30-Day Organize-athon | Day 7: Organize Your Books, DVDs, and/or CDs

30-Day Organize-athon 07

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  • Books that contain out-of-date information (that means most reference books, encyclopedias, etc)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?

  1. If you only did books, do DVDs and/or CDs – or vice-versa.
  2. Get a damp cloth and wipe down your shelves and your collection.
  3. 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!

Start the 5-minute timer now.

Leave Your Comment Below…

Please leave a comment below to say you’ve completed today’s task.

See you tomorrow!

[Image by aussiegall]

Michele | Get Organized Gal

Michele is into writing, books, simplicity, love, TV, productivity, and staying thin in a world of chocolate.

248 thoughts on “30-Day Organize-athon | Day 7: Organize Your Books, DVDs, and/or CDs”

  1. Annette T says:

    6 months ago I sorted CDs and DVDs (alphabetically!) So I only had to do the books – and done! 🙂

  3. Miriam B. says:

    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!)

  6. Mary M says:

    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!

  7. Amie says:

    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!

  9. Allison says:

    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.

  11. Rhonda says:

    This was hard for me, but the detailed list was a HUGE help. Completed all 7 days…Can’t wait for more!

  12. Caitlin says:

    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

  13. Heather Sinclair says:

    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

  16. Jadey says:

    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.

  17. Danielle says:

    DVDS and CDs done. Books–a continual process right now. Really working on the one comes in, one goes out mantra. Hard…

  18. Becky says:

    All 7 done….This one was easy. Did this last month when I had to finally buy a new TV and DVD plater.

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