Welcome to the 30-Day Organize-athon!
In today’s 5 minutes we’re going to express-organize your library of books, DVDs and/or CDs.
Before you start, inhale a sense of clarity, freedom and order; now let’s get going.
Day 7: Organize Your Books, DVDs, and/or CDs
Decide if you want to tackle books, DVDs, CDs, or a combination. What you can achieve in 5 minutes will depend on the size of your various collections.
Step 1: Take a large box (or bag) to your bookshelves, or wherever you store your library. Moving quickly from top left to bottom right, put into the box:
- Books you’ve read and won’t re-read
- Unread books you’re never likely to read
- Books that contain out-of-date information (that means most reference books, encyclopedias, etc)
- Old textbooks – unless you graduated, like, this decade
- Binders of seminar/course info (unless you really believe you’ll refer to them)
- Archived magazines (do you ever look back at them?)
- Manuals for software or computers you no longer use
- Software CDs for programs you no longer use
- Computer games the kids (or you) have outgrown
- CDs you no longer listen to
- CDs ripped to your iPod and backed up on your computer (if you only want the CD booklet, just keep that)
- DVDs you’ve seen and won’t re-watch
- DVDs the kids have outgrown
- Unseen DVDs you’re never likely to watch
- Photo albums you never look at
- Photo albums that have negative memories
- Video or audio cassettes if you no longer have players for them.
Step 2: Take your box(es) to the door or straight to the car. You can usually donate novels, non-fiction books, CDs and DVDs to libraries; the rest can probably be recycled. Take care with data and photos.
Step 3: Do a quick re-order to make better use of the newly liberated space on your shelves. Dewey Decimal, anyone?
And you’re done!
Got an Extra 5 Minutes?
- If you only did books, do DVDs and/or CDs – or vice-versa.
- Get a damp cloth and wipe down your shelves and your collection.
- If you haven’t already, investigate your local library. It’s a fabulous way to enjoy books, DVDs and CDs without cluttering up your home.
Now don’t you just want to make a cup of coffee and settle down with a good book?
The 30-Day Organize-athon Mantra
Move fast. Don’t overthink. Let it go!
Leave Your Comment Below…
Please leave a comment below to say you’ve completed today’s task.
See you tomorrow!
[Image by aussiegall]
OK this one is huge for me. I have unpacked and sorted all the CDs into my office space so that I can begin to convert them to lossless (and get rid of the CDs). So technically this part is done, but I want to do the same with my DVDs/Blu-rays and I’m not even going to tell you how many books I have. Do I technically count this as done, and come back to it in the 52 Organizing Missions, or do I persevere with this one for several weeks probably…decisions decisions…
I suggest you do a top-level task now Amanda – perhaps getting rid of things you don’t want to keep – then do a more thorough organizing job with 52M. If you love your books and DVDs (sounds like you do!) you’ll want to take a little time on this. 🙂
OK, I will continue with the major work on the CDs having started that now, but having done a top level for the living room part of the DVDs and Books, I’ll return to this for 52M, thanks Michele 🙂
This I did during the living room day 1 part. I have a small stack(about 4) of cookbooks that are next to my binder, that I am writing recipes into so I can ditch these one by one.
Cool Stacey – you’ll only have the recipes you use, so you’ll find what you want more easily. 🙂
Done!
done
been gone for two weeks…now I am back. Done with got rid of VHS videos I have been hanging on to.