Cleaning House: Donating Books

(Books for the donation truck.)

As I’m continuing to clean out our house after ten years here, and in preparation for our possible move, I recently thinned out our large book collection. I love a home filled with books and there are many I will never part with, but I also have a bunch of books I’d consider “one time reads” that other people might enjoy. A local charity’s donation truck was scheduled for our neighborhood around the same time, so I filled two large boxes and put them on the porch for the truck to pick up.

After learning more about ethical clothing and what happens to the clothes we “donate” in the United States, I’m reluctant to give to charity trucks these days. But this particular charity specifically asks for books, along with household items, to distribute to local residents. Our local library also takes book donations and even has a drop slot to make it easy. I’m planning to donate a few books there over the next few months.

My parents have a great used bookstore near their home, and they often buy a bag of paperbacks to read, then return them and get others. This is a great option and you can earn store credit for the books you donate.  Other places that are in need of books include local schools, nursing homes, and care facilities for older adults. I also have a large stack of fashion magazines that I need to find a new home for, so that’s something else to add to my list.

I’m slowly but surely thinning out our possessions, and I’m happy that some of the things we no longer need will go to people who will enjoy using them.