This Book Decluttering Habit Keeps My Shelves Clear (But Not Everyone Approves)

I edit organizing and decluttering content for a living, so over the years I’ve learned to be ruthless with my decluttering habit. Whether it’s decluttering my kitchen, closet, or makeup, I’m usually telling someone about just how much better my space looks after decluttering. 

I do have one ruthless decluttering habit, however, that no one ever expects. It’s the one thing that never fails to get me cancelled by friends and colleagues—and yet, I can’t stop (and won’t).

The Habit That Makes Book Lovers Gasp

Reading culture has shifted a lot recently. Gone are the days of reading a book and simply sharing your thoughts with a friend; now, your bookshelves have to be perfectly curated with every other book receiving a cheeky social media post to prove you have taste.

Me? I read a book, close it, and immediately start eyeing my growing donation pile. Yes, you read that right—my secret decluttering habit is that I get rid of books almost immediately after reading them. If a book’s been sitting on my shelf and two years have passed without me even cracking the spine, it also meets the same fate.

To many readers, and even non-readers, this is a crime almost as bad as saying you get rid of old family photos.

Whenever I confess this habit, the reaction is always the same. I’m asked why, told I’m crazy, or worse—they offer to “rescue” my books from me. It’s as if by decluttering, I’m betraying literature itself.

Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest hacks, expert advice, and more!

Why I’m Never Straying From My Ruthless Rule

Here’s the truth: I love reading too much to let a book rot on my shelves. I think stories are meant to serve us for a time, but then it’s time to let them go. This doesn’t mean I’ll never come back to a book, but there are just far too many books to read to be precious about the few that I own.

Not to mention: book covers can be all over the place. I’ve never seen a bookshelf that’s made me go “wow, that looks so nice” because the book spines are always chaotic.

You could flip your books so the spines are inward, but then that just means you’re holding onto books just for the sake of aesthetics. My rule clears space in my home, and in my brain, for the next story. 

I’ll probably never own a wall-to-wall library, but I also won’t be suffocated by piles of unread books that appealed to me more during a different phase of my life. If that makes me a monster in the eyes of book lovers, so be it.