Saturday, January 25, 2014

Celebrating Piles of Books!

Every week, Ruth Ayres over at Discover. Play. Build. invites people to share celebrations from their week.  Please visit and consider linking up your own celebration. 

"Um......do you think.....maybe we can do something about the stacks of books?" my sweet husband asks, tentatively.  "Like maybe put them in one place?" he suggests. 

Don't get me wrong, my husband is incredibly supportive of my reading habits, my book purchasing addiction and all of my nerdy ventures. His comments were directed toward my book piles. I didn't think it was that bad.  Sure, there are a few books on the kitchen counter, and maybe some down on the big desk that holds everything, but that's about it. Oh, and those by my bed, but who doesn't have a stack by their bed? 
So I decided to take a look around the house to see where there might be more piles. I guess he was right, there really are piles everywhere. 


 Yep, two piles on the counter.  We pile lots of things there. 

The bedside nightstand
The bedside floor

There were NO piles on the desk, but there was one 
on the floor by the desk..... 
and in a basket by the desk.
That had to be all, right?
Nope. 

Molly's floor
On Molly's bookcase

Behind the couch next to TJ's inflatable planets. 
You are a true book nerd if you noticed the Scholastic box underneath.  Yes, it is filled with books from the December warehouse sale. 

On a pile of clean clothes, not yet put away, don't judge. 

I thought I was done when I spied a stack hiding on a chair. 

I guess I really needed to think about this. Do these piles mean that I am just a slob? Maybe a little.  I have since consolidated the piles, moved some and brought some to school.  
After thinking about it for a while, I realized that I love my piles, love, love LOVE 'em. They are like disorganized, little monuments constantly reminding me of my reading life.  I consider them to be artwork sprinkled around my home. Each is unique and reminds me of time in my life, an event, story or author.  Simply put, they make me happy.  

How do you "organize" your reading life? 

26 comments:

  1. Hahaha!!! I have my own "little monuments" all over my home too. I bet there are reasons why books are in those separate piles, right? I celebrate your piles and I just love that you took pictures of them all!!!!

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    1. Yes there certainly are different reasons and purposes that only I can understand :-)

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  2. I love your piles too. I also love that you can leave them there --without feeling the need to put them away. Maybe they are not disorganized… they seem to have purposeful places throughout your home and in your heart! Thanks for sharing!
    Clare and Tammy

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  3. I am a "piler" and proud of it! I love how you described them as monuments of your reading life! That is so true. It would be kind of fun for people to take pictures and share their monuments. I bet we could learn a lot from each other just by looking at the pictures! Interesting....

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    1. That would be interesting indeed! I think you can learn a lot about a reader from their piles.

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  4. This is so sweet and true! I grew up in Jackson, MS. and only just recently toured the Eudora Welty home. They have tried to leave it as she lived in it. Guess what you see everywhere? Piles of books! Even a whole sofa, covered in books! Makes me feel like I am one with her, channeling Eudora when I pile books everywhere.

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    1. Wow! Maybe messy hoarding is a trait of creative and intelligent people. Yeah, I'll go with that.

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  5. Oh my, another piler friend!!! My daughter and I are sooooo with you. My husband has a pile too - consisting of the books that I think he should read. They've been sitting there for awhile :) I say keep piling on!!!

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    1. Thank you Michele. I'm not sure I'd like my house any other way.

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  6. Don't you love Margaret's story about Eudora Welty-perhaps there are pictures to support your own habit, Gigi. I'm so glad to hear about others book-buying & piling habits-whew! Thanks for telling-and showing-all!

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    1. Yes, great to know that we are in very good company!

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  7. Loved this way of documenting your reading life!

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  8. I LOVE this post. Thanks for making me feel like I'm not alone! :-)

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  9. Margaret is right - you are channeling Eudora Welty, Gigi - no judging here, because you are in great company!

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  10. I've got piles of book everywhere too! It's just me at home, so I can make as many piles as I want!

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  11. This post made me laugh in rueful recognition. I also have books stacked EVERYWHERE. I don't think my husband even sees them, which is great! Every so often, I make a vow to keep things neater and dutifully put the stacks on the shelves, but it's just not the same. I find it comforting to have piles of books in every room. And sometimes multiple piles of books!

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    1. Yes, I don't think I would like my home without them. I seems like lots of us share this habit.

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  12. I absolutely love this post! I think your piles of books are incredible… don't change a thing! :) Have a lovely weekend!

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  13. My piles are all completely neat and tidy and well organized. For about three minutes every week! Piles and piles and piles of books everywhere we look! This is the way it should be! Loved all of the photos!

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  14. What a wonderful celebration! I want to come visit your house and browse through the stacks. I spotted a few titles I'd like to read. :-)

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  15. I have my books very organized, even my TBR piles make someone (like myself) with OCD proud. However your pictures do look like my house, because that is how my daughter places her books around the house. Her brother, who is very much like myself is constantly complaining about her book messes.

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  16. In college I had a friend who tried to cheer me up by telling me to see the 'mess' in my dorm room as waterfalls. That's what I thought of when you say you love love love your piles. I get it! They're like sparkly piles of jewels. Who doesn't like a pile of books?

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