Ah, spring. The season of blooming flowers, chirping birds, and the sudden urge to deep clean everything you own—including spring cleaning your bookshelves. And if you’re like me, there’s one dusty, digital (or maybe literal) corner of your life that desperately needs a refresh: your TBR (to-be-read) book list.

Let’s be honest. That TBR book list started off as a hopeful little stack or a cute spreadsheet… and now? It’s an out-of-control beast made of impulsive bookstore buys, Kindle download sprees, and Goodreads recommendations from 2018.

So, grab a cozy beverage, crack open a window for that sweet spring breeze, and let’s declutter your TBR together. No guilt. No shame. Just good vibes and fresh reading goals.

1. Take Inventory – What’s Even In There?

First things first: let’s see what we’re working with.

Whether your TBR lives in a dusty stack beside your bed, a towering shelf in your living room, a meticulously organized Notion board, or 17 lists scattered across various apps—you’ve gotta gather the troops.

Here’s what to do:

• Go shelf by shelf, app by app.
• Make a list of all the books you own but haven’t read.
• Then add the ones you don’t own but have on a wishlist, in a Goodreads Want to Read list, or screenshotted in your camera roll from a Bookstagram recommendation at 1 a.m.

This step can feel overwhelming, but don’t worry—we’re not judging ourselves today. We’re just taking stock. Deep breaths.

Pro tip: If you have hundreds of books, try sorting by year added. The ones from 2015 might need a little extra side-eye.

2. Channel Your Inner Marie Kondo—Book Edition

Now comes the fun part: asking yourself the age-old question… “Does this book spark joy?”

Okay, maybe not joy. Maybe curiosity? Excitement? Mild interest that doesn’t make you groan?

Go through your list and ask yourself:

• Why did I add this in the first place?
• Am I still interested in this genre/topic?
• Do I even remember what this book is about?
• If I saw this book today, would I want to read it?

If you’re getting a solid meh, it’s okay to let it go. There are no TBR police watching you. You are not a bad reader for changing your mind. Life’s too short to read books out of obligation.

Your goal: Ditch anything that feels like a chore.

3. Be Ruthless (But Not Reckless)

Here’s the thing: decluttering your TBR isn’t about turning it into a minimalist shrine. It’s about realigning your list with who you are right now—not who you were when you panic-added 47 fantasy novels during a book hangover in 2021.

You don’t have to throw everything out. But if you’re holding onto a book “just in case” or “because everyone else liked it,” ask yourself if that’s really serving you.

Permission granted to:

• Remove books that you only added to look smart.
• Let go of classics you don’t actually want to read (Proust, we’re looking at you).
• Say goodbye to the series you’ve outgrown.
• Unhaul that 900-page fantasy book that makes you feel like a failure every time you look at it.

4. Break Up With “Should”

Let’s talk about the biggest clutter culprit on your TBR: the word “should.”

“I should read more literary fiction.”
“I should finish this series even though I hated book one.”
“I should get through my backlog before buying anything new.”

Look, “should” is the bookish equivalent of expired salad dressing. It clutters up your reading life and leaves a bad taste behind.

What if, instead, you only kept books on your TBR that you’re actually excited to read?

Try this instead: Ask, “Would Future Me be delighted to pick this up next week?” If the answer is no… it’s okay to move on.

5. Categorize for Sanity (And Style)

Once you’ve cleared the clutter, it’s time to organize what’s left. And this part? This is where the magic happens.

Think of it like building a dreamy bookstore display for yourself. You want to actually see what you have, so you can find your next read without stress.

Here are a few fun ways to sort your TBR:

• By genre or mood: Romance, fantasy, cozy, dark academia, etc.
• By vibe: Rainy-day reads, summer beach reads, “books that feel like warm hugs”
• By format: Physical, Kindle, audiobook
• By length: Short reads vs. chunky books
• By priority: “Read ASAP,” “Maybe later,” and “Kinda curious”

Apps like Notion, StoryGraph, or even a good ol’ spreadsheet can be super helpful here.

6. Set Fresh (and Fun!) Reading Goals

Now that your TBR is clean, shiny, and manageable(ish), it’s time to give your reading goals a spring refresh too.

Because let’s be real: the same “read 100 books this year” goal you’ve been setting for five years might not be working anymore. And forcing yourself through a rigid plan is the fastest way to kill your reading joy.

So here’s how to declutter your reading goals:

a) Toss Out Unrealistic Expectations

• You don’t need to read 30 books a month to be a “real” reader.
• You don’t have to finish a book every week.
• You are allowed to DNF (Did Not Finish) a book halfway through. Or three pages in.

Free yourself.

b) Choose Vibes Over Numbers

Instead of a number-based goal, try setting vibe-based ones like:

• “Read more books that make me feel cozy and calm.”
• “Pick up a book instead of doomscrolling.”
• “Read one book in translation this spring.”
• “Listen to audiobooks while walking the dog.”

c) Build a Seasonal Mini-TBR

Why not curate a spring-specific list that feels fresh and exciting?

Example:

• 1 cozy mystery
• 1 swoony romance
• 1 nature-themed nonfiction
• 1 pastel-colored cover (for the aesthetic)
• 1 backlist book you forgot you were excited about

Keep it light, flexible, and fun!

7. Create a “Someday, Maybe” List

Still clinging to a few books you’re not ready to let go of but also not dying to read right now?

Enter the “Someday, Maybe” list—a judgment-free purgatory for books that you’re not committing to but don’t want to forget.

Move those books off your main TBR and into this low-pressure zone. If they still call to you in a few months, great. If not, you know what to do.

8. Unhaul (and Rehome) the Books You’ve Outgrown

Got physical books collecting dust and silently guilt-tripping you? It’s time for a little unhaul action.

Here’s how to lovingly let them go:

• Donate to your local library or Little Free Library.
• Sell or trade them on PangoBooks, Bookmooch, or Facebook groups.
• Gift them to a friend who’ll actually enjoy them.
• Create a “blind date with a book” bundle for a book-loving neighbor.

Remember: you’re not abandoning them. You’re setting them free.

9. Make Your TBR List a Joyful Place Again

A freshly cleaned TBR list isn’t just nice to look at—it makes reading feel good again.

So don’t be afraid to give your list a personal flair:

• Add fun emojis next to genres (for cozy fantasy ☕, for romance 💕).
• Include a “Why I added this” note for future you.
• Add star ratings for cover design (just for fun).
• Track your mood when you pick a book—your reading vibe matters!

You want your TBR to feel like a treasure chest, not a to-do list.

10. Embrace the Chaos (Just a Little)

Here’s the truth: no matter how much you declutter, your TBR list will grow again. And that’s okay. That’s what it’s meant to do.

Books are joyful, tempting little creatures and part of the fun is chasing new titles, getting random recommendations, and stumbling across something amazing you never planned to read.

So let it be a living, breathing thing. You’ve spring cleaned it—you’ve given it a refresh. Now it’s ready to be loved again.

Final Thoughts

Spring cleaning your TBR list isn’t about perfection. It’s about making space—for joy, for curiosity, for books that truly speak to who you are right now. So if your TBR was starting to feel more like a burden than a blessing, I hope this helped clear the cobwebs and bring the sparkle back.

Now go light a candle, grab that book you’re actually excited to read, and bask in the glow of your freshly decluttered reading life. You’ve earned it.

Happy Reading!

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