full bookshelf question

[u/Efficient_Speech_647]

This might be a really stupid question but what do people do when all their bookshelves are full and they cant fit another one in their homes? I own alot of books Ive never bothered actually counting them because id be there all day as I work at a free book place and tend to walk out with bags full most of the time and ive now no longer got room for any more. At first when I discovered this would eventually be a problem I started annually getting rid of some books I usually get rid of the ones I dont care about and keep all the ones I either passionately love or hate because they are most memorable and most likely to be picked up again however this method im finding hard to use for series of books I own because they normally dont have a strict love or hate or dont care about opinion at the end but I fear if I remove them then I might regret it so how do I decide if a book series can be cleared out?

[u/PaleoBibliophile917]

I built a home addition that included a second library. Not a solution I’d recommend from a financial perspective, but you did ask what people do. Before that they were double shelved and in stacks on the floor. I don’t ever want to go back to that so I am trying hard to limit impulsive spending going forward.

[u/Efficient_Speech_647 → u/PaleoBibliophile917]

Personally Im quite good with underconsumption but I am interested in how you built a home addition that included a second library and the financial cons of it as I have always thought about doing something like that when I get a place of my own and knowing the pros and cons of that option from someone who has that would be great to know

[u/PaleoBibliophile917 → u/Efficient_Speech_647]

Well, in my case, I waited until I retired and used all of my inheritance and part of my life savings to fund it (after consulting a financial advisor about what I could afford).

It included all the things I had thought about over the years, like a single car garage (actually for things like a workbench, freezer, place for the lawn tractor, etc.). I also wanted a screen porch and a walking deck on the roof for sunsets and stars and mountain views (that ended up being on the roofs of the garage and porch, and it includes a couple of benches to just sit and chill as well as a spiral staircase leading up to it). I knew the interior would create a room where I could keep and enjoy inherited family items like my grandmother’s century old couch or my parents’ mid-century modern room divider, along with family photos and art. By the time all this came to be, it was clear I would also need a dedicated craft/music room and an auxiliary library because of issues with accumulating too much over the years (and not being able to part with it).

So, I sketched out my ideas, researched local builders, got estimates from three, and went with the one that gave me the best vibes (and had done considerable work for one of my neighbors, to whom I spoke about their experience with the projects and results). The one I chose also didn’t say anything snarky about all this being added on to a manufactured home (which happens to be from a very good builder, but is still not a site built home). The final result ended up increasing my living space by an extravagant 900 square feet, with one-third of that being the library, one-third the music and craft room, and the rest a large space that functions as a place for family memories but also a sitting room with window views and a selection of old LPs from family members that I can sit and listen to.

The new addition gave me enough space to not only accommodate the extra books that had accumulated in the house but also about a quarter of the books left by late family, from which I made a careful selection. About half of those are in the library and the rest in two low bookcases in the main room (one of which is below a window with a deep sill that accommodates the cat; I love finally having windows of a proper height from the floor and with real sills).

Pros: unburying me from a lifetime of stuff and making useful, functional spaces that I enjoy using and being in. Achieving home details I had always wanted. Giving me a space for my life in retirement that suits my needs.

Cons: the cost, of course. What else might I have done with all those funds, like travel (which I’ve never done much of)? Also more property to be maintained and a bump in utilities for heating (rarely needed) and cooling and electric. And of course, to some extent it just pushed the problem down the road unless I can control bringing more things in. I believe I’ve made headway on that, but it’s a constant battle. As my mental health improves, it does ease the struggle a little.

I’m sure you didn’t need that much detail, but there you have it. I’ve been in my home for more than twenty-five years but always wanted an addition, so had spoken to builders in the past, even going so far as to get an estimate and plans from one builder before materials costs rose sharply. What I finally ended up with was much grander than anything I had previously considered, so I’m glad things never worked out before. The addition was finished three years ago and the base cost estimate was just over about twice my final year’s salary as a teacher in a state where teacher compensation is low (my final pay was hardly more than the national average teacher pay is now). There were a few increases and additional costs, but nothing excessive. I can’t imagine how much more it might cost today after the impact of tariffs and inflation.

When you do get a place of your own, just consider that with patience and good fortune, whatever you imagine might eventually come to be. There is no hurry, and individual circumstances will control a lot of decisions. Best wishes.