They just opened up one of those ‘Cash for clothes and books’ shops near where I live. I think it’s great that poorer families can make a wee bit of money when they throw away their stuff but one of the downsides to this is that the local charity shops are really suffering.
I thought I would do a clear out of some books. So far I have found some old psychology/sociology books I don’t need any more and some Viz annuals which they will be able to charge a bit for.
This is a pic of what I have dug out so far but I’m sure I will end up with about 5 x that amount when I finish. When I first moved here I had about 5 bin bags of books to give them. I guess the thing Is I always give the books I have read and don’t want to keep to a friend or to charity and it’s not going to stop just because I can get money for them. hmmm..
The last time I was in the ‘Help the aged’ shop they had very few books and a sign asking for people to please hand in books as they were short. So today this is the thing that will make me happy!!
I just realised the that in the pic is a friend’s happiness collage that she did about 4 years ago.. I was going to mail it to her to see if she was sticking to her course.. or through it out.. I’m not sure which yet. Not sure if it will be inspirational or crappy to receive.. I should do a wee happiness collage I think!!
Anyway.. back to my clearing and to the charity shop …my back has been sore.. pity it wasn’t snowing and I could drag the books along in a wee sledge! 
Love and light xxLisa
i used ti love browsig the local charities book department, there was always so much interesting stuff to be foud that o bookstore had anymore. Sure, the book shops had the titles, but the older editions were so much cooler! I once found a 1920′s edition of Nietzsche in there with the old German typing. Never got to read through it, though, as it was hard on the mind back then (I was 12)
Nietzsche when you were 12! You awesome person.. At least you gave it a go! An amazing find too!
mostly it was because my parents told me what a depraved person Nietzsche was
I have and always will be a rebel
Bravo!
xx
Snowing? Wow, our weatherman said today that we should be able to say good-bye to the 90 degree (F) weather by Sunday… Snow? Wow, we have white beaches but no snow… Kind of cloudy today but when it’s sunny, it is beautiful here… Take a peek http://www.schooners.com/multimedia/sunsetcam.htm . Have fun doing the charity thing and stay warm. Peace out.
Oh wow! I’m jealous!! It’s not snow time yet but its really cold and rainy.. Scottish summer time is only maybe a couple of days in August really! lol Ach well.. we have some nice castles and people here I guess!
x
We have sand castles, ephemeral I know, but castles nonetheless.
hehehe!! I suppose in a way our castles are made out of sand,,erm just before it has crumbled!
Just did this myself! It’s a great feeling.
Totally!! I got a hand from my partners dad too who was rushing away ahead of me and he went into The Marie Curie shop instead of help the aged as I was shouting on him.. *He is a force of his own! In a lovely way
*
It doesn’t matter ..they need stuff too..
Yes.. it all feels very cathartic!!
xx
Indeed.
Mum and I used to do something similar. First we’d swap books then if we didn’t want them back, they’d go to a charity shop. I do have some books that I’ve kept as I enjoyed reading them and will read them again and again, for example Harry Potter, Devil wears Prada (book is better than the film I thnk!), Perfum (worth a read or watch of the film if you have time) and I’ve discovered this author called Joseph Delaney who writes Spooks books which are slightly darker than HP ones. I am a fiend though for charity shop book shelves and could happily spend a fortune on books to read….I just dont have the money at the moment being unemployed. My ex used to curse me when I worked as I used to have to do a train journey to work twice a week which was about 90 mins each way…I’d regularly raid the charity shop, bring home a lot of books read them then take them back. He could never understand why I bought them from them then took them back.
I know I have a lot of my old books in the loft at my parents/dad’s house (can’t quite call it just Dad’s yet!) but reading this is motivating me to start thinking about what is in their/his loft of mine…books and clothes that could go to a charity shop. Maybe I could donate it all to Leukaemia Research to help other families not go through what we did a year ago….
Your post has just motivated me to get my backside in gear and do something about it….think Dad’ll be shocked!!
I used to pick up books all the time. It was like an addiction!
I love the Harry potter books. I gave away some when I had read them but I would love the set. Perfume is amazing! I have heard of ‘The devil wears Prada’ ..perhaps I could give it a wee read.
