Too Much Clutter

Adverts are everywhere, exhorting the values of the next must have gadget. Items which will revolutionise our lives and make us wonder how you we lived without them.   Methods of payment are all too easy too – just one click and it will be on its way. So is it any wonder that we live in a “must have” society?

One of my resolutions this year was to de-clutter my house.   Well, I started but I have nowhere near finished, and over the year have probably accumulated more clutter than I have managed to dump / recycle / give away to charity.

I’m not a shoe or a handbag fiend (although on recent review of these items I do seem to have rather a lot) but my major shopping weaknesses are books and notebooks.   This year I have made a demonstrable effort curtail my notebook habit and despite the odd slip have been moderately successful.   I’ve even tried to resist the temptation to pick up a paperback (or two) whenever I’m doing the weekly food shop or happen to stray into The Works.  I still look but I try not to touch. So I should be feeling moderately pleased with myself.  But I fear that this is just an exercise in self-delusion.  

Despite diligent attention, the “to be read” pile has not depleted, in fact, it’s beginning to resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and I’m expecting an imminent avalanche.  How come?  Well, it’s partly thanks to lots of lovely family and friends who know how much I love to read and who insist on lending recommended books to me – yes I do love them, but please can you just hang on to them for a while to give me a chance to catch up?  It’s also due to the fact that my husband bought me a Kindle for my birthday.

The aim of the Kindle was to reduce the amount of books entering the house.  This has clearly failed. (Do you want to know what my guilty secret is?  I’ve started storing the overflow of  books in an empty filing cabinet at work – ssh! Don’t tell hubby.)

I do love my kindle, but it is incredibly easy to download books without the physical reminder to dog my day-to-day life.  So not only is my house full to overflowing (as well as my desk) but my head is too.  As if my to do list for family and writing wasn’t long enough, the reading one has gone ever so slightly viral too.

It has got to STOP!

So, one of my resolutions for next year as well as decluttering my house, is to stop buying any more books until I’ve read at least half of the ones which currently reside chez moi.

Its going to be difficult but I’m determined to do it. Might just slip in a visit or two to library if I find the temptation overwhelming.

What are your obsessions / guilty secrets?

It's No Use! I'm addicted

Some women go crazy for shoes, some for handbags.  And whilst I have a fair share of both, its books I can’t resist when I’m out shopping. And notebooks. And stationery. Of any kind really.

My tbr pile is reaching dangerous, skyscraper proportions, I’ve  started keeping books in different  cupboards in the house as there are too many to store in just one place and I’ve even siphoned some off to store in my desk at work.

So, after an expensive Christmas where I slithered into the dodgy depths of overdraft, I swore that January would be a book buying free month. I would curb my impulses and keep my hands firmly in my pockets.  I would refuse to buy any more books until my stash is somewhat diminished.  

So far this month I’ve done really well.  I’ve averted my eyes in the supermarket and refused to go anywhere near the deadly shops of sin.  But on Saturday I needed to transfer some money and what did I do? Yes, you guessed it I bought not one but two books.  In fairness they are not for me, they are presents for other people and what nicer things to receive as presents I ask you?

But all the same, it proves one thing.  I am addicted.

What are you addicted to?