The short answer to this question is yes. But this answer contradicts some common ideas about minimalism. After all, many people believe that minimalism is about cutting out everything. To dispel this myth, we must understand what minimalism is about. We should also understand why a minimalist would keep books. To understand that, we should know what type of books minimalists keep. It also helps to know how and where minimalists keep books. So, here is why, how, and where minimalists keep books.
Minimalists only get rid of useless things.
Minimalism is about focusing on what you value by removing what you don’t. You can reword it as focusing on what is useful by removing whatever is useless. In this case, useless means that you won’t use it again. Useless things waste your resources and complicate your life. These resources can include time, space, energy, and money. So, getting rid of useless things will make your life simpler and easier. It also frees up resources for things that you enjoy. This is the reason for minimalism.
Deprivation is losing or discarding something that you value. This is not minimalism. Unlike minimalism, deprivation makes your life more difficult and unpleasant. So depriving yourself of things you enjoy is out of the question to a minimalist. So a minimalist who loves books will keep books.
The minimalist must have a use for the books.
For a book to continue to add value, it must be one that the minimalist will continue to use. This means that the minimalist will read or flip through the book over again. If not, then it makes more sense to borrow it from the library. Books worth keeping continue to inform and entertain every time you read them. Here are some examples of the types of books worth keeping:
Humor books
Reference Books
History and geography books
Art books
Inspiring books
This list is not all-inclusive. In fact, any type of book can fit on this list. What matters is that the minimalist will look through the book over again.
The minimalist must have a place for the books.
It is also good to have a place to put the books. The place will depend on the space that you have available. It can also depend on the type of book. For example, it makes sense to keep cookbooks in the kitchen. Here are some other good places for books:
Bookcases
These are very popular places to keep books. They are designed to keep the books in a neat arrangement. In fact, a well-placed bookcase full of books can be an accent piece in a room. So in a way, books can also become decorations.
Electronic devices
Electronic devices include smartphones, laptops, and tablets. These are great for keeping books in electronic format. The e-books don’t occupy any physical space and they take up very little memory on the device. You can also bring them anywhere that you take your electronic device. This makes them great for travelers.
End tables and coffee tables.
These are great places to keep a book or two while lounging on a sofa. A good system is to switch out a coffee table or end table book for one on the bookshelf every few days. This way, many of the books on your bookshelf get a chance to be coffee table or end table books.
The most fun books will be close at hand.
The coffee table and end table books should be the most fun and easy books to read. This will add to the enjoyment of lounging on your sofa. Over time, it will also give you a chance to recognize your favorite books. Books that make you laugh or inspire you are great candidates. So are books with beautiful pictures. Here are some types of books that often make good coffee table and end table books:
Humor
Reading a book that you think is hilarious can be quite enjoyable. After all, a good laugh can brighten up anyone’s day. Here are some good examples:
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
The Far Side Gallery by Gary Larson
Dilbert by Scott Adams
The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said by Robert Byrne
Art
Books about art have pictures you like provided you like the featured artists. Informing you about art history is also a bonus. Here are some examples:
Art of Clay Timeless Pottery of the Southwest by Lee M. Cohen
Van Gogh by Meyer Schapiro
O’Keefe by Britta Benke
People and Places
These books have many beautiful photographs of different people and different places. They are a fun way to learn about geography, history, and archaeology. Here are some good examples:
Special Editions of National Geographic
The Ancient Southwest A Guide to Archaeological Sites by Gregory McNamee
Secret Gardens of Santa Fe by Sydney LeBlanc
These types of books are not all-inclusive. What matters is that the books are enjoyable.
In summary, minimalists who value books will keep books. After all, minimalism is about focusing on what you value by removing what you don’t. This is not deprivation, which is losing or discarding things that you value. So minimalists wouldn’t deprive themselves of books that they love.
Minimalists only keep things that they will use. So they will only keep books that they will read or look through again. Many types of books will work, but it is up to the minimalist. The format and place of the books also matter. For example, they can keep e-books stored on smartphones and tablets. Bookcases are another popular place for books. Many minimalists also keep some books on coffee tables and end tables. This is so that they can have their favorite books close at hand. So, if you love books, feel free to enjoy them as a minimalist.