Everyone has their thing – tangibles that provide a bit of joy and happiness. For some people, it’s shoes. For others, it might be miniature collectibles. Books are my thing (as well as skin care products.) I will rarely donate or lend books, and I definitely have no plans to stop purchasing them. Naturally, it is easy to purge most things except your favorite things. So what’s the solution? Organization and enjoying what you have!
When it came down to my toiletries, I was shocked to see how many unused products I had. After giving away a few products to my mother and daughter, I made a commitment to not purchase more until I worked through my stash. With my books, I organized them neatly and by color (instant art!) I also made a commitment to stay out of bookstores as much as possible (where I have very little self control). Also, I try to be very intentional with my print version purchases. For example, I am more likely to purchase a cookbook as an ebook. In addition to freeing up counter space in the kitchen, it’s easier to shop for ingredients because I can access the book on my Kindle app.
Minimalism is not about getting rid of everything. But once you rid yourself of the things you don’t want, you’ll have more time and space to enjoy the things you love.
We did a purge of books last week. As much as I love print books, I had to admit some books no longer resonated with me or my littles. One large box of books to good will. Then we came home, and like your story, organized books by color as best as we could given our space. I also find that children tend to like some books more than others, so they don’t seem to mind much giving them away to others.
I also find joining a library or increasing your visits is a great way to be minimalist and still indulge a love of books. I can explore so many texts for no cost (other than my tax $$) and return them when I am done. win-win-win!