I’ve been wanting to tackle my physical TBR book pile for awhile now. Last year I managed to get my Kindle books under control (I have between 10-20 unread at any given time – not too bad!) and limit my review requests.But the *real* books kept piling up. Mainly because of bookish events. Although I managed to read and review ALL of my BEA 2015 books – pats self on back – I still have books from BEA 2011, 12, 13 and 15. I was on track with my ALA 2016 books until October when one of my dogs was sick and eventually had to be put to sleep. I didn’t read feel like reading at all for almost 2 months.
I don’t plan on going to ALA or BEA this year so there shouldn’t be anymore events that bring in a large number of new books so it seems like the perfect time to tackle what I already have. I did join a challenge last year to read older books but I only read 6. I suck at challenges so I’m just going it on my own.
Two weeks ago I did my big library donation drop – this pile is post clearing out what I didn’t want/already read. It does not include my keeper books – books I’ve read and love/collect. These are just the ones I still need to read.
I started by plopping every unread book I could find on the kitchen floor. My plan was to organize them in some fashion and have pretty shelves.
Here they all are neatly lined up. 139 books total. Can I just leave them there?? It looks kind of neat and organized. lol And look at Figment saying MOM, Do you really need ALL these books?? Judge-y McJudge-y cat.
I would love to say I have gorgeous color coordinated rainbows of Instagram worthy book shelves now but I got overwhelmed and just shoved them back on the bookcase. lol The sorting will have to be another day.
I would like to get this pile (& any future TBR pile) down to around no more 50 books on hand at any given time. I think it’s doable because I read fast. If I put my mind to it it’s possible that I can knock off at least 1/2 of these, if not more, by the end of 2017.
I suffer no delusions that I won’t buy more books this year but just making a dent in this would make me really happy.
And on a side note, I’ve gotten MUCH better at not falling for hype and choosing books based on MY reading tastes and not OMG best book ever frenzies. That just leads to a stack of books you don’t want to read or end up hating – ending in a book slump. And 139 books laying across your kitchen floor.
What does your TBR pile look like?
Ugh. Karen, we're on the same boat. I'd like to think I'm making headway, but that's a lie. The buying and requesting need to stop. :/
ReplyDeleteGood luck to us. Lol.
WE CAN DO THIS! Maybe. Hopefully. At least make a dent. lol
DeleteOh man I need to clean out my shelves so bad :D
ReplyDeleteI think we're all in the same boat! lol
DeleteI am down to 40...but have been so for a year. Cos every time I finish 10 books, 10 more pop up. But they are manageable
ReplyDeleteI'll never be at zero so 40-50 seems totally manageable to me.
DeleteLOL, Figgy must have recognised his enemies - a.k.a. his competitors for his mum's love - and is anxiously awaiting for you to get rid of them. The reality check must have been awful ;D.
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes. I will pee on all of you making you unreadable! lol
DeleteFor the most part I don't ever really look or count my books. I just feel an enormous amount of pressure and then shut down when I do. But in this case I feel the need to see what I'm dealing with and make a plan. I think it's because I'm not going to any book cons this year so it *shouldn't* get much bigger than this.
I kind of love this picture. I just like seeing all the lovely books! I'm with you on wanting to get your physical TBR pile down though. I went through and took out a bunch of books that I still need to remove from my room, but my shelves are looking better. I didn't count them though, and something tells me I have more than you, but I don't know. I have books from such a long time ago up against more recent ones and while I took out a bunch, there were so many I really DO want to read. I'm trying to go through some Kindle/review books right now, but then I hope to start whittling down my own books.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
At one point - I'm sure I had well over 300 but I've been whittling them down the past few years.
Deleteoh its bad . I have books on my kindle and under my bed and and in a bag. I should read them but with school I haven't been reading as much :( Yeah I even have books in my garage bookshelf.
ReplyDeleteI used to have boxes stacked everywhere but I've managed to get everything on bookshelves and in a small stack int he living room. Progress! lol
DeleteOh no! I hate when that happens. I've made a huge dent in clearing out read/don't want books but the ones i need/want to read is another story.
