Tuesday 28 December 2010

Reorganizing books

My husband has been gently (and not so gently) telling me I need to clear away some of my children's book for nearly a year now. The children and I have been resisting but this week we finally did it! It was time to finally get rid of some of the more childish books that my youngest has outgrown. It was a hard process as the kids resisted, they love all their books and they a hard time admitting that certain books were just too young for them now. Princess wanted to keep them because she said she reads them to her dolls. That made my heart melt and I almost gave in. But really I couldn't we are over flowing with children's books and out of book shelf room, they had to be thinned!

The before pictures -- I forgot to take a picture of their end tables next the their beds, they were overflowing with books my children insisted they were reading. I counted 13 on Princess's end table and 7 on Little Man's:)

The Hall way book case










Little Man's book case in his room













Princess's book case in her room -- this is not a fair representation as we had already started sorting by the time I thought to take a picture:) trust me it was in the same condition as her brother!








By the time we were done we had three boxes of books that are ready to donate!
I have invited a few people I know with small children to stop by the house this week and take what books they want for themselves the rest will go to the charity shop other wise known as the thrift store!



It took us two full morning to get these three bookshelves in order. The finish result.....

The top shelf is still full of books that the children have outgrown but said they could not live without. I admit there are a few of my favorites in there as well.
The second shelf is all my holiday books. I found so many missing Christmas stories that I usually read to the children every year but couldn't locate. I really need to label my clean shelves
The third shelf is full of classic novels I have found that I want to read to my daughter and eventually to my son. I have several revised versions as well as original versions. My husband and I really like Usbourne revised books for the classics. We have read Huckleberry Fin and Moby Dick and my daughter really enjoyed them and we as parents felt they were not dumb down to much and the themes of the story were still present. We have had some great discussions with her as we read. I highly recommend them:)


Little Man's bookcase. I have moved all of my daughter's starter chapter books into my son's room. I am really trying to get him out of the mind set that he can't read a chapter book without me. His reading skills are excellent and he is more than ready, just needs a nudge, I think. We have Magic tree house, Magic school bus, Dinosaur Cove, A to Z mysteries and a few others. He also has a shelf just for his super hero books:) and we still have all of Dr Seuss books.





Princess's book shelf. We have Boxcar children, Nancy Drew, Harry Potter, Ink heart series, Secret of Droons, and her mystical creatures books and mythology books. We found several books that her father has bought her that haven't been read because she forgot they are there:)







I wonder how long they will stay like this....

28 comments:

  1. We are in the same "boat" over here...we have 4 bookcases full of kids books and I just can't donate yet...my littlest is 19 months so we have a little time before getting rid of the small children's books...but I know it's just down the road...so hard to giveaway books...I love them...so many memories shared over books!

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  2. Thanks for this post. Downsizing our books is something on my list to do, but I am a book junkie and it is soooo hard to let go. Some I will save for sentimental reasons :)

    The shelves look great!

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  3. I feel your pain! I have SUCH a hard time letting go of books too! But, like you, we're out of shelf space. Great post! Visiting from the Hop...I'm you're newest follower! :-)

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  4. HI Melissa, Mary, and Kara,
    Yes it was very, very hard to sort the books as the children had their favorites and I had mine. That is why it has taken a year of nagging from my husband to get it done. My kids know that I won't buy them toys but just ask me for a book and I will most likely buy it:) I am so thankful that my husband and I have passed on the love of reading to our children!!!

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  5. great job on clearing out the books! I just did that with my books and it feels so good to have my bookshelves organized again! :) nice to meet you!!!

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  6. Hi! Stopping by from Hip Homeschool Hop. I am now following your blog via GFC. Loved this post and you did a great job! Have a wonderfully blessed day!

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  7. Hi Jenilee,
    Thanks for stopping by.

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  8. Hi Guiding Light,
    Thanks for following and I will follow back:).

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  9. That is a thing of Beauty! I love the looks of an organized book shelf!!! and I like organizing them- when I have the time.

    Stopping by from the Homeschool Hop!

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  10. HI Kimberly,
    Thanks for stopping by:) Organization is nice but often alludes me:)

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  11. I love seeing organized bookshelves. (sigh)

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  12. Hi Susan,
    I loved it once they were done but it was so hard to toss beloved books. It will be awhile before we do it again:)

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  13. I came across your site through the teaching/homeschool section of Picketfence and thought I would share a creative writing site for kids (and adults) that I have just set up - come and see the "I Wonder Chronicles for literacy and creativity" - use the prompts and add to the wonder!

    more here: http://dthaase-lines.blogspot.com

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  14. oh wow. Thanks for the reminder! LOL I desperately need to do the same. Our bookshelves are overflowing and I have a very hard time letting go of books. Thanks for joining in the Hip Homeschool Hop!

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  15. Wow! I know that was tough, but those shelves look so much more inviting now. :)

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  16. Great job Anna-Marie! The shelves look so nice! I always have trouble getting rid of books and it doesn't help that our local library has a bi-annual book sale where books are $1 or less. I have found some great finds for as little as 25 cents! This definitely does not help the book addiction! I recently organized our book shelves in our classroom and told the kids (again) how to carefully place a book back on the shelf with its spine out. Like you, we'll see how long our shelves stay organized! Happy reading :) and I clicked a vote for you today!

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  17. So hard getting rid of books. Of course there are always more to replace the ones we get rid of. Then the process starts all over again. lol
    I voted for you. Have a great day, Anna-Marie.

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  18. HI dthaase, Joy and Sherry,
    Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
    @dthaase will be checking out your site very soon.

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  19. Hi Tracy,
    Books are my down fall, my husband is afraid to let me into a book store:) because I will spend every penny I have on books. I do collect most of our books at Charity shops or the library. I am on great terms with our Librarian and he lets me know when a bag of books have been donated and the library can't use them. If I can get in there quickly I get first look thru. I often come home with bags full:)

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  20. Hi Lynda,
    Did you notice we still don't have any book shelf space:) so yes we will be overflowing again. My husband predicts that by March books will once again rule the house:) I am think February, I am addicted to books, can't help myself

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  21. Wonder if there is a 12 step program for book addicts;)

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  22. I hope not Anna-Marie. I would hate to have to go all those meetings. It would be pretty hard to give up such a wonderful addiction. =)
    I have an issue with movies too. DVD's are so much easier to store, but they do start to pile up. I just went through some and got rid of a box full. I hate to give away my Disney and Pixar collection, but I'm a big girl now.
    I voted for you today.

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  23. Don't tell me you got rid of Disney and Pixar movies as we are now collecting them for the kids. I really dislikes that Disney keeps some movies in vaults and releases them only every couple of years. My Daughter wants a Mulan movie and we can't get it for her. It is driving me crazy!!

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  24. Hi! I'm your newest follower. I would love it if you would follow back at one or all four of my blogs :)

    www.singleparentretreat.com
    http://singlemamachallenges.blogspot.com/
    http://motherdaughterconnection.blogspot.com/
    http://jmconsultingservices.blogspot.com/

    Happy New Year!

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  25. I am arrived via Homeschooling Bloogers Haven. I love your site. We have book every where in our house. I would love to have a central locationf or them all.

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  26. it looks like your kids are on their way to a lifetime of enjoying good books. good job, Mom!

    monica

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  27. Hi Jacqui, Joi and Monica
    Thanks for stopping by and commenting and I will be visiting your blogs shortly:)

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  28. What a great job! I have the hardest time of purging books too. Wait til you see our shelves - you will believe me! Very inspiring! Thanks for linking up! :)

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