• Home
  • Get Started!
  • Speaking
  • Blog
    • Cleaning
    • decluttering
    • organization
    • All posts
  • Podcast
  • Books
    • Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House
      • Get a Discussion Guide
    • Organizing for the Rest of Us
    • Decluttering at the Speed of Life
    • How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind
  • Video
  • Shortcut Solutions
    • 14 Days to Opening Your Front Door to Guests e-book
    • Make Dinner Happen
    • The 5 Day Clutter Shakedown Video Course
    • Printable Checklists E-Book from A Slob Comes Clean
    • Teaching Kids to Clean e-book
    • Giving God the Worst of Me - free e-book
    • My Book Publishing Journey
    • Take Your House Back
  • Decluttering Coaches

Dana K. White

A SLOB COMES CLEAN

Reality-Based Cleaning, Decluttering, & Organizing

 

  • About
  • Contact
  • TV & Media

  • Home
  • Get Started!
  • Speaking
  • Blog
    • Cleaning
    • decluttering
    • organization
    • All posts
  • Podcast
  • Books
    • Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House
      • Get a Discussion Guide
    • Organizing for the Rest of Us
    • Decluttering at the Speed of Life
    • How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind
  • Video
  • Shortcut Solutions
    • 14 Days to Opening Your Front Door to Guests e-book
    • Make Dinner Happen
    • The 5 Day Clutter Shakedown Video Course
    • Printable Checklists E-Book from A Slob Comes Clean
    • Teaching Kids to Clean e-book
    • Giving God the Worst of Me - free e-book
    • My Book Publishing Journey
    • Take Your House Back
  • Decluttering Coaches
Videos
Blog
Podcast
Products & Courses
Books
About
Decluttering Coaches

How to Keep a Book’s Binding from Breaking

October 18, 2013 By Dana White | 36 Comments

  • 1.4Kshares
  • 1.3K
  • 0
  • 134

How to Keep a Book Binding from Breaking at ASlobComesClean.com

Hmmm. That title is a mouthful.

There are some things my husband has taught me, and some things that I have taught him. Marriage helps you see firsthand that not everyone’s mama teaches her kids the exact same stuff.

When my husband lamented that chunks of pages were falling out of a fairly new (and expensive) Bible a few years ago, I asked him if he broke it in before he used it.

His look of suspicious bewilderment helped me see that “how to break in books” was not something his mama taught him.

My mother taught me when we purchased a set of encyclopedias. She stressed the importance of breaking in a book properly so it will last.

Making things last is a nice companion concept to decluttering. Don’t you think?

So in case your mama didn’t teach you the importance of breaking in book bindings, I’ll share instructions here. In these pictures, I’m using a brand new Bible Hubby had purchased using some birthday money. A brand new Bible that I asked to break in for him so I could take pictures and write a blog post.

A brand new Bible that he had asked about, but that I found a few months later . . . still in its box . . . at the bottom of a decluttering project.

Blech.

(Please note that he had been patiently using his old, falling apart Bible while he waited on his crazy-blogger wife. That’s one awesome and supportive husband.)

Anyway. Here’s how you break in the binding on a book.

Please note that it’s important to do this the VERY FIRST TIME you open the book. With paperbacks and Kindle books, this is a lost art, but when you DO spend a lot of money on a traditionally bound book, you want that book to last as long as possible.

Breaking in a Book Binding at ASlobComesClean.com

Hold the book with the binding on the table. Bring one side of the cover down to the table, and run your fingers down the inside of the cover, as close to the binding as possible.

Repeat on the other side.

How to Break in a Book at ASlobComesClean.com

Take a small chunk of pages on the other side, and again run your fingers down them, as close to the binding as possible, gently pressing the pages toward the table.

Breaking in the Binding of a Book at ASlobComesClean.com

Repeat on the other side.

Repeat.

Repeat some more, alternating sides each time.

It’s simple, time-consuming, and surprisingly satisfying.

Did your mother teach you how to do this?

 

 

Save

--Nony

Related Posts:

Read Newer Post Nony Starts Using Grown-Up Glasses (And Declutters Her Kitchen Cabinet in a Webisode)
Read Older Post 008-How to Clean a Messy House Podcast

Filed Under: doing things well | 36 Comments

Comments

  1. kim says

    October 18, 2013 at 12:32 pm

    Nope. I just learned something new. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Nancy says

      July 5, 2023 at 8:29 am

      I had a school teacher show our class this technique during a year that our class received new textbooks. She seemed excited about them, and we helped break in the new texts. Thanks for the reminder!

