Ranking updated
How to tame your TBR pile
A shelf of books you meant to read. A wish list in one app, screenshots of recommendations in another, three books open at once. A TBR pile grows on its own. Without a little order it stops being a promise and turns into quiet guilt.
A simple way to sort and shrink the pile, then book tracker apps. There is no right size for a TBR list. The aim is a list that makes you want to read, not one that makes you feel behind.
Book tracker apps rising by visits and sponsorship on Censuus
A younger app worth a look:
ReadHero: Book Tracker & TBR4.7★ App Storea digital bookshelf with a barcode scanner, reading progress, quotes and a TBR list, on iPhone.- Your app hereFree, foreverList my app
Gather everything in one place
Scan the barcodes on your shelf, add e-books and wish-list titles. One list shows how big the pile is and stops you buying a book twice. Compare tools in book tracker apps.
Sort it, then shorten it
Next up holds what you will read soon. Someday holds the rest. Maybe never is permission to let go. Keep next up short, so picking the next book takes seconds.
Give up on books
A book you dread opening blocks every book behind it. Stop, mark it as abandoned and move on. For the habit itself, see how to read more books.
Keep a record
Note what you finished and what stayed with you; see how to keep a reading journal. For the physical shelves, see how to organize your home library.
| Step | What you do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. One list | shelf, e-books and wish list | see the whole pile |
| 2. Three groups | next up, someday, maybe never | clear choices |
| 3. A short next up | only a few books | easy to pick |
| 4. Quit freely | books you do not enjoy | room for better ones |
| 5. Monthly review | move or remove books | a living list |
Frequently asked questions
What does TBR mean?
To be read: the books you plan to read.
How do I choose what to read next?
Keep a short next up list and pick from it, not from the whole pile.
Is it fine to stop reading a book halfway?
Yes. Stopping a book you do not enjoy leaves time for one you will.