Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The Big Bedroom

This is a part of my Touring Tuesdays series, where you get to snoop around my home.


We love books and don't see that changing, nor do we want it to. The big bookshelf is mostly theology books, referenced frequently. The one next to it is my bookshelf with mostly homeschooling stuff, but also some cook books and craft books. The one in the corner is my husband's history and politics bookshelf. The bookshelf by the door has our Star Trek book collection, customized with some of my artwork. The kids' books are in their own room.


We keep blankets in the bin at the end of the bed. I made the bed just for you all, but someone couldn't resist taking a nap. Above the bed are the items that I am sentimental about. The two dresses (one not visible) are heirlooms from my Gran from when she was a missionary in Sierra Leone. The Tivoli poster has been in my bedroom since I was a child.


My husband has many trinkets he is sentimental about and they all live in the bedroom. I go through phases where I get sick of them, box them up and tuck them away some where. Then I think about how much he enjoys them, so I pull them all out and put them on display again. Then I pack them up, then pull them out again. They are his, so I can't just get rid of them, but he lets me play this packing-unpacking game with them without complaint.


To my concerned readers, both the big bookshelf and the one by the door are attached to the wall. The two bookshelves in the corner are blocked in by the blanket bin and could not toppled unless first lifted out of their home.

66 comments:

Angelina said...

Good Morning Emily,

I do have a question, the cream colored door appears to have the bookshelf in front of it, so the door can not be closed. Is that the door into the bedroom? (I hardly ever close our bedroom door, just curious.)

Paul Santos said...

Great post, I too have quite a book collection. What are the dimensions of the bedroom approximately?

Sister in Christ said...

I think you've done a beautiful job of organizingn your treasures in a small space. May God be with you!

Ryn said...

Emily, have you ever thought about getting a large folder for all the CDs and DVDs you have? I am thinking that getting rid of some of the clutter would be good for the mental health of all involved.

Guinevere said...

As far as I'm concerned, books are decor... I like having my books around me. When we lived in an apartment, we had to make do with bookcases; now we have built-in bookshelves and storage in our rec room (yay!) and my husband is going to build floor-to-ceiling bookshelves for our living room. Even using the local library for most of our reading, we have a lot of cookbooks, non-fiction, reference books and favorite novels that have to live in our home. I can't imagine how many more books having kids is going to add someday -- I think we'll end up adding more built-in bookcases in the rec room.

PS - can't say anything about the Star Trek novels; I have all the Star Wars novels available between 1993 and 2001, since I was a Star Wars fanatic as a kid/teen. :)

Emily said...

Angelina, the cream-colored door is the closet door, and it stays open. The door into the bedroom is the brown door with coats on the back, but it stays open most of the time as well.

Paul, It's roughly 9'x10'

Ryn, the CDs and DVDs are my husband's, and in the living room, but we are negotiating whether or not we can do that.

northern girl said...

Is there a certain curriculum that you have purchased or will be using for your home schooling. (since you have the books) Have you ever looked at the Jeubs site, they have excellent materials for many teachings.

Penniless Parenting said...

I like your room. Your posters should see my house, how many books I have... And the state of my bedroom. Do you have a living room or no?
www.PennilessParenting.com

Rachel in florida said...

Emily, looking at your room makes me claustrophobic! I just can't deal with clutter, and although I know you love your books, it would be clutter to me. I love to read, but I don't own many books at all. I love the look from the 30's and 40's. Hardly anything at all in a home. I can remember my great grandmothers house looking like that.
Yesterday I went with my friend to look at an apartment. She is now living with her husband and four kids in a 3 bedroom mobile home, but due to a serious financial situation, they are having to move. She is looking at low income apartments. The one we looked at yesterday was very small and cramped, but in very bad shape. She liked the smallness, but did not like the floorplan. She told me the mobile home is actually too roomy for her. So there are others who like living in small spaces. Makes me feel bad that I want a larger kitchen and living room, but I guess that is just me, I like a lot of space.

Sukey Day said...

I remember our family moving to our first house when I was two and my sister was just tix months. It was one bedroom, kitchen, living room, bathroom, with a lean-to for homecanning storage. Mom had drying racks up all over. The washer was on the back porch.
I like your book storage. great use of vertical space! Again, underbed storage for things not used much is great. I picked up some old under waterbed storage drawers at a yard sale. Work fine in place of a dreser.
We live in 945 sq ft for the past 29 years. It has been just right. Then it was tight, tighter and my goodness just how much space can teenagers fill? Now with just the two of us it is too much. We will be transfered to another town soon, so are going to look for a small house. I am taking notes.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I too love my books and can't imagine being without them. I think you have done a great job in such a small space.

Rachel said...

I love that you have so many books! We love books, too. We only keep books (fiction) we absolutely loved and will probably read again or books that are for reference. We still have a few tall bookshelves-worth in our home.

Here's what I would do to make the room more simplified: make it so I can close the closet door. A bedroom closet in my house is not used enough to warrant having it opened (however neat it looks) all the time. Straighten up books and make room for the ones that are properly set on the shelves. Get a retractable clothesline and find/make a cute cloth bag to store the clothespins in, etc., etc.

Living in such a small space I would definitely need things less cluttered, more organized, and I would get rid of A LOT. A person can't afford to be a packrat with 3 kids in a tiny apartment.

test said...

Heh, I don't blame you on the books. I have them everywhere.

But I still would imagine there are better ways to organize your stuff while still looking less clutered.

I live in a 908 sq ft home with my husband, 3 dogs, cat, 3 ferrets and fish tank and we don't have quite the clutter.

nbjenni said...

