Purging 300+ lbs

I live in a 700 sq. foot loft, and though I don't consider myself a packrat, I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed by my possessions. More accurately, I am acutely aware of the waste of my life energy spent dusting, vacuuming, and straightening, and I have a sneaking suspicion that many of the things I am continually straightening up are not things I really need.

Therefore, I am embarking on a campaign to rid myself of something each week. To hold myself accountable, I'll be posting on this blog.

Week 1: Books
I love books: reading them, learning from them. But the fact is that I rarely, if ever, re-read a book. And for those that I read only once, Denver has a terrific library system. The only occasions when I really want to continue ownership of a books are the following:

• A reference manual where such quality information is not easily/succinctly found on the Internet (my beekeeping, language learning, and gardening books)
• Something that I enjoy thumbing through (straw bale building books)
• Books that I may read again or read to my niece (The Education of Little Tree)
• Books that I enjoy purely for their aesthetic value (poetry or photography books)

So all of the "might read someday" and "maybe I'll get back into teaching and need this" need to go. I will sell some on Amazon if they command a decent price, give some to friends, and donate the rest to charity.