5 Steps for How I Unhaul My Books

Unhauling books can be a bit of a controversial topic. Why? "Because you shouldn't get rid of your books." I don't agree with the idea that you can't get rid of your books because you've already bought them. I think I've made a post on tips for unhauling (i.e. getting rid of) your books. However, I wanted to give a more personal spin on the topic.

In this post, I go over my 5 steps for how I unhaul my books when I'm ready to get rid of a few. I decided to do this as a step-by-step guide with my reasonings so that it would be clearer how to unhaul books and easily understood.

Step 1: Remember it is okay to unhaul books.

There has been an underlying stigma that doing a book unhaul is "not okay," as I brought up earlier. Just remind yourself that it is perfectly fine to unhaul your books for many reasons. It clears up space on your shelves. Your shelves also become more of a reflection of you, since after an unhaul or two, the books are mostly the ones you enjoy.

Step 2: Clear off your bookshelf, and take a look at each book as you do so.

This may seem tedious, but it'll help out in the long run. As you clear off your bookshelf, look at each book. If it's one you want to keep, set it to one side. If it's a book you want to get rid of, set it to the other side. Don't worry about organizing your books until later.

Step 3: Once your bookshelf is cleared off, go through all the books you set aside to unhaul.

Giving the books you're thinking of unhauling a second look through will help you really decide if you want to give the book away. There is the option of sticking some books into boxes in your garage or storage if you still want the book, but don't want it on your shelf. If, after a second look through, you decide that you still want to give a book away, then stick it into a new unhaul pile.

Step 4: See if any of your books are something a friend or family member might enjoy.

Even if your friends or family members aren't big readers, you may have a book or two that someone you know might enjoy. I've often given books to some friends if I think they'd enjoy it more than me. (But don't be offended if they eventually unhaul the book as well.)

Step 5: Look up places you can take your books to.

Many places will accept books: bookshops, donation centers, libraries, and so many others. Some places may even buy your books from you. You just really need to do your research.