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It’s a new year, which means everyone is setting their New Year’s resolutions. While setting goals like “drink more water” or “exercise more” are great, what kind of goals can a reader set besides “read more books”? Well, check out these 10 bookish New Year’s resolutions.

Never leave home without a book.

A few minutes of downtime happens so frequently, and usually, we just pass the time scrolling social media on our phones. But if you always have a book on hand, you can get a few minutes of reading in instead! This one is easier than ever in the age of e-readers. Kindles are more compact and therefore easier to carry around. There’s also the Kindle, Apple Books, or Kobo app that you can install on your phone for even easier access (this also would be an easier way to ease out of the habit of scrolling social media when you’re bored).

Set a reading goal, but make it realistic.

Reading goals are fun, but not if they cause you stress. Take a look at the total number of books you read last year and base this year’s number on that. You also can set a page count goal instead. I usually set both because it helps make sure that I’m reading some lengthier books off from my TBR.

Use the library

Instead of buying every book new, borrow it from the library. If you really enjoyed it, you can always purchase a copy for your shelf later. This way, you’re saving money and supporting your local library, which is important because libraries are amazing, and the more we support them, the better they’ll be able to support us in turn.

Buy books with purpose

I originally had this as “go on a book buying ban,” but I think having that as a year-long goal is a little unrealistic. For many readers, the act of buying books is as much a hobby as reading the books themselves. So be more purposeful with your purchasing. Tell yourself that you’re only going to buy a new book for every # that you read and already own, or commit to not buying books unless they’re sequels to books you already own. By decreasing the number of books you buy, you’ll not only save money but you’ll be forced to make a dent in your existing to be read pile.

And on a related note:

Shop local

Yes, Amazon is convenient and cheap, but it’s a multi-billion dollar company; it doesn’t need your help, but local bookstores do. It may take longer for a book to come in, but you can build a relationship with the booksellers and get personalized recommendations when you frequent the same store. So overall, it’s a better shopping experience.

Finish books with purpose

This is not me saying that you have to finish every book you start because if you read my article on DNFing books, you’d know that I’m an avid advocate of intentionally setting aside books. However, there is a keyword in that phrase: intentional. Don’t leave books unfinished for months on end simply because you set it down and forgot about it. Either commit to finishing the book or choose to not finish it, but make it your goal to stop leaving books in book-limbo.

Join a book club

Or start one.

Or do a buddy read.

Basically, make a point to read a book with other people and discuss it. You’ll make new friends, and you might gain a new appreciation for the book by hearing someone else’s thoughts on it.

Vary your genres

Okay, this is one of my bookish goals, and I’m going to have a problem with it because I love romance so much. However, reading from different genres is an excellent way to expand your horizons and learn new things, and that’s one of the joys of reading.

Log your reading

Whether you use Goodreads or Storygraph, buy a book journal or make your own, or start a blog where you write reviews (like this one!), keep track of the books you read throughout the year and your thoughts on them were. It will help you avoid re-reading books, identify what you like so you can read more of that type of book, identify what you don’t like so you can avoid it, or find gaps in your reading habits.

Clean our your shelves

I’m not saying that you have to KonMari your shelves, because frankly if books bring you joy, then you should definitely keep more than 20. However, keeping books that you no longer have a use for or didn’t like is just taking up space that you could fill with books you do like. Also, that book might be someone else’s next favorite read, so you should pass it along. Donate it to a thrift store, used book store, or library if they take donations. Find a Little Free Library near you. Or simply gift it to a friend or coworker.

What is your bookish New Year’s resolution?