I totally understand buying books from Charity then taking them back. The Charity gets money twice and you get to read something without having loads and loads of books around. It’s a win win.
I’m sorry to hear you went through difficult times. Actually the fact we donated to Marie Curie Cancer care was probably a good thing actually. My partners mum died of Cancer just before we met and it still affects them badly.
I wish you healing. xx Lisa
Oh, I’m all for clearing stuff out! Makes me feel all kinds of better!
Hey, have you ever checked out http://happiness-project.com/?
You might find it helpful to YOUR project. And there’s books, to replace the ones you’re getting rid of.
Hehe.. Yes! The book has been recommended to me a few times. I eventually downloaded it onto my kindle!!
I haven’t read her website yet but will do that because I still have four months to go and some days I wake up thinking.. erm .. ‘What happy thing am I doing today!?
I have read about half of her book and I can’t seem to connect with it. I have no idea why. I’m going to finish it though. ..I want to see how things turn out for Gretchen.
Thanks again. xx
Books are happiness things. My shelves are depleted and the few titles I have left I’m holding onto for dear life. Since it looks like I’m going to settle down for A Very Long Time, I can start adding to the collection. But this time I’ll be good by keeping only the books that I can reread again and again. Imagine, having a reading room/study. And a studio. And a workshop. I keep having to remind myself about having a lounge and a bedroom and a kitchen. Secondary things to my happiness. So, so, look forward to it.
Books are among my favourite things. I never thought I could be talked into a Kindle but I find it’s very happy to have your own mobile library to carry around with you, to take on holiday etc. Books that I know I will want to keep I get in real form though.
Good luck with your reading/study room and all the rest. It all sounds wonderful!
I did have a reading room/study but we are using that as a bedroom atm…hmm I was going to say so it’s great I have a travelling library then I realised books aren’t stapled to shelves!!
xx
Must be “Clear out your old books” time of year because I’ve just done the same thing and given them to my favourite charity shop. However I must confess the technical manuals I have I’m putting on ebay as I don’t think people would look in a charity shop for a book on “Enterprise Java Beans” and no that’s not about coffee
LMAO!! no, I looked it up and well it’s certainly no ‘Mills and Boons’
I decided to put my old psychology books in because they are pretty general. For my course I need really up to date books but If somebody wanted to just learn the basics they might find the books enjoyable.
I also added my Viz books..I still enjoy them but I haven’t read them for ages and the shop will get a good price for them because I bought one from a charity shop and it was expensive!!
Yes, there must be something in the air as know a few people who have had a books clear out.
xx
Love your blog. What is a happiness collage please? x
No worries!
My friend thought about the things that she wanted in her life and made a big collage on a big piece of card. She drew and cut things out of magazines that represented what she hoped would happen. I suppose that it’s a about being able to physically visualise your hopes and dreams and being able to see them each day. Her’s was mainly about her music career taking off but you can make it about anything. 
xx
Oh yes, similiar to a vision board. I need to make one for my baby journey.
ooh..brilliant! I think they are good ideas.. what would your baby journey one consist of?
xx
Well, I read abit creating one awhile ago, similar to what you described, so pics if babies, pregnancy, preg tummys, words, anything that helps visualise the baby. Thinking about it, I’m going to make one this week.
You should make one too!! x
Ahh.. Fantastic.
Good luck!!! xx
Oh..yes I should make one myself..!! That would be a good happiness thing!!
It looks like a nice day today so it might be a day for a wee run (IN THE CAR) somewhere..It’s Scotland though it could be snowing in 5 mins!
Lol, I didn’t reside you were in Scotland. I’m in England. It’s bright but cold at the moment. x
Aye!
It has been really hot and sunny here all day …weirdly!! 
One day I will have to go through my books, but for now I never want to get rid of any of them. Not only do I love them, but I get to share them with my children, and with my children at school. They are well loved and get plenty of use. I too love Harry Potter. I love Harry Potter so much I have a hard back set for me, and a paper back set for school. Have you ever read the Percy Jackson series? That might be another series Michael would love… if he hasn’t already read them.
oooh.. I was thinking of getting the Harry Potter ‘Adult box set’!!
Never heard of the Percy Jackson series …I shall have a wee look out for it!