There are a number of problems that are associated with being a tsundoku, a book hoarder. I’ve told you all about them before. But to make things fair, there are also a lot of good things that come with hoarding books.
You always have a book that fits your mood
Somewhere in the massive piles of book is a book that is exactly what you’re looking for. With the wide range of genres that are undoubtedly contained in the house the only way you couldn’t find something suitable was if you were wanting an incredibly specific book (in which case no one could help you anyway). Looking through all the books to find the needed novel is fun too.
You’re prepared for the apocalypse
Books are incredibly versatile items. They can be fuel for fires, you can use them to build forts, they can even be used as a food source if you’re super desperate. Books are also great security (think Valek’s office in POISON STUDY) and really make great weapons. Have you ever been hit with a 800 page hardcover? Most don’t live to tell the tale.
Your house is a library
We all have fantasies about living being trapped in a library. You know it’s true. Being a book hoarder means your how is the library you’ve been dreaming of. A library comes with a whole slew of good things. you can lend books too friends (if you can bear to part with the precious) and still have a pleasing level of books on your shelves. You have books at the ready to pass onto your spawn when they reach reading age. Best part of all is how smart it makes you look ;)
No need to buy decor
Books can be so decorative. Why would you adorn your house with anything when you have books everywhere?! They can be arranged in so many different ways. Rainbow bookshelves really brighten up a room. Why paint a feature wall when you can just have a wall of one colour of books, maybe even set up in a gradient. Then there’s all the sculptures you could possibly make with books. You don’t even need a Christmas tree anymore when there’s books. Hell, you barely even need furniture.
Another added bonus of pretty books everywhere is you always have great subjects for bookish photography and tags.
You’re never alone
Fictional characters are suitable friends yeah? Because if so I have hundreds of friends. And even if they don’t count, there are two ways books make me feel not alone. They are so entertaining and I can get lost in them for hours, appreciating the amazing story from someone else’s brain and meeting characters that I love more than my own family. The second thing is the friends you can make through books. They’re great conversation starters, and if someone see one of their all time favourite books on your shelves you can almost guarantee you’ve made a great friend.
What is your favourite aspect of being a book hoarder?
Lara
I LOVE always having a book that I’m in the mood for. It makes reading slumps so much easier to deal with because often all I need is an old fav to get me back into things…
Being a book hoarder may mean that I’m more than a little broke, but I totally agree with all your points, it most definitely is worth it! Awesome post, Bec!
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Bec
Mood reading can make things easy or hard depending on the mood your in haha. It’s always great when you know what you want and can find a book easily!
There are worse things to hoard and worse reasons to be broke haha. Thanks!
czai
LOL at #2 && YESSSSS at #1. I’m quite a moody reader which is why most of the time, I end up not following my tbr list. I really like the idea of just being able to choose from several books (probably a great way to avoid reading slumps…).
I really like my room to be a library but nope… oddly enough, I still don’t have enough books to even fill in a big shelf for a mini library. Soon though :)
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Bec
I don’t even bother properly following a TBR list/plan anymore. I organise the books so the the ones I want/need to read sooner are closer, but that’s about it.
My room in my family’s new house is quite tiny. My books would easily line all the wall in this room… but then my bed wouldn’t fit :/
Anissa @ She Reads Too Much
I LOVE THIS POST haha. It made me so happy reading this and omg yes agree to all! I buy way too many books, but eventually I always read them and it’s great because I know I always have a choice. I also just love having them all there. They do make my flat look really homey too. I need to arrange my shelves, I like the whole colour coordinated idea but I can’t bear to have books from the same series not next to each other xDxD Maybe I’ll colour code them by series… and hope that all the series have similar spines.
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Bec
I’ve had books sitting on my bookshelf since before 2010 that I still haven’t gotten to haha. We’ll get there one day!
That is the thing that’s stopping me from organising my books in a rainbow! I used to even keep authors together until I had to maximise space usage
Terri M., the Director
I believe one of the articles I read recently said something about they make great insulation for building your house if the apocalypse happens. :)
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Bec
Oh yeah insulation! I’ve heard of people using newspaper but books really would work well when those stop printing.
Aila @ Happy Indulgence
I so agree with the last one – you’re never alone. :) Sometimes I like stroking my books and my heart swells when I realize that in each binding is a whole new world to discover and love. (yes, Aladdin reference hehe) With books, I really don’t need friends, do I? Loool.
