All the Stacks
I fully admit that I am one of those folks who has romanticized the stacked books that pile up in "real book lovers'" homes. Surely it must say something about a person when they are surrounded by stacks and stacks of books. Certainly they must love books more than anyone else, right?
While I have always pined over the cozy apartment with my own stacks, my gypsy spirit has kept me from ever really getting some good stacks of my own. In the past 18 years, I have only stayed in one apartment for 2 years, at the most. Sometimes I've even been there less than a year. While I have always prided myself in hauling my enormous collection with me, the consistent purge in my life seemed to keep the stacks away.
As I mentioned recently, I have signed on for year 3 in my current apartment. This being summer vacation, I decided to take some time and give the apartment a good once over. This is mostly because one day it seemed as if the walls were caving in around me. When did I acquire all this...stuff? One thing that was most certainly present was my own collection of book stacks. In fact, it seemed things were out of control.
What to do? I don't think I've rid myself of a book, other than sharing it with someone, in...well, maybe never! Alas, I share my space with two lovelies and it isn't quite fair for them to have to put up with my growing collection. They have been very tolerant so far. I have also been trying to save money, which means the library has been my main squeeze for the past year. I really didn't need to keep all of these books if I could just check them out.
I set to the task of "curating" my library. It took me about 4 hours but in the end I felt much better. I discovered that sometimes I own multiple copies of the same book. I donated all the books to the elementary school around the corner. All books now fit on shelves. They are organized at last. There are no more stacks. I even made room to store my bike and incorporate a new chair into my bedroom. A chair for...reading books!
Do y'all have stacks? One of my favorite children's lit bloggers just tweeted this post the other day and I giggled at the perfect timing. I'm curious how many people actually have these romantic tsundokus and how many just dream of them like I used to. Whatcha got world? Show me your stacks!
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| Thanks, interwebs! I learned this because of you! |
While I have always pined over the cozy apartment with my own stacks, my gypsy spirit has kept me from ever really getting some good stacks of my own. In the past 18 years, I have only stayed in one apartment for 2 years, at the most. Sometimes I've even been there less than a year. While I have always prided myself in hauling my enormous collection with me, the consistent purge in my life seemed to keep the stacks away.
As I mentioned recently, I have signed on for year 3 in my current apartment. This being summer vacation, I decided to take some time and give the apartment a good once over. This is mostly because one day it seemed as if the walls were caving in around me. When did I acquire all this...stuff? One thing that was most certainly present was my own collection of book stacks. In fact, it seemed things were out of control.
 |
| Stack of unread books...right next to my unplayed guitar. My neglected things. Wah wah. |
What to do? I don't think I've rid myself of a book, other than sharing it with someone, in...well, maybe never! Alas, I share my space with two lovelies and it isn't quite fair for them to have to put up with my growing collection. They have been very tolerant so far. I have also been trying to save money, which means the library has been my main squeeze for the past year. I really didn't need to keep all of these books if I could just check them out.
I set to the task of "curating" my library. It took me about 4 hours but in the end I felt much better. I discovered that sometimes I own multiple copies of the same book. I donated all the books to the elementary school around the corner. All books now fit on shelves. They are organized at last. There are no more stacks. I even made room to store my bike and incorporate a new chair into my bedroom. A chair for...reading books!
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| Goodbye books! |
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