I'm just going to do a stream of consciousness free-writing thing, because I've been a little blocked this week and this usually helps. Ahem:
I've got a latte and a handful of chocolate chips. I'm sick; I should be drinking water and eating, I don't know, ginger root and cloves of garlic. But if there is one thing I know about being an adult, it's that I'm not any smarter than I was as a kid, I'm just more aware of my stupidity now. And there is no one here to enforce wisdom. Tale as old as time. C'est la vie. Viva Las Vegas.
I organized my bookshelves today. Reorganized them. Before, they were arranged by genre and then by colour within the genre. But lately, I've been looking at them and thinking, "This is very 2008 of me, this whole rainbow book thing." Plus, my book collection is getting...big. I bought 14 books the other day (more on that later) (or, if you follow me on Instagram, more on that before).
So today I took them all off the shelves, piled them in stacks all over the couches and piano bench and chairs and coffee table and floor, and sorted them into genres and then by the authors' last names.
Sully helped, and that was cute and fun.
I like this better than the colour thing, I think. Fiction A-B is on top of the piano. Fiction B-T is on the left bookcase. The bottom shelf on that side is taller and has my cookbooks and music books. The right side has non-fiction, divided into categories, and then a tiny memoir section, and then a short stories and poetry section. Then there are coffee table books (I love a good coffee table book), and then young adult fiction, and then textbooks. Fiction T-Z, in case you were worried, ended up on the shelf behind the couch, because that's what makes sense for me for now.
This is the thing I like about book organization: it only has to make sense to you. You're the only one who has to like it or find it useful. And, I mean, that's true of all home organization/decor things. It's just that now we have Pinterest and design blogs and now we're aware of all these rules about fashion and function and the "right" way to hang pictures and arrange furniture.
You know what I say to all of that?
Well, hey, here, I just so happen to have a helpful analogy!
I'm sick. I should be eating ginger and garlic and drinking water, but I'm having a latte and chocolate. I am fully aware of what I'm doing "wrong" and I really couldn't care less, because I'm happier with chocolate than garlic cloves, and I will survive.
And that's how I feel about home decor.
Stream of consciousness: ended.
12 comments:
Your stream of consciousness came full circle so effortlessly! Impressive.
-Rach
Yes! I love your categories! I have only 3: Sewing books, books I don't understand because they are technical books from the Mr, books from the library. I live arranging and rearranging my library book pile. I try to tell myself I will arrange them once and then only add new books to the end of the line and read them "in order." I never do that though. I rearrange after every book. I loosely try to read a true story or biography or book on a subject I dont know anything about, and then a serious mystery or thriller book, and then a fluffy fun one. But I am all chocolate and no garlic on my own rules, to borrow a phrase.
I have been thinking about my bookshelves a little too much lately. I have one bookshelf organized by color (the new, smallest one), and then the other (in the same room) is kind of a random catch all with my project life albums and some coffee table books and some photo albums. The third bookshelf in my office has lately started housing self-pub books. When I try to find books, I have to know the color of the spine in order to find it, and I'm not so sure that's working for me (I know for a fact that I have YOU by Caroline Kepnes and the sequel HIDDEN BODIES separated because the spine colors aren't the same. IN WHAT UNIVERSE SHOULD THOSE TWO BOOKS BE SEPARATED! Ughhhh. Big decisions here, people.
Perfection. I loved this one, Suzy.
Hey thanks!
Haha! I think there is nothing more therapeutic than rearranging book piles. And I hear you on this: It's very hard to follow through on any kind of reading order. I never know until I finish a book what I'm going to be in the mood for next.
And I think I could have probably guessed at the kinds of books in your library. I guess that means we're good friends.
Oh, pft, I'm sure you're not thinking about it too much. You should've heard me shouting at Barclay yesterday (he was in the bedroom): "BARCLAYYYY!!! WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THIS ONE: I HAVE AN OLD COPY OF TOM SAWYER WITH THE NAME SAMUEL CLEMENS ON THE SPINE AND A NEWER ONE WITH MARK TWAIN ON THE SPINE—DO I FILE THESE TOGETHER? UNDER C? OR SEPARATELY? OH WHAT ABOUT THIS! I HAVE FEVER PITCH BY NICK HORNBY AND FUNNY GIRL BY NICK HORNBY. BUT FEVER PITCH IS MEMOIR, NOT FICTION, SO WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THIS? BARCLAAAYYYY..."
You get the picture.
Aw, thanks Callie! I'm so curious to know about your library organization...
Reminds me of when I worked in a bookstore....and they decided to separate fiction into subcategories...oiy.
Just the other day I was looking at my (overflowing, organized by color) bookcase and thinking something needs to be done. 100% overthinking the endless rearranging options. I learned recently that some libraries are coming up with new systems for organizing books, e.g. sorting all materials by topic, such that fiction and nonfiction are mixed. Crazy and fascinating all at once...I want to visit one!
Hahahahaha. I am SO THANKFUL I'm not in charge of an entire book store. My employees would hate me.
THAT is an interesting concept. Now I'm eyeing my shelves again...but no. Barclay would start to worry.
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