Lighten the Load

OK. So, I wrote yesterday about traveling lighter, and my process of learning to carry a lighter load.  Here is where it gets tough - I have to put feet to my thoughts, and actually do something about it.
I said I love books, and the result of that is having too many.  My family laughs at me when I acquire new books and they groan every time we move. "The weight of all these books does not feel like traveling lighter!"  I justify - I re-read them, we use them with various subjects with the home-teaching, etc. But, they are right, I do have too many books.  I decided today to get rid of fifty books. Ouch.

Two of the blogs I like to read, The Nesting Place, and Small Notebook, both have discussed thinning out, and learning to "loosen the grip of stuff."  OK, OK, I am listening.  Can you tell this is a struggle for me? I wrote a post on January 26, that my word for this year is "lighten."  This is where my feet have to start walking.

Decisions: do I absolutely love this book?
                 will I read it again?
                 could I get it at the library ?
                 is it a practical reference book for our schooling?
                 do I have a duplicate? (embarrassing)
                          
The result: 63 books on their way to the thrift store.

For fun, I decided to weigh them, to see how much I actually lightened.
Today, I lost  41 1/2 pounds!!!
Yes, family, I can hear you cheering.