75 Books...More or Less! discussion

I think this challenge was pretty fun and successful last year so we're bringing it back! We didn't start it until June so 2017 we'll have way more time to read the books you already own and clean off some shelves!

I know for me, I don't feel the need to keep every. single. book I read after I've read it anymore. I used to *love* having all the books! But now, it's just clutter. I've even gotten rid of a lot of TBR books on my bookshelves because I know I can get them from my e-library! That's big for me. ;)

I'd like to continue de-cluttering my books and will read at least 25 of my pre-owned books in 2017! How many will you read off your bookshelves?

I'm shooting for 16- that clears off an entire shelf of books that have been waiting for... well, I've had them for at least two moves, lol.

Stacie wrote: "I'm shooting for 16- that clears off an entire shelf of books that have been waiting for... well, I've had them for at least two moves, lol."

Good goal!

Now that I look back at the 2016 RWYO discussion, I don't think I ever declared a number. I think I will finish 13 books in 2016 (but I didn't start until late). So for 2017, I want to do better, so I am going to say 20. Hope I can do that. I have a lot of books to read.

Carol wrote: "Now that I look back at the 2016 RWYO discussion, I don't think I ever declared a number. I think I will finish 13 books in 2016 (but I didn't start until late). So for 2017, I want to do better, s..."

Good goal, Carol!

I'm really pushing myself to read what I own this year! My goal is to read FIFTY books that I own.

Andrea wrote: "I'm really pushing myself to read what I own this year! My goal is to read FIFTY books that I own."

Good luck! Maybe that will inspire me...

I am going to push for 25. I have so many books that I need to read! I keep buying more.... :)

is sitting on the bedside table. That will get me started on this challenge, and I want to re-read this year. I assume the dog eared copy in the basement counts as a book I own. I think I can meet a goal of 20 in this category, should be fun!

Drew wrote: " is sitting on the bedside table. That will get me started on this challenge, and I want to re-read this year. I assume the dog..."

I also have The Woman in Cabin 10 waiting for me. I will get to it next year!

I can play this game! :-)
I have 15 books that are on my general challenge that I will add this as well. I didn't count Kindle books though. If I do that, the number will be much higher. :-)

Andrea, YOU GO GIRL!!!!! ♥

This looks like a great group! I was hoping to find a "Read What You Own" challenge group so I'm glad you guys are here. I have maybe 50 books that I've been hanging onto without reading (some of them for years). I'd like to get rid of them all this year, i.e. either read them and keep them or at least try them and pass them along if they turn out to be no good. I'm trying to only keep books that I absolutely love and my pile of unread books is ruining my feng shui!

So glad you found us Falina, the more the merrier! We all seem to be good at collecting...hahaha

Falina wrote: "This looks like a great group! I was hoping to find a "Read What You Own" challenge group so I'm glad you guys are here. I have maybe 50 books that I've been hanging onto without reading (some of t..."

We've just added this challenge to the group last year and it seems to be helping our stores of books. lol. I *love* seeing all of my books displayed out but I have far too many. I downsized when I moved and really need to focus on reading what I own. Please head over to Introductions! and tell us a little about yourself! :)

I'm in, I think last year I just quit posting what I read off my own bookshelves but a big part of my reading goals is to actually post what I'm reading. My goal is 50 books that I own in paper form.

Lori, we have the same goal! I would be thrilled to get rid of 50 of my own books :)

My mother would be thrilled for me to get rid of 50 of my books. She tends to forget that I have 29 boxes of books in storage. ;-)

For the first time in over 7 years all of my books are at my new house! I just got the last 3 totes from my parents' attic last week. I don't have bookcases yet but it's just satisfying and comforting to have all my books in one place. :)

I am definitely doing this one ;)!
I have to take a long, thoughtful look at my bookshelf and decide how many for my goal.

Just for clarity, this challenge is for the whole year, right?

Rachel Joy wrote: "I am definitely doing this one ;)!
I have to take a long, thoughtful look at my bookshelf and decide how many for my goal.

Just for clarity, this challenge is for the whole year, right?"

Yes, it is. One a week, one a month, a random number, whatever! :)

Elyse wrote: "For the first time in over 7 years all of my books are at my new house! I just got the last 3 totes from my parents' attic last week. I don't have bookcases yet but it's just satisfying and comfort..."

I love that feeling :) My next goal is to get all of my boxes into the house (most of them are still in boxes in the garage, LOL!

