In case you didn’t know, today (February 20th) is national “clean out your bookshelf” day. (What isn’t there a national day for at this point?) I heard about it on a podcast and thought it would be a good time to at least go through the books I have and to see what I haven’t read yet. I usually keep the books I’ve read and really loved, and the rest are mostly ones that I’ve picked up at thrift stores or ordered secondhand from eBay and plan to get to eventually.
Right now, there’s no rhyme or reason to my shelves–no color coding or alphabetizing for me. Everything is just shoved in together, and while there’s something I do love about the look of a haphazard bookcase, it would be nice to know what’s actually waiting to be read.
I pulled some of the titles that I had bought, tucked away and forgotten about and took a few pictures. (Tell me if you have any thoughts on what I should read next.)
As far as the styling part goes, I’m still pretty happy with the way my shelves look and where my blue and white collection has mostly ended up. The tiny little lamp is a relatively new addition from Amazon and gives off a nice glow at night.
Do you regularly clean out your shelves? How do you decide what to keep and what to purge?
Find my book recommendations here.
I will always vote for any Louise Penny book! I love Gamache like he’s real….and check out her Three Pines on Amazon prime (fun, just not as awesome as her books).
I just finished Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo moyes and enjoyed it. Not life changing, but fun.
I’m liking Jeff Zentner after the big boo cast recommended….😀
Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron was a nice change.
I love Karen White’s books and am anxiously awaiting a new release in June. The Tradd Street series is my fave, but her others didn’t disappoint.
Thanks for being an authentic yet positive corner of the interwebs!
Thanks for all of the recommendations :)
Fun options to read! I think you have the 3rd Louise penny in the series- they can stand alone but better in order. Cheesy but fast reads :)
I started one of hers and never finished. I think I’ll try again but may pick up the first one.
Love your bookshelves! We have many of the same books – and I second Karen White books plus the ones she’s written with Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig. My daughter told me yesterday that I should take off all the covers on my books in my bookcases – I said no way!! :-)
Thanks, Lee. I’ve read several Beatriz Williams books but never Karen White. I’ll look them up.
I love your bookshelves as they are. However, your styling skills are second to none, so I am sure they will be just as pretty, should you opt to change them up.
Thank you for linking the rug in your room. That pattern gets me every time. I have been considering ordering one for my living room, and wanted to ask how yours has held up? We have a dog that goes in and out from the backyard all day long. I adore her, but she can be tough on rugs. I would need a 9 x 12 size, so it would be considerably more expensive than the rugs I typically buy for this room. I usually buy an inexpensive jute rug because I know I will need to change it out in less than a year. Hoping this rug might be a good option that would hold up well and still add a bit more formality to the room. Thanks so much for your help!
I still our love our sisal rug. I like that it doesn’t have to be “trimmed” or come loose like our jute one did. And it’s much softer on bare feet. We don’t have pets but it’s held up really well with the kids, with the exception of a blueberry smoothie spill. I panicked and poured hydrogen peroxide on it and it faded that spot some.
Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question. So very nice of you! I am going to order the rug. :-)
Love karen white, too. Read Tradd st in order. Nancy Thayer is wonderful. Barbara deLinsky, great. Bararbara Davis, new to me so I have lots to read. The first three I have read every word published.
Glory over Everything is wonderful – but you need to read The Kitchen House first. Make sure you have tissues!
Oh man! Of the ones shown, Pachinko and Olive Kitteridge stand out as two I recommend often. Now I’m looking up the other titles shown on Libby to see what I can borrow.
One Thousand White Women is excellent!
I love the way your bookshelves look and how tall they are. You have given me some ideas for my smaller bookshelf in my living room. It is on my to do list to go through mine and my kids books. It is hard for me to get rid of ones I have read more than a few times. So those are on a bookshelf in my room. In my living room are classics or religious books.
I highly recommend Louise Penny’s books if you like mysteries. I discovered her last year and read all of her ebooks through my library. And a tv series about some of her books came out on Amazon Prime in the fall. But I didn’t love some of the stuff the changed for the tv version.
Pachinko is really wonderful!
I can vouch for Pachinko and Louise Penney too.
I am enjoying Still Life right now.
I donate contemporary fiction to the library book sales and keep non-fiction, cook books, and classics. My husband has every Stephen King Book ever written, they have a special shelf in our office.
I’ve yet to read a Stephen King! I don’t know if I’m too chicken or just don’t know where to start…