ReplyDeleteYou are mean to ask what my pile looks like. I try to ignore the chaos and just go for the book that falls on my head. LOL Unfortunately I'm actually not far off with that being my reality. :) I still fall for the hype as I get so curious but I'm getting those at the library so it doesn't clutter up my pile more. However, it also doesn't diminish my pile either. :) Oh ... and... KITTY! :D
ReplyDeleteMy weakness comes from twitter links. They're just so easy to one-click!
DeleteGirl, you are SO speaking my language right now! This is why I never, EVA got an Instagram and I hardly ever take pictures on Twitter or for my blog posts because I want everything to be all nice and laid out but I don't have the patience for all that. teehee! I wish I could be awesome and take pictures and then post them on Instagram but... maybe one day. I too, have a bunch of books on my Kindle that I have YET to read. It gets me excited knowing I have so much to read and then it makes me feel totally overwhelmed. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteI wanted to do some color coordinated kind of shelf but most of my books are black lol Oh well.
DeleteI laughed my ass off Karen, we could be twins. I have an entire bookcase of unread books yet I still keep on purchasing more. They were books I just had to have, but some three years later and they're still siting there. I have books still in bookshops backs on my library floor. I don't request publisher books anymore (I think I've requested four or five in almost two years actually), but they're lovely enough to send me unsolicited copies. I'm so thankful we don't have book festivals in a way, no doubt I'd end up being maimed by a bookshelf 😂
ReplyDeleteThe blogger/reader curse! I think we're all inflicted.
DeleteThat was my wake up call. When I haven't touched the books I NEEDED to read. The unsolicited ones I don't feel too guilty about. These are the ones that I think I would enjoy and kept - I cleared outt he others already.
haha it does totally look like your cat is judging you. But honestly I'm impressed at this task you're taking on!
ReplyDelete"I’ve gotten MUCH better at not falling for hype and choosing books based on MY reading tastes and not OMG best book ever frenzies. That just leads to a stack of books you don’t want to read or end up hating – ending in a book slump" --> yes, me too thankfully!
Thankfully, my tbr pile looks nothing like this because I purged a lot of books that had been sitting on my shelf unread for way too long... then again, my tbr list on the other hand is scary long and could definitely use a going through...
This was after the purge lol I think I'm going to tackle a few I'm unsure of first and be willing to DNF if they don't grab my attention. That will clear some out quickly.
DeleteWell they look real pretty like that! My herd would be tackling the pile, though. lol Sadly I have way more than that here. *hangs head* The library book sales are brutal. I can't go to them anymore. lol
ReplyDeleteI thought so too! They were prettier across my floor than they are on the shelves lol
DeleteI used to have 300+ so this is me whittling it down O_O I don't go on book buying binges anymore.
omg - just seeing that pile makes me hyperventilate a little. I weeded out my TBR pile like crazy recently. I have to get real with myself and admit that if I haven't read a book after a *cough year cough* I'm never going to read it.
ReplyDeleteJen @ YA Romantics
That's post weeding lol
DeleteThese photos make me panic just looking at them, which is why I will not count them! LOL
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I've ever counted. I've had more but I thought maybe a little panic would get me moving. (It has not worked thus far lol)
DeleteI was looking for a book on my shelves the other day, and kept pulling out other books I haven't read and going '...when did I buy that? WHAT is this?!' lol terrible. I need to go through them all and do an excel spreadsheet but it seems like such a daunting task eep.
ReplyDeleteI've taken to writing down a list of books I think I might want, and not allowing myself to buy them for at least a week (or a month, if I'm feeling patient). It's amazing the amount of books I don't buy - although...that doesn't mean I don't take advantage of kindle freebies oops!
I wish you the best of luck getting through these (they really do look pretty on the floor!) Cats judge us always haha
Yessssssss!!! I have books from 2011 that I HAD TO READ RIGHT NOW.
DeleteI don't buy many anymore but the one-click sales on Amazon always get me.
OMG, we all are book addicts! Luckily for my husband I read mostly ebooks. We would run out of living space otherwise. Or end up with 2000 laying across our kitchen floor. Lol. Do you have any plan about reading these books or are you going to just pick up randomly?
ReplyDeleteThat pile is MUCH less than it was in years past. I tend to get e-books now too.
DeleteI'm such a mood reader so anytime I try to *plan* I go rogue on myself lol
I can’t deal with reading schedule too.
Delete