I love books, I have thousands, but I also like my apartment to be Zen! Everything has its place, even my books. They belong on my bookshelves in the library and not just on any bookshelf either! Self-help, cookbooks, memoir, all have their own section. Fiction is alphabetized according to author, science books placed according to subject: astronomy, physics, quantum physics…well, you get the picture.

I do part with books (it’s hard, I know) to make room for more books, but only because it’s necessary. Otherwise, I would have books all over the place and that’s out of the question. No framed photos either except for 5 arranged in an artistic way in my feng shui apartment.

Writing in my books? Heavens, no!!! Earmarked pages? Forget it!!! Wire hangers? As someone once said, “No wire hangers!” I can tell you wooden hangers are much more disciplined. When you close a closet with 50 wooden hangers at night, you’re not going to find 49 or 51 of them the next day! No fugue or hanky-panky going on with wooden hangers!!!

What can I say? To each his or her own!

I didn’t realize how bad it was until, due to circumstances beyond my control, I had move and I wasn’t going without my books. I decided that I was going to sort out my books into categories (haven’t read yet, not going to finish, finished but won’t read again, will not get rid of under ANY circumstance, etc). I did donate a few of the books I was sorting through, but not as many as I was thinking (I believe the final could was 10). I still ended up taking about five 30 gallon totes with me that were packed to capacity.

I think my system was good, but I have a problem letting go of my companions. I can always find a reason not to give one away, let alone piles of them. I also know its only going to get worse. I’ve probably bought another 15 books in the last two months. They say that the fist step is admitting you have a problem. Hello, my name is Kellie and I’m a book-a-holic. Needless to say, I am not a success story.