In preparation for moving to our new apartment, I’ve been trying to divest myself of as much stuff as possible. Four jackets that I got from the free table have been put back on the free table. Mounds of paperwork (but not letters from my grandmother) have a new home at the recycling facility. If I don’t use it once a week, or at least once per month, I’m giving it or throwing it away.

Books, of course, are an exception. Though I’ve (mostly) given up acquiring new books in favor of suggesting that my local library buy them, I don’t have the heart to ruthlessly prune my books. I’ve heard recently of BJU faculty who have given away two-thirds or more of their library because they are moving offices; they are better men than I.

But some books aren’t worth keeping around, so I’ve started selling books on Amazon. In the past week, I’ve sold three books and one software CD. For textbooks used at BJU, I’ll probably make more money selling directly to the buyer. But for other books, I would never be able to find a buyer on my own, so Amazon is a good deal. Amazon has taken about an 20% cut of total earnings, and shipping costs have taken another 7%, so I’m making about 73% of the total sale price. It’s not enough money to retire early, but cash always beats clutter.