      Reply
  2. Sue says

    October 18, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    My mother taught me to do that, too. I’ve gotten some odd looks from people who saw me do that. What on earth was I doing?!

    Awesome hubby, BTW!

    Reply
  3. dorie says

    October 18, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    My momma didn’t show me this, but one of my best friends has worked for our public library for years & showed me this right after she started there. Another PSA is that not only is your library a wealth of knowledge in book form, but many of them can direct you to people in your area that can repair book bindings. So if you have a beloved tome that you did not ‘break in” and it’s falling apart, ask! 🙂

    Reply
    • Dana White says

      October 18, 2013 at 12:47 pm

      Oooh, that’s a great tip!

      Reply
  4. Sarah says

    October 18, 2013 at 1:33 pm

    We learned it in school when we got our textbooks in first grade. And second grade. And third grade. And.. and…
    And my great aunt who gave us books for Christmas every year showed us too.

    I was taught to start page by page for the outer quarter of the book, then every three or four pages, then up to ten till the center of the book.

    Reply
    • ruth says

      October 18, 2013 at 6:58 pm

      me too. learned in 1st grade

      Reply
  5. Anastacia Maness says

    October 18, 2013 at 3:09 pm

    I love how your husband waited several months to get his new Bible just so you could do a blog post on it. He is so patient! 🙂 I have heard of breaking in a new Bible but had never done it that way. We just were really careful until all the pages no longer stuck together then we officially proclaimed the Bible as broke in. This is a great post and I’ll have to show my kids your method with their next new Bible.

    Reply
  6. Holly G says

    October 18, 2013 at 4:28 pm

    I didn’t know that! Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply
  7. AdenaF says

    October 18, 2013 at 6:58 pm

    Wow, I’ve learned something new and I have a gazillion books plus one.

    Reply
  8. Khristin Z says

    October 18, 2013 at 7:23 pm

    I saw someone doing that in college, but I didn’t realize it was actually a “thing”. Seems like it would be something they would tell you at bookstores when you drop $200-$300 per book.

    Reply
  9. Kristy K. James says

    October 19, 2013 at 3:29 am

    Hmm. I didn’t learn this from my mother, or my book-loving aunt…or anyone else. If they taught it in school, it must have been to students who actually got the books when they were new. Great information. I’ll have to remember it the next time I buy a bible…or hardbound book. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Debbie Campbell says

    October 19, 2013 at 7:04 am

    My Mom didn’t teach me. My Dad taught me. Although both of my parents loved books the way I do, my Dad taught me to respect the books that you have – break them in, don’t throw them around, and it you’re not going to keep them, share them with someone who loves them as much as you do.

    Reply
  11. Robyn R says

    October 19, 2013 at 7:46 am

    Nobody taught me this (that i remember), but I have such a HUGE issue about not breaking the binding on the spine and having NO CREASES on the spine that I sort of do this naturally. I’m a freak about my books (even cheap paperbacks) and it is very rare that you can tell I’ve ever opened the book when I’m done with it.
    But, I’m so happy to see my need for nice binding has actual merit in the real world. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Kristin Evans says

    October 19, 2013 at 9:07 am

    Didn’t learn this either, but will try it from now on! Great hint!

    Reply
  13. Leah says

    October 19, 2013 at 1:42 pm

    Ohhhh, so maybe THAT”s why all of my culinary classmates’ books were falling apart after only one semester. Never heard of that until about two weeks ago….

    Reply
  14. Amanda says

    October 20, 2013 at 11:07 am

    I had learned this a long time ago, and totally forgot about it. I remember watching my mom break in the encyclopedias. I was very small and not allowed to help. I’ve never seen it since then. Thanks.

    And yes, it does relate to decluttering. 🙂 If you are only going to keep the special things, please take care of them well.

    Reply
  15. Kirra says

    October 20, 2013 at 9:59 pm

    I’ve heard of this before but never actually done it. Usually my Bibles fall apart on the outside before they start losing pages. I suppose that’s because I tend to get hardback rather than leather-bound?

    Reply
  16. Shannon says

    October 21, 2013 at 1:46 pm

    “His look of suspicious bewilderment …” This made me chuckle! I love the way you write!

    I also had not heard of breaking in a book and will definitely be putting the information to use and teaching my kids as well.

    Reply
  17. Miriam says

    October 22, 2013 at 9:08 am

    I remember breaking in textbooks as a class in grade school. Good thing to know. Now I need to teach my sons, so this technique isn’t lost in the next generation.

    Reply
  18. Maureen says

    November 5, 2013 at 4:02 pm

    My dad taught me, but my husband had never heard of such a thing. We were also NEVER allowed to eat while reading or write in books.

