It’s Not Hoarding If It’s Books (Or Lego)

Something happens to me in the Spring. Maybe it’s because it’s my birthday season, but I start to feel crowded and aware of all the memories junk memories laying around.

I mainly write at the kitchen table with stacks of stuff around me. Notebooks, books, balloons, Monopoly money.

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Last week, I came into the kitchen and my laptop was perched on a teeny, tiny corner of the table, along with our bags from the road trip, Isla’s paints, and my mindfulness magazines that I try very hard with, but really don’t have time for. As you can see.

I knew I had to do something. Dare I say inspired by Danni’s 40 bags in 40 days challenge, I broke out the bin bags, and began sorting through literally years of clutter. Organized clutter, but still clutter.

I got to the end of piles and rediscovered my tabletops. I put old clothes in vacuum storage bags (since they take up less space, I’m calling that a win.)

And so, 2 bags down, kinda.

I said kinda. Because Isla found one of the bin bags before I managed to fling it out of the house.

‘MUMMY, I NEED DIS. WHUT?’

Now. I don’t get rid of her drawings, or anything with a date on it, or any drawing with a date on it.

She keeps her books, her puzzles, her card games, her magnetic fish, and all my love.

Plastic beads, nerf balls, feathers, cardboard, and anything I can’t pick up with my grabber, gets swept out.

Except I felt bad when she said the feathers were pretty, and one or two Lego figures crept into the bag.

Isla saved Dorothy, and I’m so glad she did.

For more Lego, check out our family road trip to Edinbrick, a Lego model show.

So, 1 and a half bags down.

Amongst those, I went through some book stacks.

‘Do you get rid of books after you read them?’ asks groovy new PA helping with the spring clean.

‘WHUT? I NEED DIS,’ I replied.

However, I have recently got in the habit of actually reading the books I buy as I buy/acquire them.

For instance:

Where The Crawdads Sing – OMG this book. Love it. Kinda want to read it again for the first time.

I’ll Be There For You The One About Friends: I LOVED Friends. This book, not so much. But still recommended for fellow Friends fans.

After He Died – This one was on my shelf for a while, but still a recentish buy. Don’t know what took me so long to get to it, because once I started I felt I was in the story and could not stop reading it.

The Gunners – I read this as part of a Love Books Group buddy read, I was sent this copy, but I’ll be buying my own copy. Because this is one of the most beautiful books I’ve read in a long time.

Blood Orange – This is a hyped book and a quick read that I thought about during my non-reading time. I didn’t necessarily enjoy the story, but this was another one I couldn’t stop reading, and rated it 4 out of 5 stars.

Verity – I got this book for free on Kindle Unlimited. I was intrigued by the hype and the plot. This was my quickest read of recent times. You know when you can appreciate a book for the structure and the process? But it’s a difficult subject matter to read and yet you still can’t stop? And the ending is complicated, but still clever? Yes, all that.

Also, I’m currently reading:

Blue Bird, Blue Bird – Love it, love it.

Little Fires Everywhere – reading this as part of an impromptu book group. Three chapters a night happening.

What are you reading?

Is it hoarding if it’s books?