I have books in places that other normal people have books:
- A large bookshelf, which was prominently displayed in my den in my old house, but is now upstairs in our playroom/”quiet reading room” (which do you think will win out there?).
- A new bookshelf in our new study
- In a bin in the family room (mostly children’s books)
- On bookshelves in each of the bedrooms: mine, Kyle’s, Amanda’s, and the guest room
- In a basket beside my bed and on my husband’s nightstand
- Cookbooks on their own shelf in the kitchen
Maybe everyone doesn’t have that many stashes of books. But it doesn’t end there. I have books on closet shelves as well. In fact, I rigged up a special system in my old house in the entry hall closet for my review books. I’ve done the same in a nifty built-in shelving system in my cavernous closet here in my new house.
When we moved, we had many many boxes labeled books. I should have counted them, but I didn’t. I’m not exaggerating when I say that there were more than 20.
So that said, there’s one common place that people keep and display reading materials that I never have:
The former owner has this oh-so-cute toilet paper holder/magazine rack combo, but it’s just not something I’d ever use. I know that some moms read a few pages of a book in the bathroom, because they know that they won’t be disturbed. I understand that, but my motto is “Get in and get out.”
And you? What’s the strangest place you have a supply of reading material?
Jennifer Donovan doesn’t have to sneak away to read, because she indulges her reading habit quite easily. She (sort of) blogs at Snapshot.
That’s actually where I do much of my reading. 🙂 Not just so I won’t be disturbed, but to pass the time. I’d go crazy just — sitting there. There was a fun article a while back about reasons to read in the bathroom here:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0108bathroombook0108.html
We just moved to another state and had to give up two built in half-bookcases. My husband did not want to buy more bookcases here (we have three as it is), so I sorted and purged and gave away some, but some I just couldn’t give away but don’t refer to often are in boxes in closets. Otherwise they’re in bookcases and on nightstands and end tables.
Barbara — we just moved about 3 weeks ago, and all my books are not unpacked/sorted. Right now my goal is to get them all out of boxes, and figure out which books I want to go where. Then, like you, I think that I will purge some (more — I purged before I moved too!), and keep some in boxes in closets as well.
HA! You won’t even put magazines in there? I wouldn’t know where else to put the magazines! 🙂
The bathroom is very cute, by the way. I hope you’re all enjoying your new digs!
I’m not prissy, and I am not above it all, I just don’t see the need. Maybe I’m faster/more efficient than average???
I will put some magazines or catalogs in there.
I’m with Dawn – the vast majority of our magazines are kept in bathrooms! I keep a basket of books in the loft that we read before bedtime. I like the idea of putting books in the guest room, we have so many books and so little space, that’s a great place to put some of the display books.
The nightstand in our guest room has a bookshelf in it, so I’ve always kept some short story/essay collections and other books that I think that guests might enjoy and that are generally quick reads.
Yep, we have books everywhere ,too. We DO have a bookshelf in the bathroom. A full size bookshelf.If I didn’t have magazines in there or something else to read, I’d be reading the back of shampoo bottles and whatever else I could find with words.
We also have this crazy extra-wide and long hallway upstairs so of course we had to line it with bookshelves,too.
I love the idea of lining a long hallway with bookshelves. You can never have too many!
Cute tp holder/magazine rack! But I’m with you, and don’t really read in the bathroom. Think that’s the only room in the house where we don’t have books! Have a bookcase in the living room, both bedrooms, dining room, and family room! Even have cookbooks in the buffet in the kitchen. Wish I had a long hallway I could line with books like Jupiter! Sounds awesome!
Yeah, it’s cute, and I AM going to put some magazines or catalogs in there. Who knows — maybe I’ll get converted.
I with you! Get in and get out! But my husband is another story. He has at least 4 books in the bathroom at all times. I think it is a guy thing.