    Reply
  19. melinda says

    July 30, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    Never heard of this before, and I am a voracious reader. So glad I now know how to take care of the next book I get. Thanks, Nony!

    Reply
  20. jennydecki says

    July 31, 2014 at 12:27 pm

    I had no idea but I’m glad to know it for future use!

    Reply
  21. Jamie says

    July 31, 2014 at 4:10 pm

    We were taught this in grade school, when we received new textbooks. Thanks for the reminder though!

    Reply
  22. Emily says

    July 31, 2014 at 4:34 pm

    I had never heard of this either. And my parents and I are all avid readers.

    Reply
  23. Safepethaven says

    August 1, 2014 at 2:09 am

    I don’t remember being taught this particular book break-in method as such, but I remember as early as second grade, [our school-supplied books were RARELY NEW] our teachers would direct us from the beginning of school & thereafter well into the semester, to follow along the lessons from the beginning of the book, to also flip back & forth regularly from table of contents, to chapter topics, to reference the index frequently, gradually progressing through the textbook or reference books, though not necessarily page 1 through to the end in exact order. I was taught to treat books & all our home & school property [ especially if borrowed/loaned] not just books, but school-owned expensive band instruments too, with great respect and gentle care. They HAD to last a very long time!

    Reply
  24. Michelle says

    August 1, 2014 at 8:25 am

    I have never heard of this but consider my mind blown. I can’t wait to implement this in my life.

    Reply
  25. Shayna says

    August 18, 2014 at 2:49 pm

    This is a first year Cub Scouts requirement. Thanks for the reminder. Just shows how important Boy Scouting is 😉

    Reply
  26. Hanee says

    February 22, 2015 at 1:16 am

    I’ve never heard of this, even though my mother has been a librarian since the early 1960s. Still none of my bound books have ever fallen apart. Could it be that books are bound differently here (the Netherlands / Europe)?

    Reply
  27. Lynn says

    February 14, 2016 at 7:32 pm

    I have inherited some old books that were not broken in properly. I tried this method on one of them but the binding broke anyway. Is there a way I can prevent it from breaking on the other books when I open them.

    Reply
    • Dana White says

      February 15, 2016 at 9:44 am

      No, I’m so sorry! I’d ask your local librarian.

      Reply
  28. Sue says

    February 26, 2017 at 6:25 pm

    First time hearing this but it makes perfect sense. Thank you.

    Reply
  29. Danielle says

    February 26, 2018 at 9:25 pm

    Funny, I’ve been doing this for years, but not really knowing that I was helping the book! It just makes it a lot easier to read the book because the pages don’t want to flop to one side or the other. Good to know!

    Reply
  30. Jenny says

    December 30, 2021 at 4:41 pm

    WHAT!!! I am a book lover from a family of book lovers and none of us had ever heard of this! My dad and grandma just insisted that books shouldn’t be opened too wide if you don’t want the bindings to break. 🤦‍♀️
    Also, I’m shocked that so many people learned this in school! I attended 7 schools in 2 states and 2 different countries and NONE of them taught this (and I’m the kind of person who would have absolutely remembered and done this religiously had I learned it).

    Anyway, thank you!!! (Several years later).

    Reply
  31. Bookgirl Becky says

    June 12, 2024 at 3:39 am

    I am a librarian and never learned this technique!

    Reply
  32. Denise says

    July 7, 2024 at 4:10 pm

    I had a beloved Pastor/teacher demonstrate this technique many years ago. I just received a new Bible to replace a broken one (which I had broken in this way. ) It was inexpensive and had a glued spine , rather than sewn, and served me well for twenty years in spite of the low quality binding.
    I found this post while researching how to make my new Bible binding last longer. I’m so glad I found this.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Now, I’d love to hear how to reverently “declutter” my broken, partial Bibles. Have a blessed day.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Want solutions to your biggest decluttering problems?

Get my newsletter and we'll start by teaching you how to declutter without making a bigger mess.
* = required field

Popular Posts

Why-I-Have-To-Run-My-Dishwasher-Every-Single-Night-at-ASlobComesClean.com sidebar
Five Truths about a Clean Kitchen even without a dishwasher at ASlobComesClean.com sidebar
How to Clean a Messy House at ASlobComesClean.com sidebar

Topics:

blogcast Cleaning daily checklist decluttering failures figuring myself out kitchen laundry Menu Plan Monday organization parenting podcasts progress random stories reader stories recipes sponsored posts Uncategorized

  • PR/Advertising
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Website Terms and Conditions
Search

  • About
  • Contact
  • TV & Media

© Dana K. White | Site by Little Leaf Design