Confession Time: I have a serious problem with buying books. I told myself I would get better about this. Yet, books keeping entering my home. I use all sorts of excuses . . . I couldn't let this book sit on that shelf a minute longer. I was rescuing this treasure from a probable disastrous home. I have been dying to read this book. You never know when I could find this book at such a steal again. I bought it used. I'm supporting local indies.
Though some of these excuses are truly valid reasons for buying books, the truth is that my home is becoming overloaded with books that I have not yet read. My husband is beginning to get annoyed and often wonders why I do not read the books that I already own. And, if we are being honest, I really cannot use the excuse that I need variety to choose from. I really do have plenty to choose from for a multitude of moods!
Promise Time: Friday evening, I was desperate to address the problem after my husband made yet another comment. I have been not-so-slowly realizing how much of an issue this has become. And, in a frantic rush, I made a promise to my husband . . . I will not buy any more books until the year 2012! The words were not out of my mouth more than a second when I threw out an exception . . . UNLESS I am reporting on an event that I am freelancing for. That may have saved me, while still giving me a bit of leeway. BUT, I truly do NEED to cut back on my book purchases. And, I really NEED to be making this promise to myself more than anyone.
Afterall, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. I have now done that publicly. Wish me luck!
Can you relate to my addiction? Is there a reading habit that you have that may be interrupting your everyday life?
I feel your pain, as my DH has also made annoyed comments about the number of books I own. He just doesn't understand my love for books! Like you, I've tried to cut back, but it's hard. I'm trying to read the ones I already own, and have cut back on the number of review copies I'm accepting.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to us both!
I can easily relate, Tif! I had that problem, so I made a new year resolution to not buy any books for a whole year, to try and clear my shelves and get on top of my addiction. And apart from a small lapse last week (my birthday) I am managing it. I can even, now, browse in my local Waterstones without being tempted to buy anything (unless it's a present for someone else, which is allowable). I even went to the book capital of the country, Hay on Wye, and didn't buy a book!
ReplyDeleteBut I have to try and avoid second hand bookshops/charity shops because those books are so cheap it's much more difficult to resist.
And it is working. Have you tried piling all of your unread books in one place? I put all of mine in one bookcase.
Very best of luck - but you can do it. Have you tried keeping a running total of how much you spend on books (an honest one). Every time you resist buying a book, you could try putting the money you would have spent in a piggy bank, then using the savings to buy a non-book pressie for your husband (or for yourself :) )
This is EXACTLY why I had a book ban for the year 2010. My husband is starting to make more comments again so I suspect another ban will be in effect soon!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, I feel your pain. My husband refuses to let me go near a bookstore and has progressed beyond comments to annoyance whenever I bring a new book into the house. It is a lot more difficult now that I can buy books for my Nook, and he doesn't know it. I know it has become a true addiction, and I would be scared to find out how much I have spent this year alone. Maybe I need to start my own book buying ban. Yet the thought is scary.
ReplyDeleteI do have a problem, I fear. I'm just not ready to face it yet. LOL!
Good luck! I will be following your progress closely!
I luckily (?) have a husband who doesn't mind how many books I acquire. So now I have too many as well. And so does he. And so does Z. I can usually go a month or two without buying but then I start again. It really is out of control. This year my goal was to read 50 of my own books but I might up that next year and just stop accepting review copies or going to the library. I need to get it under control because I have stacks of books everywhere! I hope that you are successful in your goal/plan/thingy. :)
ReplyDeleteI have the same addiction! My high school English teacher used to talk to me about how she had piles of books stuff all around her house . .. and that has become me. My bookcases are overloaded and I've got stack on the floor. I go through and donate the ones I don't love, but that still leaves quite a few.
ReplyDeleteMy "to-read" book case is double stacked with a pile next to it. I've got piles in and on top of my night stand. I really need to catch up with what I already own.
My other problem is that I check a lot of books out of the library . . . which leads me also to not read the books I already have!
I am so glad to see that I am not alone in my addiction!!!
ReplyDeleteAlexia561 ... Good luck to you, too!! It is so hard, especially when you see a book that you really want to read. There just happens to be so many of those!!
Tracy ... You are seriously my inspiration! I have been so impressed with you this year!! I love your ideas, and I really need to consider them, particularly the piggy bank! I do have all my TBR books in one pile ... if you can call it that because it has filled one whole bookcase, and now covers multiple shelves in my closet!
Jenners ... I think I seriously need to consider a ban. Must find that determination not to buy!
Michelle ... OMG!! I could not even imagine how bad my problem would be if I had an e-reader! I think that it is easier when my husband doesn't know when I buy them!! With an e-reader, it can be even hidden from yourself without seeing the big piles!! :)
Kristen M. ... Thanks for the wishes! Sadly, my husband makes more comments because of the numbers of times we have moved and he is always the one moving my boxes of books! And, he considers pretty much all books in the household mine, even ALL the children's books!!! (He doesn't have more than just his old texts.) I'm wondering if 2012 is truly going to be bringing a ban for me.
Laura's Reviews ... This all sounds sooooo familiar, and it makes me feel better to know that I'm not alone! I don't check out too many books from the libraries except for audios and graphic novels. I think I need to donate more of mine. Maybe that should be a task for this weekend . . . but, I do have such a hard time letting go!
My husband doesn't really say anything, but I do feel bad whenever I walk into my "office" and see all the piles of unread books stacked on the floor. Luckily, I got most of them for 50 cents or a dollar at library book sales, and the newer ones have mostly been gifts, so I haven't spent that much money on them. Still, I've avoided library book sales for over a year now, so the growth rate has slowed dramatically! It is hard though!
ReplyDeleteIntrovertedJen ... Soooo hard! I really need to work on the avoiding because I have come to discover that I have no will power once I walk into those things! :)
ReplyDeleteAhh, yes, the moving. We've only moved once since we started acquiring books together so he hasn't had to go through that too much. I can see how that would emphasize the problem though. Blah!
ReplyDeleteKristen M. ... We've moved three times in the last three years and they have all been to a different state! We typically have friends help us and they even comment on how many boxes of books they have to move!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Tif!
ReplyDeleteYou've moved three times in three years!
Yes, what would we do without friends - I remember when we moved, almost exactly a year ago - and our friends helped us to move in - and there were so many boxes of books to shift! And our new house didn't feel like home until I'd unpacked all of those boxes and found homes for all of my books.
Tracy ... Oops! My bad! Three times in the last six years!! See, it's making me crazy! :) I completely agree about the books though. A house is not a home without the shelves filled with books!
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