Last Updated on October 4, 2022 by BiblioLifestyle
If you’re not up to date on current book lingo, TBR means “to be read.”  For the book obsessed, your TBR book stack is probably higher than Mount Everest right now, and it’s growing daily.  These sky-high TBR stacks are often a result of giving into super hyped-up books, best-seller must-read lists, and books recommended to you by online and real-life book friends.  Let’s not forget the books you missed out on from your high school reading list but finally decided to read.  The books you couldn’t help yourself buying when you casually browsed your local bookstore.  Plus, the oh-so-popular late-night browsing the internet book purchases.  Yup, the struggle is real, and it’s often one us book lovers fall into headfirst.
But, contrary to popular belief, there are many things you can do to make some headway and make a dent in your massive TBR book stacks. Â So check out our ten tips for tackling your at-home TBR.
10 Tips for Tackling Your At Home TBR
1. Â TAKE INVENTORYÂ
The painful but necessary first step is to take inventory of all your unread books. Â If you don’t know what books you have to read, how can you read them?
Taking inventory also requires some reflection:Â what kind of reader do you want to be? Â What are your reading priorities, and have they changed since you added that first book to your pile (years ago)? Â Are there books on topics you are no longer interested in? Â Once you have clear answers to some of these basic questions, you’ll better understand what books should stay in your TBR pile and what needs to go.
2. Â DECIDE WHAT BOOKS ACTUALLY BELONG ON YOUR TBR
Believe it or not but not all books belong on your TBR.
You may want to read some books at some point in your life, say, during your next extended vacation or when you finally retire. Â Then some books belong on your TBR pile. Â These two categories are not the same thing. Â Your TBR pile is for those urgent, intensely curated books of utmost reading priority. Â So separate those urgent reads from any other ones you anticipate wanting to read at some point.
3. Â MAKE MINI TBR STACKS
After you’ve taken inventory and made a decision about what books actually belong on your TBR, make new stacks with the books that you’re planning to read in the near future according to your reading style.  If you’re a mood reader, organize your books and have stacks dedicated to a particular subject matter or genre.  If you have reading goals, make a stack with those books you’re prioritizing and pull from them exclusively.
The main goal here is to make the books you want to read easily accessible when you need them, or you’re in a particular reading mood.
4. Â ORGANIZE BOOKS BY DATE
Remember those mini TBR stacks I recommended? Â Well, whether those work for you or not, I highly recommend adding books according to the date they arrived on your TBR. Â It’s a well-known little secret that the longer a book sits on your TBR pile, the odds of them being read drop drastically.
5. Â KEEP YOUR TBR VISIBLE
Don’t hide your TBR under the bed or behind any other books. Â Keep it where you can see it. Â Please give them a home on a nice shelf or in an area that you highly traffic.
6. Â ADD MORE BOOKS …MINDFULLY
I can’t stick to any book-buying bans, so I don’t recommend them to anyone.  Instead, I recommend that you always remember step number two – not all books belong on your TBR.  The books on your TBR should be stranded island material, not books you anticipate wanting to read whenever.
By that same token, keep your TBR pile diverse – be mindful about discovering new authors, writers from a wide variety of backgrounds, and authors of color, add some books in translations, a variety of genres, etc.
7. Â JUST READ
An obvious tip, right? Â This really is the crux of getting through your TBR pile. Â Moaning that you have no time to read isn’t going to help you read the gazillion books piling up around you – Â just do it and prioritize reading.
8. Â INCLUDE BOOKS IN YOUR LIFE
To read more, you have to make books a part of your life and daily routine. Â Some tips include – never leaving home without a book, always having a book on hand, listening to an audiobook while you’re out for a walk, at the gym, or doing household chores, and penciling in some time in your schedule to read.
9. Â MAKE YOUR TBR A PRIORITY
It’s easy to get distracted by the book FOMO and changing personal interests.  Sometimes the book everyone is talking about on #bookstagram isn’t a book that belongs in your TBR pile.  Some indulgence is good, but spend some time scrutinizing the synopsis, ratings, and reviews.  This should give you a clear enough idea of whether or not you’re genuinely interested in a book and if you should make it a priority.
10. Â REPEAT STEPS ONE AND TWO
Your TBR stack will inevitably get out of control again; it’s just a fact of life. Â Plus, your reading tastes and interests are likely to evolve. Â So every so often – let’s say, once a year – reevaluate the books that are still hanging out in your TBR pile. Â If necessary, don’t be afraid to move a few of those books to your “to be read at some point” shelves. Â Then add anything hot off the presses that deserves the coveted space you just made.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
– Set monthly reading goals.Â
– Create a reading space in your home just for reading.
– If a book isn’t working for you, don’t be afraid to set it aside.
– Turn off or silent your mobile devices during your reading time.
–Â If you’re feeling generous donate books you know you’re never going to read to your local used bookstore, library bookshop, charity shop, or little free library.
What are your tips for making a dent in your TBR?
Let me know what tips and tricks have worked for you in the comments.
I’ve learned tip #2 over the past year. I still book shop but am more particular about what I want to read and not what everyone is talking about especially when it comes to the newest releases. These are great tips, thanks!