What Adrienne Thinks About That

Man. It's a sign that I see this very post while I'm procrastinating on weeding through my clutter. It is hard to let things go, but I need to remember there is freedom in not be weighted down with the past, that allows us to move towards the future.

I'm so glad you feel more free. Wishing you much joy this new year. Hugs.

I have always loved weeding! I did used to work with a librarian who didn't and it would drive me nuts. Less hoo-ha on the shelf = more room for better stuff patrons want! And good for you to get rid of things. I feel like each year I get simpler and simpler (save baby stuff) and it is so lightening.

Vivian, I know with my clutter, sometimes I get bogged down in trying to figure out what the heck I'm going to do with it. I hate to be wasteful in disposing of things, but sometimes it's hard to find just the right home.

Cheryl, I feel great every time I get rid of something I didn't really need around, but I wish it were easier sometimes.

Oh, this is sooo me. I was always a terrible weeder and one of the best things about my last library job was that it was a brand-new library with brand-new books and nothing needed to be weeded. It was bliss.

I'm terrible at home too with way to much clutter and way to much stuff I'm holding onto. But I can say that I only have a handful of VHS tapes.

Pam, Even with my various weeding projects, I still have the clutter of things I'm actively reading and using following me about home and work. I don't feel right if I don't have some books and magazines and pads of paper easily accessible at all times. You never know when you might need them.

Weeding is one of my top favorite activities...whether it's in the stacks or in my yard. Everything gets healthier!

Just because I'm learning how to weed at the library doesn't mean I'm learning any such thing at home, unfortunately. I'm the guy who a couple of years ago bought a tote's worth of old horror/sci-fi films on VHS from the library booksale.

It's been busy here tonight- I haven't gotten as much done on the project as I'd hoped. Those two spin rack sections with VHS left on them still mock me...

Marge, So true!

Jason, One step at a time, and, honestly, I don't mind what you keep around your house so long as the library looks good. :)

With both my house and my library sections, I'm prone to put off weeding and getting rid of clutter for a looong time, and then suddenly I get into this overzealous, "everything must go!" kind of mood where I'm liable to toss something I'd probably choose to keep if I thought about it a bit more. I'm working on being more steady and regular with my weeding. It is definitely a task.

Argh, our VHS tapes need weeding, too... It always seems to take me so much motivation (i.e., I procrastinate about it until I finally snap) to actually weed through stuff, though. But it's so rewarding when it's done!

Ohhhh the first thing we did at my new library (after Summer Reading Club was over, of course) was a HUGE nonfiction weeding project. (And oh, the crap we found..!) Now the shelves look soo-ooo much better (and we're not harming young minds by providing so much inaccurate information...!). I weed my home bookshelves regularly, too, but I should really pay more attention to the rest of the house.

Kristi, I go through those sprees every once in a while, too. I've never gotten rid of something that I can think of that I've regretted terribly.

Aquafortis, It was much harder to think about me getting rid of my own VHS tapes than the library's, I have to admit.

Abby, One thing I love about weeding nonfiction is that so many of the decisions are totally obvious, like the space books from the 1970s that absolutely have to go, no question. It's harder in the chapter books, where I can really get stuck agonizing over a book every now and again.

I weeded my VHS tapes a few years ago, when my daughter was two. I was thrilled to give away the Star Wars collection to a boy who was over the moon about them, and less thrilled about getting the email that said, "We'll take whatever you have leftover." I gave them the tapes after everyone else on the neighborhood listserv had claimed what they wanted. It may have been silly of me, but I spent years collecting those tapes, and I wanted them to go to homes that appreciated them.

By the way, for some reason I see "wedding" for "weeding" and vice versa.

There's this book on simplifying that I own that includes this great trick: Do something like put stuff you're not sure about into a box, and don't even label it. If you don't need/look for/desire those things after one year or some such thing, throw the box out.

Easier said that done, but I swear I should try it with half my things.

I really want to de-clutter, but I just about give up with wee kids. I'll try again when they're older.

Farida, How cool that you have a neighborhood listserv for such things!

Jules, One problem with that is that I seriously would forget about/lose the box altogether.

Weeding is hard. Sometimes I gear up for it by reading http://awfullibrarybooks.wordpress.com/
Either that, or it makes me laugh. One rule-- if my library has a book that appears on the rite, it HAS to go!

Ms. Yingling, You're about the fifth person to mention that blog around me in the last week. I clearly need to start reading it.

I did notice that our collection appeared neater and the entire area seemed more organized. I'm somewhat of a neat freak (bet you didn't know that), but not being a librarian, I couldn't tell what was different...but I can tell you this: it looks great!!!

Oh, that's good to hear that you noticed something was up back there! You know how awful I am about my office, but I feel completely the opposite about public spaces--when they get all crowded and cluttered, people just can't make sense of them.

Well, it's almost all done now, but boy did it turn out to be a much bigger project than I had anticipated! I've got everything off the spin racks now- I just need to make a little more shelf space in the former overflow area (from now on to be known as the VHS area :)). I've got to take a little break from it for a bit though. It's crowding my brain!

Thanks for the props, pjd! Your opinion is highly valued in the children's department!

It does seem like it's been quite some time since I last saw you not carrying around a stack of video tapes.

You know how much I'm enjoying weeding right now! All of those old and even older teen nonfiction titles that have still been circulating! (Eek!)

It's so freeing to get rid of that and purchase up-to-date and useful materials that people can check out!

And how much do I LOVE that you're getting new copies of those Information Today books? A lot.

oh, yay! I did see you nodding your head somewhat happily when I brought it up in the reference meeting. :)

I guess I'm weeding my office, too, and it's making me feel really good. Next stop, the house!!

Well, you know, they're useful, and even more so when they're up to date. :)

I was on such a good roll with my office, but I am derailed again with projects and storytimes. I do have plans to do a little more around here at home today. We'll see how far I get. So far all I've managed to do is cuddle up with the cats and a blanket, check my email, and read my book.