| If you're a teacher, then you may have asked a | | | | 1. Send out an email to the science teachers who are |
| question similar to the one I was recently asked: | | | | on your e-mailing list through district email. Let them |
| I have run into a situation that I have been unable to | | | | know what you have and that you would be willing to |
| resolve for quite some time. I realize that it is | | | | pass along your books to those teachers who are |
| preventing me from getting fully moved into a home | | | | interested. Be sure to use the words "idea books, |
| office space and I NEED to move forward. | | | | teaching materials, resource books for science |
| I currently work at the school district and once upon a | | | | teaching," and the like so that people know what a |
| time, I was a science teacher. I taught both middle | | | | treasure trove of materials you are willing to give them. |
| school and high school science. In that time period I | | | | 2. Tell anyone who is interested that you will have the |
| collected an enormous amount of books related to | | | | books available for pick up on a certain day and at a |
| teaching science. From physical science to life science | | | | certain place (give a window of time, but that's it). |
| - I have rows and rows of books. These are not | | | | 3. Contact the local head librarian for your school |
| textbooks. For the most part, they are those fun, | | | | district and find out whether she is interested and/or if |
| interesting 'how-to' books about specific subjects. | | | | she has contacts who would be interested. |
| Then, in addition to those, I have at least 100 science | | | | 4. If there are any books left after the teachers, |
| curriculum books. I stopped teaching in 2003 so I don't | | | | librarians, or others you have invited to take your |
| think they're particularly old or out dated. | | | | books have made their choices, then I would donate |
| I can NOT declutter my life and this space until I get rid | | | | the rest to your local public or university library. They |
| of these. What's been holding me back? Well, at first it | | | | may only put a few on the shelves, but they will sell |
| was the thought that I might go back to teaching | | | | the rest to help fund the library - and so they have, |
| science at some point. I've let go of that idea. I could | | | | again, been put to a good use. It is possible that the |
| also go onto eBay and try selling them for 99 cents | | | | libraries will be able to give you a form to indicate what |
| each but I just don't think that would be worth my time. | | | | you donated so that you can use this at tax time. |
| Here is my answer to her - and to you if you know | | | | Check with your accountant for the particulars on that, |
| that feeling of 'OMG! I have so many good books but | | | | of course. |
| they are keeping me from clearing out my classroom, | | | | The main idea is that you quickly and easily donate |
| garage, storage unit, etc. or from closing out a portion | | | | these books to others 'en masse' rather than giving |
| of my life." | | | | away one book here and one book there...in a |
| From your question, I see that you have captured (and | | | | never-ending decision-making stream. |
| understand) the essence of decluttering, i.e., until you | | | | It is incredibly freeing to get rid of 'old' stuff (it doesn't |
| move the 'old' stuff out, it blocks everything else. A | | | | really have to be old, it's just that we associate it with |
| few suggestions: | | | | an 'old' part of our lives). And once you've shed the |
| | | | 'old,' you are ready to accept the 'new' into your life. |