Declutter Challenge 2026 - Day 4 - Books
- Karen
- Jan 4
- 2 min read
Today is similar to yesterday as we are again dealing with our valuable shelf space. And today we are looking at our BOOKS.
Books are more substantial than magazines. Some are for reference and will always be useful. Some are inspirational and might not be specifically about quilting at all. And some will be full of patterns.
Some might have cost a fortune, and some you grabbed at a garage sale. They might be precious because they are from a favorite quilter, a workshop that you took or made a project from.
But despite their value, we are still dealing with capacity. Only so much will fit, and the more space you give your books, the less that you will have for other items like tools and fabric stash. So, how much space do you have for your books?
Step 1
Gather up all your books and ask the question:
Is this worthy of my space?
Step 2
Start with your favourites, and put them back on the shelf. If you do not have enough space you’ll need to make some hard choices. As before, take a look at how you have changed as a quilter, and you might notice something beautiful.
Your tastes evolve.
Your skills improve.
Your interests shift.
You might also realize that not all books belong in your sewing room. I moved my books on ruler work and free-motion quilting to my studio next to my longarm. I also keep the inspirational books and ones on textile history next to my big comfy reading chair in my bedroom.
I realized I have more books than my four shelves can hold so I need to make some hard choices. And hard is a four letter word. Luckily my guild has a garage sale in January and I know that any ones I declutter will have a good place to go to. In many communities, libraries will take them too. And don’t forget the new quilters out there. Books carry memories, dreams and promises.
Step 3
If you have any time left over, work on your UFO. Even five minutes of sewing is a step toward your goals.
It’s normal to feel sentimental or conflicted today—this is part of the process. So please take a moment and leave a comment about your day. Or post a photo in the Facebook group. And of course, use the hashtag so we can follow you #declutterchallenge2026.
Here are two videos I recommend.
The link for prior days of the Declutter Challenge can be found here.
I’ll see you tomorrow for Day Five.
Take Care
My sewing room is also my library. I took one look and froze. Went to basement instead where there is a small amount of books from classes. A lot of things got moved in mass to the new house. Even 5 minutes seems unmanageable. going to try again later. Maybe the closet which has some manuals and craft books, first.