Books are easily the heaviest things to move—both physically and emotionally. When you are downsizing, a personal library presents a unique hurdle. A lifetime of collecting leaves you with packed shelves, but your new space might only have room for one or two. Alternatively, if you're clearing an estate time may be of the essence & sorting isn't a priority. Not to worry - I've got some solutions for each scenario in this article!
Downsizing a book collection: The goal is to curate a collection that fits your next chapter perfectly.
The Sorting Strategy
Sorting thousands of pages can feel overwhelming if you try to do it all at once. Break the process down by categorizing your books into four distinct groups.
1. The Keepers (Non-Negotiable)
These are the books that form part of your identity.
- Rare editions or signed copies.
- Books you consult regularly for work, hobbies, or daily inspiration.
- Favorites you genuinely intend to reread.
2. The Comfort Reads (Highly Conditional)
These are paperbacks and thrillers you enjoyed once. Ask yourself: If I want to read this again, could I easily get it from the library or download a digital version? If the answer is yes, let it go.
3. The "Someday" Pile
We all have them—books bought with the best intentions that have sat unread for a decade. Be honest with yourself. If you haven't opened it by now, a smaller home won't suddenly give you the time.
4. Reference and Outdated Textbooks
Old encyclopedias, past travel guides, and medical or technical textbooks from ten years ago have lost their utility. Information changes fast, and these take up massive amounts of premium shelf space.
Make sure you use the Pomodoro method - devote 25 minutes at a time using a kitchen timer - this way you'll see results without feeling burned out!
Phase 2: Where Do the Books Go?
Once you have your "parting ways" pile, you need a plan both pack & take them to your new home or distribute/donate them. If you're packing them, make sure you get small sturdy boxes - especially if you have a lot of hardcover books. That way they can hold some weight when temporarily packed. Alternatively, stackable plastic bins are good too - just don't pack too many. They can get heavy! Label them accurately for easy unpacking. A Quick Metric: Measure the actual shelf space in your new floor plan before you pack a single box. If you have 10 linear feet of shelving in the new place, you can only pack 10 linear feet of books. Let the physical reality of the new space guide your choices.
Here's some books I packed for a client last week - note the small white boxes. Most storage units sell moving supplies & boxes of various sizes.
What do I do with extra books when I'm downsizing:
- Local Libraries: Check their donation guidelines first; many sell them to fund library programs.
- Little Free Libraries: Single paperbacks, children's books. A great option for immediate, hyper-local sharing. You can find boxes right in your neighborhood.
- Specialist Used Bookshops: Rare finds, complete vintage collections. They might buy them or offer store credit, though they are highly selective.
- Hobbist groups: find them through facebook - you may be able to get specialty books in the hands of grateful, like-minded people
- Facebook Marketplace: you may be able to sell specialty books here & it's a great place to get rid of an enormous amount of books
- Value Village or other thrift stores: Large volumes, diverse genres, excellent for bulk drop-offs when you need the boxes gone quickly
- Condo Libraries - if you're moving to a condo there may be a library curated by volunteers. Check with condo managment to see if they are taking donations
- Second Life Books - if you're in the GTA this not-for-profit has a North York warehouse where you can drop off books, or you can schedule a porch pick up.
How do I clear a bunch of books in a hurry?
One of my clients had a creative solution - all the books you can carry for $30! She cleared out years of books filling a rec-room & crawlspace in a week using this techique. Where did the books go? Some people were creating lending libraries, some were taking them for family & some were donating them. Make sure that the people are supervised, bring their own containers & transportation.
Here's the room before and after:
Making the Emotional Transition from a physical library if you're a reader
It helps to remember that books are meant to be read, not just stored. Letting a book go means giving it a chance to impact someone else the way it impacted you. If you have a collection of beloved books that you simply cannot bring along, consider taking a high-quality photo of the covers together. You keep the visual memory of your library without the physical weight.
Explore digital options like Kindle, Kobo or audiobooks. If you just like the feel of a book in your hands, try your local library, Value Village or your condo or retirement home library. If your space is limited these are great options. Remember the one in, one out rule to manage future clutter!
Do you have any creative solutions to manage a collection of books? email me at: [email protected]!
Other helpful articles & websites on managing your stuff in a downsize:
1. 5 top tips on choosing the best condo for a downsize
2. How to sort through 4,000 family slides
3. Youtube Webinar: Sorting through your stuff for downsizing