Elyse wrote: "For the first time in over 7 years all of my books are at my new house! I just got the last 3 totes from my parents' attic last week. I don't have bookcases yet but it's just satisfying and comfort..."

When I moved I got these cheap shelves thinking they would hold me over for a year or two until I was ready to buy more substantial shelves. I ended up buying a total of 4 for under $120. They are loaded down with books and they are still in very good condition after almost 10 years.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/21997602?w...

Andrea, I have the same bookshelves. They have lasted over 15yrs and 3 moves.

Andrea wrote: "Elyse wrote: "For the first time in over 7 years all of my books are at my new house! I just got the last 3 totes from my parents' attic last week. I don't have bookcases yet but it's just satisfyi..."

Oh wow! Thanks!

This is a good one for me because I have a lot on my TBR shelf and have made myself limit how many books I take on for review so I can get some of these read!

Lori wrote: "Andrea, I have the same bookshelves. They have lasted over 15yrs and 3 moves."

That is so funny Lori!! I want to replace all the furniture in my office/craft room with the Ikea office furniture in white. I just feel bad because my shelves are still in great condition so it's kind of a waste of money....lol

Andrea wrote: "Lori wrote: "Andrea, I have the same bookshelves. They have lasted over 15yrs and 3 moves."

That is so funny Lori!! I want to replace all the furniture in my office/craft room with the Ikea office..."

You can't use them somewhere else in your house? Or donate them!

Hey guys, you may have seen this article (or one very similar) floating around on Facebook. It is about how to read more books. I was surprised to find I was already doing it. As they say, "So many books, so little time."

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/...

Carol wrote: "Hey guys, you may have seen this article (or one very similar) floating around on Facebook. It is about how to read more books. I was surprised to find I was already doing it. As they say, "So many..."

I definitely already do a lot of these tips! :)

Ok, I've been dithering about this one for over a week. I acquired A LOT of new books last year after having begun to downsize and move to more e-library loans. I went to three large used book sales, shopped after book club every month, and inherited many books from a colleague who is retiring and clearing his shelves.

My overall goal for the year is 60 books (one each week for a challenge category and then book club selections that don't fit). I will try to read two books from my shelves each month.

Carol wrote: "Hey guys, you may have seen this article (or one very similar) floating around on Facebook. It is about how to read more books. I was surprised to find I was already doing it. As they say, "So many..."

Great article! I do almost all of those things and I think they do help to keep me being an avid reader. I have four things I want to do in my free time; spend time with family, work out, scrapbook, and reading of course. I find a hard time balancing all of those things with longer work days and traveling back and forth to work. Thankfully audio books keep me "reading" even when I have trouble finding to pick up a book.

So so hard for me to get rid of books...! Unless I read them and didn't like them. That's easy. But I cannot get rid of books I haven't read yet, there's love potential! lol

I had to re-buy a book this weekend. I had it since the 1980s and figured I'd never read it, so it went to a used book sale several years ago. Now I decided I want to read it. The kicker - I had a first edition! So much for getting rid of books 😠

Kayla wrote: "Elyse wrote: "So so hard for me to get rid of books...! Unless I read them and didn't like them. That's easy. But I cannot get rid of books I haven't read yet, there's love potential! lol"

I feel ..."

Oh my! That's an incredible amount of books! I only have about 400 physical, still working on getting them all on my "home library physical" Goodreads shelf. Thousands on the Kindle! lol

This is a good way to just concentrate on whatever books I have at home. I have so many of them and I'm still buying more books almost every week. On top of that, I go to the library once a month and borrow more books. I will try to read 35 books that I own for my 2017 80 book challenge for the remainder of this year, including my Kindle books.

I went to the library today to return and borrow new audio books. I was so tempted to take out some books but I just kept telling myself I have a thousand books at home that will cry if I bring home a new book....lol

I donated a ton of books I was never gonna look at again last year, including a trilogy I started but didn't like (but the covers were so pretty!). I gave them to the library so I could visit them and people who actually wanted to read them could.

Shelby, I donated about 200 unread books this year. It was really hard at first but the more I let go of the more I realized that I was never going to read most of those. Like Marie Kondo says you can always borrow them from the library or buy them on a device in seconds. I really need to do another pass through soon. I still have way too many!

I have some in the garage too that I need to go through, you just reminded me Kayla!