7 Reasons Why It's OKAY To Let Go Of That Book

I used to think of my book collection as if it were an award certificate that showed people the knowledge I had earned through reading. My library was my badge stating “you have vast intelligence, uncanny wit, an unofficial degree in psychology and relationships, a terrifying obsession with sociopaths and serial killers, and a mild interest in spies, mystery and romance, you are for SURE self-helped and without a doubt fully woke and poetic”. Oh how proud of myself I was.

It took me a while to realize this honorable collection was only for me. I needed the book titles to remind myself of all the information I had consumed and not actually retained. No one else paid that much attention. Whatever I was able to retain came up in conversation without the necessity to provide the source. The rest was Googled on-demand. I wasn’t going to re-read the books to make the words stick. I also wasn’t going to stop mid-convo to go flip through pages to find something I wanted to refer to.

So the books I own just sit. Some are pretty and provide aesthetically pleasing decor in our home. Some I hope my children will read one day. Some I intend to pass along to a person in need, whenever that need arises.

In the traditional KonMari Tidying Method, the category of books is second on the list, after clothes and before papers. Tidying up your books is a great project to tackle after you’ve mastered the ability to declutter and organize your closet, but the urge to tidy up  your library can strike and be accomplished at any time.

So, I present to you seven reasons why it’s OKAY to let go of that book ::

1. Are you really ever going to read it again? Be honest. How many books have you read more than once? There are people who make a ritual out reading the same book once a year. Are you one of them?

2. Make a habit of gifting a home visitor a book on their way out. How cute is that? Maybe your visitor is going through something challenging you previously found your way out of through the text of an applicable book. Maybe they reminded you of a character in a novel you once devoured in one night. Hand it over with your best blessings.

3. Let go with gratitude. Thank the book and its contents for all it offered. Thank the author for bringing the characters, the story, the information, the feelings to life and into your life. Thank the publisher. Thank the printer. Thank the seller. It is so much easier to say farewell in partnership with thanks. Send it on with gratitude for it’s next consumer.

4. Know that letting go of things changes the way you acquire new things. When we let go with gratitude and recognition, we can buy new with intention and purpose, preventing frivolous and mindless consumption. By putting joy at the forefront, rather than the instant thrill of buying something new, we can change our consumption habits to offer something positive back into the world.

5. Discarding a book that no longer sparks joy creates space for a happier home and for the books you do desire to keep. Kept books are happier, and it becomes easier to maintain tidiness without the clutter of those items you truly don’t connect with any longer.

6. In time, you’ll very likely forget about it and give yourself the opportunity to enjoy it for the “first time” all over again. Imagine if you come across it in a book store, or find an intriguing review online, or maybe a stranger recommends it in passing, and you decide to unconsciously re-read it, it will feel like the first time. You have the chance to read it with a clean slate - no bias, no memory of what happened, just the novelty of a good book.

7. If you do remember everything about the book and therefore regret giving it up, you can likely buy it again, new or used. I’m not suggesting you just get rid of things without thought. All I’m saying is if you made a conscious, thoughtful decision to let something go and find yourself in a different phase of life that calls you back to it, there’s nothing wrong with supporting an author twice. The author, the publisher and the book-seller with all appreciate that you enjoyed the book enough to go back for more. I am confident the second time around you can find it discounted or pre-loved.

Go forth confidently with your decisions. If you decide to keep a book, or any item for that matter, trust yourself. If you decide to let go, trust yourself with that as well. Only you know what brings you joy and what brings extra clutter for you to dust.

Bear Method Organize provides in-person decluttering + organizing sessions for Los Angeles, California; Orange County, California; Malibu, California; Denver Metro, Colorado and all of the United States. We are available to travel to you nationwide. We also offer virtual declutter + tidy sessions worldwide.

Disclosure: Some links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we may receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Bear Method Organize and allowing us to continue to bring you valuable content.