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I'm really amazed by how much stuff I own that I didn't know about, that I had forgotten. I currently have fifteen books cleaned and sorted that I will definately be selling. Most of them I have no conscious memory of owning. I know they are mine because of the type of books they are (sci fi, which neither of my parents likes, and fantasy by authors my mother does not read.) I think that more than a few of them are the results of gifts over the years... people giving me things that they thought were the type of books that I read, but without asking me if I was interested first. That's the only explaination I can figure out for why I would own book three of a series that I have never heard of, and not book one or book two. And I do recognize others as gifts, ones which I actualy did read and enjoy but which I have outgrown or am simply no longer interested in. Curiously, most of the books I want to keep are the ones which aren't in sellable condition anyway... or perhaps that isn't so curious, since it's those books which would have the most wear on them.
Doing all of this cleaning and sorting gives me an odd feeling... it's almost like I'm cutting ties with a part of my life. I'm not really sure if that's a good thing or not just yet... but it feels appropriate, that much I can say. The timing is right for it. And I can't help but notice the presence, in my sellable pile, of books and items from people in my past who I have already cut ties with. And conversely, prominent among the books I am keeping are titles given to me by good friends and loved ones.
I think it was really time to get rid of a lot of this baggage. Plus it should make moving out easier if and when I get to that point with my life.
On a less serious note... if anyone ever has to clean up a large number of old paperback books, I highly recommend alcohol wipes or eyeglass cleaning wipes... the liquid can clean the most stubborn of stains, but it evaporates quicky rather than soaking in so it does no harm to the book. It's also a good way to remove remnants of glue from old pricetags or stickers that stores put on them.
Doing all of this cleaning and sorting gives me an odd feeling... it's almost like I'm cutting ties with a part of my life. I'm not really sure if that's a good thing or not just yet... but it feels appropriate, that much I can say. The timing is right for it. And I can't help but notice the presence, in my sellable pile, of books and items from people in my past who I have already cut ties with. And conversely, prominent among the books I am keeping are titles given to me by good friends and loved ones.
I think it was really time to get rid of a lot of this baggage. Plus it should make moving out easier if and when I get to that point with my life.
On a less serious note... if anyone ever has to clean up a large number of old paperback books, I highly recommend alcohol wipes or eyeglass cleaning wipes... the liquid can clean the most stubborn of stains, but it evaporates quicky rather than soaking in so it does no harm to the book. It's also a good way to remove remnants of glue from old pricetags or stickers that stores put on them.
