I used to have a to-read pile.

Then I had a to-read shelf.

and then... and then...

Ended up with about two and a half 6 foot bookshelves full of stuff I hadn't read. Which is currently sitting in storage.

For the last few years I've had the rule that I don't buy a book until the point that I'm going to start reading it. Which the world of digital books has obviously made a lot easier.

Made my life simpler - I'd recommend it ;-)