Since we're talking about living with books, and by extension parting with them to make space for others, how about a few de-acquisition tips?
Dark Puss is contemplating a cull, and while the following is a bit obvious, it may be worth offering at least as a general starting point for anyone looking to free up space and make their book collection more relevant to their needs today.
You might begin with -
Books you've out-grown: that Miriam Stoppard babycare manual is redundant now that your children are hulking teenagers, or the cookery books whose complicated recipes do not suit your present busy lifestyle.
Travel guides: you may visit Paris again sometime soon, but better to have an up-to-date guidebook than one that's a few years old.
'Annuals': books such as The Good Food Guide go out of date quickly, too, and may not justify their shelf space.
Previous interests or reading 'fads': a passion for drying flowers or collecting model cars may have been replaced by a new hobby; likewise the craze for sci-fi novels or bodice-rippers may be a thing of your past. Keep the best of the bunch if you have the space, otherwise move on to the next thing.
The rest -
This is where things can get difficult. You may know straightaway, by head or heart, whether a particular book should be kept or chucked, but if you find yourself swithering, then in my experience decisions can be easier if you imagine they have already been made by someone else: your reaction to that hypothetical fait accompli will tell you how you really feel about it. So for example, pretend a third party has said "No, you may not keep book X", or "Stay the hand! You must forever house book Y"; you'll soon know what to do!
Any more?
(The book pictured - for those of us who love to look at rooms of all kinds filled with books - is Leslie Geddes-Brown's Books Do Furnish a Room
