I don’t know if you guys will remember this, but about a year and a month ago (yes, I know, that’s a very very long time to remember things), I discussed the problem of what to do with books you don’t want anymore. I basically explained my solution: I couldn’t donate my books to the library because they won’t accept books or any other places due to transit costs (living in NYC is expensive), host many giveaways and mail them out because of all the shipping costs, and throwing books away is just such a waste, a tragedy, and makes me cry in the inside. You guys then offered some solutions for me to try out.
Well, guess what? About a year and one month later, I finally found a solution that really works for me when it comes to clearing my shelves. I thought I’ll share this solution with you guys too, as obvious as the solution is, just in case you also have this clearing your shelves problem and might also want to use this solution! Don’t worry, this solution is simple and not complicated.
I’ve been blogging for nearly two years and have attended a lot of author events and met up with a lot of bloggers in the city I live in, New York City, who also sometimes attend the same author events that I do. We tweet with each other and got the chance to know one another really well.
So if you want to clear your shelves, my solution is to take pictures of all the books you don’t want and ask your friends that live in the same area as you do if they want any of the books you want to give away. You can meet up where ever and whenever you guys like. For example, if you two are planning on attending the same author event in your area, you can just give the books you don’t want to them at that author event. There’s no extra expenses for you since you’re going to the author event anyway and you’ll be happy to know that your books would be going to a new, loving home. It’s simple and uncomplicated.
Do you already do this to help clear your shelves? Do you have any other options/advice on clearing your shelves? I want to know!
Ha! I do something like that but I give mine out for free on Gumtree:P
Tallulah :)
Sounds like a great solution, if there were any events out here that I could attend with fellow bloggers. (then again, I don’t think I’ll have the heart to give books away because I lub my books <3) I'm glad it works for you though!
Sandra @Sandra’s World of Books recently posted…Just One Day – Gayle Forman
That’s a great idea! I don’t get rid of my books, I’m a book hoarder but if I did this would be a good way to do it :)
Ashton recently posted…Review: Destruction (December People #1) by Sharon Bayliss
I like that idea, I also take some of my books over to the Stand to sell, only to turn around and use that money to buy more books.
I have some local used books stores that will buy books. You don’t get much for them, but they then get resold to new buyers and you make a few bucks. To buy more books of course!
Jenny @ Reading on the Farm recently posted…V.E. Schwab news!
That sounds like a great idea, it also is a great way to help interconnect fellow bloggers with one another
Keely recently posted…Set Me Free Book Blitz and Giveaway!
I’m a book hoarder, so I don’t have that many books to give away, but the books I don’t like are starting to take up unnecessary room on my shelf so they need to go. I was thinking of selling them on ebay or something, but only if I offered them to people I know and no one wanted the book. Ideally, I could find someone to give it away to.
I organised a blogger meet up & book swap in my area recently and it was really fun! I created a goodreads group for those attending (so it was easier to organise time, location etc) and we all met up and swapped books (then went to see Divergent and wander through bookstores XD ) It was a lot of fun.
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I tend to keep books even if I didn’t like them, and this sounds like a really good idea! I’ll have to give it a try if I have too many books that I don’t want anymore :)
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Yikes throwing away books is definitely not an option for me. That thought already makes me sad D: ! I think that’s a really great idea because you’re not only sharing your books, but you’re also meeting up bloggers and you get to know them. :) Great idea! I haven’t done that and idk when, but as of now, I think I’ll give away my books through giveaways.
Leigh @ Little Book Star recently posted…Review: The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Give them to schools! Especially YA/MG. There ought to be lots of teachers looking for books. I give all my Elementary and MG books to my students in our end of the year rewards store. So I struggle with YA/Adult books, but tend to give some to my sisters in law, who love to read, or friends as well.
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That is a great idea! A lot of people in my area have those mini library boxes in front of their houses, I really want to get one so I can share books that way.
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
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Love it!
I sell them and then buy new ones with the money. There are also those free library boxes too. I know that you can’t sell ARCs so those would be good places to donate books. My city has a Lending Library, which is similar to the Free Library Boxes. Lucky for me, it is located in my son’s elementary school so I always go and browse the shelves while I wait for my son. So if you want, it’s worth it to check with your school system to see if they have a similar program.
That’s actually a really great idea!
I’m lucky enough to live in a town with a great used bookstore, so that’s what I always do with the books I no longer want, but this is a really great idea (especially in a big city like New York!).
Jessica recently posted…REVIEW: Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
I used to sell them but now I just give them away. It’s easiest that way.
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That’s an awesome plan, Kelly!
I’ve been needing to clear up some shelf space (or, rather, I should say floor space, since all the bookshelves are jam-packed right now!) of my own. For the longest time I was a total hoarder but now I’m starting to admit that I’ll never read some of these again – some of them were a struggle to finish in the first pace. My solution: sell them. I’m lucky enough to work for a bookshop that also buys books. Now I just need to find the time to weed out the ones I want to get rid of!
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that’s a great idea – we actually do the hand off around here as well – I also tend to ship mine off to friends. I know you said shipping is out because UGH – the cost sucks tbh (I just calculated what I’ve paid in shipping things so far this year and I cringe) But what about if someone offered to pay the shipping as long as you boxed and sent them? just an idea. otherwise we sometimes donate them to shelters etc because they always need reading material (Ronald McDonald House, Shelters for Families etc etc)
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That’s a really sweet idea!
I would do this, but I don’t have any book blogger friends in my area. They are all so far away! And I would do this for friends, though I don’t have many that actually read. :s
So for me, charity is the best option. It costs me nothing. Sometimes I will offer them to he local book exchange first, to see if they would like to buy them off of me. :P
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I usually go to my local secondhand book store and trade my books in for store credit.
I usually trade my books in for store credit
Chetana recently posted…ShitIHaveTooManyBooks Read – A – Thon: Updates + Wrap – Up
It might be difficult to donate them to a hospital due to the transportation issue you mentioned but that is an idea. I’m sure there are lots of people there that would appreciate a book.
I’ve always thought it would be wonderful to just leave books randomly in places with a note that it was for someone to take and enjoy.
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I’m actually a book hoarder and I never clean out my books. The last time I gave books away so about 4 years ago and I didn’t have space for 200 middle grade books. And I gave those to a charity.
If I ever clear out books, it’s because I have more then one of the same book and it’s not signed(if it’s signed, I’ll keep both copies).
I’ve sold a few on Ebay and I’ve given them to my grandmother (who’s a big reader and she’s always interested in what I read).
Otherwise, I keep all my books. I love have stacks and stacks of them all over my room. I like coming home and seeing 500+ books all over the place. I’m dreading the day I have to move but I can’t part with my books. :)
Really creative solution! I myself used to begrudge and keep them, however, since I became a book blogger I realized I’m better off either sell them or give them away. (Sometimes it’s just impossible for me to be able to give away and I need to sell them.) I also consider giving them to a library a good way to “get rid of them”.
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