I have done this…but unless I get rid of twaddle, I usually regret thinning! I generally find that a few years later, I have to buy the book again if I get rid of it! Could you thin out by:
1. Storing books you aren’t currently using in heavy duty rubbermaid containers (clearly marked on the outside).
2. Getting rid of grade levels you know you will never need again – or books that none of you really ‘clicked’ with in the first place.
3. Eliminating very gender specific books who will not have a reader if you don’t have a child of that gender and age approaching.
4. (And my personal favorite) Getting more bookshelves or freeing up cabinet space somewhere for your books.
We have an ikea 5X5 for all current homeschooling materials, a hall bookshelf that holds books we love but aren’t currently reading (about 200), a downstairs bookshelf for Mom and Dad, a shelf for picture books in the little boys’ room, a shelf for girls’ books in our only girls room, and I just freed up 3 cabinets in the laundry room for books.
So maybe I am not the person to answer this question:-)…just don’t ask Robin! She has something like 16,000!!!
By the way, did you know that one of the common factors in the upbringing of geniuses is their exposure to lots and lots of quality books? Regular exposure to art and music ranked high as well!