deal with them: but it took ten days for those sessions to avail themselves. You know how that goes.
These are my journals. I looked up the first and last date and wrote them down on labels. They all overlap. I would lose it, start another, lose it, find the original, then use whatever was nearest to hand. I'm sure you know how that goes, too.
I haven't kept a journal for several months now. They seemed to devolve into To Do lists. I think I'll start up again for May and see if they will be valuable to me again. I've kept one fairly continuously since High School.
I went through an old red velvet box holding jewellry from my childhood and gave most of the necklaces to my daughter. I dusted the fan. I transferred my summer tops and pj's into my drawers and will put away the winter stuff as it emerges from the laundry.
Would anyone be interested in buying back issues of Martha Stewart Kids magazine, or of Elle Decor, do you think? I'm not sure what to do with those.
I have plans to iron and rehang my curtains, (I want to rehang the rod, too) and declutter my dresser, but for the most part, I'm finished with Spring Cleaning the bedroom.
So, here are the bookshelves in the bedroom.
before:
It may have been Maxell Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy or maybe it was someone else, but when giving advice about how many books to declutter, someone once said you should clear out as many books as you are willing the future to bring.
I think I'm ready for the future.
Linking to our Hostess, Jules for the William Morris Thursday morning coffee klatch at Pancakes and French Fries.
8 comments :
You decluttered lot of books, well done. AS you said the best thing is that now you have room for something new.
I've never kept a journal, I tried it once when I was a teenager, but I felt that I had nothing to write. Do you ever read your old journals?
Oh boy . . . I'm afraid my bookshelves may look a lot like your "before" photo. Each week I dust around items, while thinking I really should move everything out and dust like I'm suppose to. Maybe this will be the week!
My bookshelf is not only filled with dozens of books I don't absolutely love, it's also filled with clutter that we stick in there in a pinch when someone unexpectedly drops in for a visit. Every time I walk past it I tell myself I'll get to it, just not today.
Yours looks great! I'm so impressed with your journaling skills. I have never been able to keep that up for more than a couple of weeks. That'll be nice to come back to and read someday.
Cleaning and decluttering the bedroom makes such a big difference, doesn't it? You're just able to relax without looking at a bunch of things that need to be done. I'm so impressed by your spring cleaning schedule. I need to take that on as well!
Love it! Organizing books is good therapy in my opinion. I like the idea of leaving room for future books!
I love finding hidden dirt because maybe it means I will sneeze less in my house if I clean it up! Great job. You have stacks of journals like my sister. They are valuable to have and read over...but where to store the tattered things?? Perhaps that is why I don't journal.:)
-Leilani
I love books and everything to do with books, even decluttering and organizing them. I admire you so much for keeping a journal. That seems such a wonderful habit.
After doing a job like this I am always struck by the sense of "what a load off"...interesting since it literally is a load of books you hauled out of there.
Those old Martha's Kids magazines were good. Does your library have a fundraiser book sale? I think people would buy them there if you donated them.
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