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- Books that contain out-of-date information (that means most reference books, encyclopedias, etc)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]
6 months ago I sorted CDs and DVDs (alphabetically!) So I only had to do the books – and done! 🙂
Day 7 done!
Well, started on day 7 having a look at the CDs. But the bookshelf is huge, but it will be done by the end of those 30 days. (We go to a flee market on May 1st!)
All done!
7 complete and ready for the next task… This was a biggie for me!!
First, sorry for the delay in putting my comments! I loved this day! I have lots of books, I love them….but I did notice that some were read-once, pass on to someone else that had snuck into the bookcase. So I took them to the Senior Center. The best advice was to get rid of old manuals and such. I had not done that, don’t ask me why, and the computers I used them with are gone! but still I kept the books….so now they are gone too – and they took up space for sure! I feel VERY good after today’s exercise was done!
Seriously – in a house of avid readers this is a big task. I am committed to sticking to my five minutes. I was able to organize two shelves of the children’s bookshelf in five minutes and have a paper grocery bag packed to the brim to donate tomorrow!
Did the CDs last year when I got a new computer… ran through the books again; they just keep piling up!
I chose dusty CDs to sort thru, a couple thrown out and no more dust bunnies. I only have a handful of DVD’s so I consider that one done; books I will commit to a five minute segment… something tells me that I’ll probably need one each day.. I have pretty much tossed all fiction books so wish me luck with the cookbooks, gardening volumes etc!! I am a few days late due to a planned trip away.
Thsi one took me a bit… we had DVD is 2 places. But done.
This was hard for me, but the detailed list was a HUGE help. Completed all 7 days…Can’t wait for more!
Ah … go to sit down and rest legs (living w/MS) … found old VHSs for a garage sale and a bunch of unlabeled VHSs … hmm… will we ever watch them? Throw them out unexplored?
And that dang hubby went through glasses and crockery and put stu
I have spent the night decluttering. I am so enthused about it all. The children went through the dvd’s with me. I found they threw out sooo much. I would not have known they were clutter. A great idea. Heather
i’ve done all 7 as well, I forgot to post that earlier.
PS – I have completed the whole weeks tasks
This one was so hard for me! But I did it. All my magazines are in a box to go off to the local doctors, hospital, mechanic and other waiting rooms to bless any people who have to wait there with some reading material.
DVDS and CDs done. Books–a continual process right now. Really working on the one comes in, one goes out mantra. Hard…
All 7 done….This one was easy. Did this last month when I had to finally buy a new TV and DVD plater.
done & caught up with the first 7 days
All done, and whats been rejected is heading to the schools white elephant stall