Aila @ Happy Indulgence recently posted…Fantasy Reviews #3: Burning Midnight & Reawakened
Bec
They can be incredibly comforting! Fictional characters make great friends ;)
Joy // Joyousreads
yes. to all. i especially like the one that you never have to buy home decors because the books are a great decorations. lol. my books are everywhere – within reach, anyway, so i’m never without a book. :D
Joy // Joyousreads recently posted…[607]: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Bec
I really need to start spreading them around the house and making sculptures that make people think I’m cultured haha
looloolooweez
This is a really cute list. I’m driving my husband slightly batty because we recently moved to a new place and he keeps trying to get me to help decorate, which is fine, except that my definition of decorating is seeing which books will fit where….
looloolooweez recently posted…Classics Club | The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Bec
Thanks! Books look really good around a house! Your husband will see our ways eventually :P
Joy @ Thoughts By J
OMGOSH ALL THE YES TO EVERYTHING — except maybe burning my books for fire in an apocalypse, I don’t think I can part with them! My boyfriend got me two new bookshelves for Christmas because my piles on the floor was getting a little out of hand. Now, my room is starting to become even more of a libray. <3 <3
Joy @ Thoughts By J recently posted…Book Review: Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club (Lady Helen #1)
Bec
It will be a hard decision to make, and we’ll start with burning the bad books, but if we have to do it it must be done. Yay for new bookshelves!
ShootingStarsMag
I wish I had the space (and the patience) to create a rainbow wall of books. These are all GREAT reasons to be a book lover though. I especially like that we live in a library – this is quite true. My sister jokes that my room is the Library of Lauren. It’s kind of true. I’m so proud. :)
-Lauren
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Bec
If you own an excessive number of books and occasionally lend them out to people, you are basically a library!
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence
I love being able to just walk to my shelf and pick up a book that I want to read! I’d definitely never be bored. Being able to take photos of amazing books is always a plus!
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Bec
Yes! Especially when you have nothing planned and can just pick up book after book without leaving your room.
Book photography is a great bonus!
Emily @ Loony Literate
I looooove having so many books for Instagram! It’s easy to find props for most of them, too. And yep, we’ll certainly be prepared for the apocalypse! Lots of knowledge in those books, too :)
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Bec
I have trouble finding props because I don’t own many things beside books, and I spend so much time reading I don’t even know what other things are around the house :P
Books have so many uses! From learning to fuel to weapons. Maybe eve food if we were desperate
Wattle
lol I wish I was organised enough to err…organise my books :P they are just shoved where they will fit and that is it…though I do seem to act as a library for one of my friends (she doesn’t buy books anymore – because chances are I’ll have what she wants!)
It is totally great for being a mood reader though, there’s always something to read!
Wattle recently posted…Book Review: Unraveled by Jennifer Dawson
Bec
Mine are organised like that too for now! After moving house one of my bookshelves is out of action and I haven’t reorganised the other bookshelves around the house where my books live now.
Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows Reviews
This post is perfection^^ and I SWEAR I’m NOT just saying that because you used a Tenth Doctor gif in it ♥ LOL! The best thing about having tons of books is in fact that you ALWAYS have a book to suit your reading mood. And considering my love of elaborate epic fantasies, I certainly have my fair share of book weapons :D Building forts would be fun too but using books to start fires would have to be a VERY LAST RESORT and we’d start with my least favorite books to be sure! Also? That GIANT RAINBOW SHELF MAKES ME SWOON. I don’t think I could set up my books by colour since it would separate a lot of series – but it’d be fun to do them up like that and take tons of pictures…only to put them back together afterwards XD
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Bec
Thanks :) Haha I love David Tenant’s Doctor (even if I haven’t seen much).
Yep I have many massive books for that very reason too!
Isn’t it a gorgeous shelf! Splitting up series is tortorous, but if I was ever overcome by aesthetic…
Omobola
My favorite aspect of being a book hoarder is the idea that I can be lost in another world for hours, days even. I also love just stare at my shelf and just have it in mind that I will always have comfort and escape of some sort. I have been accused of hiding behind my books by people and I reply, what is so great about reality?
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Bec
You could be lost in multiple worlds for days and days without ever leaving your room! I am also guilty of hiding behind books. It’s much more preferable to real life.
Lola
I am a book hoarder and yes being a book hoarder can be a good thing. Especially for reason one, as I am both a moodreader and a book hoarder and it can be nice to know that you alwayd have a bood that fits your mood. Ofcourse unless you don’t know what you’re in the mood for. I am lucky to have a whole room for my books, it’s filled with 3 big bookcases and a smaller one. It sure feels like a tiny library at times.
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Bec
Finding the book you’re in the mood for can be hard, but it’s there somewhere! I’ll often spend hours staring haha.
I would love to have all my books in one room again! Right now they’re scattered around the house.
Mel@thedailyprophecy
Prepared for the apocalypse is more like: I could easily be snowed into my house for an eternity and I still have enough books left I haven’t read :p Food and stuff like that would be a problem though. I love the fact that I have a library-feeling in my house and yes, always a book to read that fits with your mood!
