4/13/15

Discuss: Tips on how to reduce your tbr-list!



Having a tbr-list is very handy, but it can also be very frustrating. I hope I'll be able to help you with these little tips!

1. Clean it up!

I'm assuming all of you have Goodreads. This social media is THE best way to keep up with your reading experiences, but that tbr list can be freaking long after a while.
Sort your tbr by date and set it from old to new. You're probably not interested in most of the books  at the bottom of your list. I even dare to bet you my whole personal library about this fact. Be strong and reduce your tbr with at least 1/4 and make you sure you reread the blurb of ALL the books one by one. Only the ones you REALLY see yourself reading in the future you can leave. It's just a matter of being honest will yourself ;)
So settle yourself with a nice cup of coffee/tea while doing this and try to do this once every few months.

↳ Suitable for people who have a large online tbr.


2. Set up book-buying limit

Are you one of those types of booklover that loves to haul tons of books in a short time? Then this is a perfect tip for you. Use a monthly limit on your book expenses! Do NOT use a book buying ban! When you’re actually allowed to buy books, you don’t have the urge to say ‘oh f*uck it’ and buy 10 books in the nearest store. That’s how you learn how to control everything more. For example: I have a limit of five books a month and it has been helping me a lot, because now I don't have this HUUUUGE tbr pile on my shelves!

↳ Suitable for people who have a large physical tbr.

3. Discover the magic of audiobooks

Yes, I know, actually reading the book yourself is fun, but if you haven't tried listening to a audiobook, you really should! It can give you so much more! It's also super handy when you're having a busy period. Listen to it while you're driving, on the train, working out, cooking... It will make every mundane task (that doesn't require too much thinking) extremely fun. You'll be saving up time like a pro and you'll see your tbr lowering in no time!

I, for example, listen to audiobooks when I'm too tired to read or when I'm cooking. It makes it so relaxing! I also love to listen to it when I'm walking in the streets. Switch your music for a nice audiobook some time to time and keep it refreshing ;)

4. Use monthly tbr's

My tbr for April
Making a little tbr at the beginning of the month really helps! I've been doing for quite some time now, and it make me read more and more. I don't always strictly follow it (not required by the way), but it helps me to have an overview about what I plan to do. It's like planning a vacation. You need to view you're possibilities and pick whatever suits you best in the period that's coming.

But don't forget to be reasonable! Set up a mini-tbr based on what you usually manage to read during a month. If you manage to read 10ish book, don't set up a tbr of 15 books. It won't be motivating!

5. Set up a challenge

I'm sure all of you guys are doing the standard Goodreads challenge. But you can be a little bit more creative with it. Pick some subjects or fun little tasks while you pick your books. It will make the experience much fun! And if you're a bit competitive (like me), you'll want to do your best and the challenges will definitely help you to get this tbr down faster.

For more inspiration on challenges, I'm referring to a post Yvonne posted about the challenges she's currently doing! Read more HERE.

6. Join some readathons

Readathons are the BEST way to get a few books down in a short period! A lot of people host them and I believe there's a big one during summer. Goodreads even has a National Readathon Day (read more here). And if you don't want to wait until the next big event, just organize one yourself. If you have few days off, just set up a little tbr, shut your computer down, install yourself in the most comfortable place in your home, make sure you have some snacks/drinks at arm-length and well... read! ;)

What do you recommend?

I really hope these will help you in some way! 
Do you have more tips to recommend? Share them in the comments!

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