A Day Inside, Organizing Books
Spending time with my precious collection.
Not many people would write about the time spent organizing bookshelves. In fact, if I began to talk enthusiastically about an afternoon spent carrying books from one room of the house to another, people would likely not understand my excitement, be bored, or suggest that maybe I invite Marie Kondo over for a cup of coffee so that I could swap tips with the best in obsessive tidying (though Kondo would likely not approve of my expansive book collection).
Far beyond only taking pleasure in reading, books and their presence in my home have become a true pastime for me. A selection of cookbooks chosen for their beauty more than their recipes graces the top of the buffet in my kitchen. Every year at Christmas, I purchase the latest Pulitzer, Printz, Newbery, and Caldecott winners in hardcover to add to my collection. I think about where to best display, and how to group books by genre, series, or author, or location in the house.
The polar vortex blew into Chicagoland on Tuesday evening, bringing temperatures of -50F with windchill. I knew by Tuesday afternoon that the elementary school would be closed for the next two days, and that my daycare would also be closed.
Even though weekends bring hours of everyone being in the house together, usually…