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Bec
I don’t know how non readers would survive such a scenario, especially if there was no tv or internet! They’d be so bored. Psh we don’t have to worry about food when there’s books. Reading about food is enough right?
Maya @ Suddenly Inundated
I could not agree more! Everything you said 10000000% correct. Books are perfect. They have no cons, they shall be everywhere
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Bec
I agree whole heartedly with that statement
peach @ rebelle reads
lol. I love the last one, though. “You are never alone.” It sounds so cryptic, but so comforting at the same time. AND I LOVE RAINBOW COLLECTIONS. They’re so pleasing to the eye. I was watching a reality show the other day and this Beverly Hills housewife lady had a gorgeous library with armchairs and all these fab décor. Like, omg. I want a room just for my books, too. Awesome post!
peach @ rebelle reads recently posted…Review: Emancipated
Bec
“so cryptic but so comforting” is how I describe everything I ever say :P
Rainbow shelves look so good but I don’t think I could ever do that myself.
A Canadian Girl
Ha ha, yes, especially to 5. Sometimes I’d rather hang out with fictional people instead of real ones.
A Canadian Girl recently posted…Mini Reviews: Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace and The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine
Bec
There have been many times when I wished I could escape the real world and people to go read a book.
Bec recently posted…5 Things About Cress by Marissa Meyer
Lucia @Reading Is My Breathing
Definitely first reaosn you mentioned! Having huge amount of books to look through and choose from based on my current mood is perfection :) Also, books serve as the best decoration, I definitely agree with that!
Lucia @Reading Is My Breathing recently posted…DO YOU EVER DELETE BOOKS FROM YOUR TBR?
Bec
It is! I want to say it takes the stress out of choosing what to read next but it really doesn’t.
Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity
Oh, these are perfect! I love being a book hoarder. I may complain about it sometimes, but it’s not REAL complaining. Fake complaining is a thing, apparently.
I adore having so many books, for reasons like the one you mentioned. I WILL have my true library one day, and I’ll actually have the books to fill the shelves *smug grin*
I also just like ogling the pretty. That’s a super big joy of being a book hoarder. That: oh, look at these. They’re all MINE feeling that i get when I’m perusing or looking at my shelves :D
Also, I really want to make a rainbow shelf, but I don’t like the idea of separating books in series D:
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Bec
Everyone fake complains about everything really haha.
Having all your books in one place and being able to physically see them is really inspiring. There’s just something about being able to see just how much you’ve read.
This is why I can’t make my shelves a rainbow
Bell & Gem
I think I read somewhere that owning at least 100 books automatically makes you more intelligent or something… so YES to hoarding books!!
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Bec
I’m a genius then hahaha
Bec recently posted…5 Things About Cress by Marissa Meyer
Trish @ Between My Lines
I always feel very guilty about my book hoarding ways but no matter how many book bans I put myself through, the books continue to pile up! So it’s nice to be reminded of all the good things hoarding can bring to my life! Love all your reasons but especially the last one as I do think my books are like friends to me.
Trish @ Between My Lines recently posted…Book Review: Try Not to Breathe by Holly Seddon
Bec
Yeah it can get a problem, but it’s really not so bad. There are worst things to spend money on or fill your house with.
Lyra @ Defiantly Deviant
Hahaha this list is so much fun! I get what you mean by never needing decor – my room is pretty much overflowing with books that they end up being my sole decor!
And YES – because I have lots of books, I always have that one book that just fits my current mood perfectly! (Though of course sometimes I find reasons to pick up new books from the bookstore… winkwink)
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Bec
Books just sitting there are pretty enough. But if you really needed some more decor you could always make a statue. They’re so versatile!
Haha there are always reasons to pick up new books from the bookstore regardless of mood.
Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight
When I saw, “You’d be Prepared for the Apocalypse,” I was thinking along the lines of I’d never get bored because I’d never run out of books, but you went in a whole different direction lol. I never realized how versatile books can be. I’m pretty sure I’ve slapped at least a few people with paperbacks, so they do have their uses as weapons :-P And books totally make the best decorations! They’re just so preeeety. But I feel like non-bookish people just don’t get that? Your line about barely needing furniture is cracking me up though lol.
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Bec
Hahaha I like to keep people on their toes ;) They would be great entertainment too! But I also imagine that we’d be a bit busy trying to survive during the apocalypse and ight not get much time to read.
Books are gorgeous! I don’t think people understand until they see a room lined with books arranged in a pleasing way.
Angie@Angela's Anxious Life
I truely believe all houses should have books for decoration and if they don’t it’s a weird house and I have to go.
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Bec
That they should! I can’t even think what type of person would live in a house without books.