I, too, have a "dork" book collection. I have roughly 100+ Star Wars novels; as well as a hefty Tudor England collection.

Andrea said...

I like it. Using bookshelves along the walls and is a definite space saver. Do you keep all of your clothes in the closet?

Do you mind sharing how your big bookshelf shelves are mounted what kind of wood your shelves are? We have several of those inexpensive 5-shelf bookshelves for our homeschool books, but a lot of the shelves sag in the middle. I notice that you have heavy-looking books on your shelves, but they don't sag. We were thinking of eventually building something similar to your setup in our living room, but we aren't sure about the best method.

Thanks!

Rachel said...

Emily, I was wondering, if money were no object in decorating your home, what style would you choose? I like burgandy and greens, and my home is not modern, and not country either, somewhere in between. I like antique furniture, but don't have that much of it. Just curious as to what you like?

jen johnson said...

I find it so interesting you don't have window coverings in there. I personally black out my bedroom window, on the rare occasion I actually get to rest, I cannot risk interuption by a rogue streetlight or a car passinging by.
Overall I think it's a pretty standard bedroom for a college student and stay at home momma. Let the games begin though, right?

Jen said...

As a fellow bookie...the books don't bother me at all! When my kids move out I'd love nothing better than to have a whole room turned into my library with floor to ceiling bookcases! Thanks for sharing your room!!

Tree Huggin Momma said...

When and if you get the spare materials (can use your current bookshelves with wall brackets) I recomend floor to ceiling shelves (I know its an apartment and probably not feasable) and a library ladder - you can find them occassionaly, but building one is actually easy. I am installing custom shelves in my office this summer out of old book shelves that I will deconstructing and putting to the walls.
Looks like a good use of the space and I love the sleeping babe.

Anonymous said...

Wow! I thought I had a lot of books! I actually still have some boxed up from our last move because we don't have enough room. Now that I see yours, I bet I could find room for mine.

Diana @ frontyardfoodie said...

Nice! I like it! The bed looks so comfy! I definitely know what you mean by packing things up and putting them away and then unpacking them again. I do the same thing.

Melissa said...

Emily,
Thank you for letting us have a peek into your bedroom! Your Gran's dress from Sierra Leone is beautiful. I agree with a previous poster that books are decor. As long as the shelves are attached to the wall the books are not a problem! As far as CD's, I packed alot of mine up since I store most of our music on the computer and IPod.

God Bless,
Melissa

Andria said...

Several years ago, I cleared out our books. While going through them, I kept three questions in mind:
1. Can it be referenced online?
2. Will I re-read it?
3. Does it have sentimental attachment?

I was able to reduce my wasband's (yes, going through a very difficult divorce while pregnant) and my book stashes to about 10% of what we had before. It was great. I listed our college books online, and even though some were YEARS old, they fetched 60 bucks or more! (Most were the wasband's MBA books).
Some books I re-read over and over, like classics. Then, I have sentimental attachments to some books, like my great-grandparents primers from the 30's, and books that have been signed by authors at book-signings.

Emily said...

northern girl, that is in the FAQ, but we do already have a lot of curriculum material.

penniless, yes, we have a living room.

Andrea, I used braces the secure the Star Trek bookshelves, but the big bookshelf is shelves on brackets. The wood is old scrap wood my FIL had.

Rachel, if money were no object, I would have high contrast black and white decor.

Andria, I use the same criteria, especially about finding info online. If I can find it online, I generally won't keep the book, but my husband has his own criteria, mostly based on sentimental attachment. (:

Anonymous said...

It seems like you have a lot of books and clutter. Why do you want to keep so much stuff is such a small space. Aren't you worried about it being a fire hazard? How do you keep dust from gathering?

Jessica said...

You make great use of the little space you have! I love the color pictures too - it really makes your place look brighter and more cheerful. The black and white ones were so depressing.

I love books too, but I have a serious problem holding on to them. It bothers me to have books on my shelf that I know I will never read again, so I end up either donating them to the library, giving them to someone else to read or trying to sell them used. You can make a TON of money on amazon selling books (especially old textbooks) - I once was low on rent money after college, sold all of my old textbooks and made over $600 in one month. But, then I had no books left on my shelves :)

Anyways, that's something to consider if you ever get low on cash.

Rachel in Fl said...

Emily, reading the comments, it makes me wonder why so many are happy in their little homes, around 900-1000 sq. feet, while folks like me are feeling like there is not enough room in a 1500 sq. ft. home. I saw an old friend at a wedding shower on Sunday, she and her husband have a paid for doublewide mobile home on a small lot. They have three bedrooms, 2 baths. They only have one child, 21 yrs. old, and he just moved back home. She says that she often feels that her house is too small as well. I told her I guess we should try to be more grateful for all that we do have. She just started a Bible study on being grateful, so I am joining in this Wednesday night. My only guess is that we are envious of what others have. We live in an area that is rather affluent, and a lot of more wealthy families attend our church. So that is something we are going to work on, thanking God for what we have and where we are.

Cynthia said...

Ouch! As an avid reader, I truly do empathize with the urge to keep books, I do. And honestly, I used to keep a lot of books. In the past few years, I've purged a lot of them. The clutter - in the bedroom no less (which is a sacrosant peaceful space in our home) - would keep me up at night. A cluttered space is a sign of a cluttered mind. Also, stockpiles of books are cumbersome to move. It seems to me that your book stash might undermine your portability goals.

When purging I would ask: Am I intending to re-read this ever again? Would someone I know benefit from the gift of this? What is my purpose for this book if it is not being read currently? Can I get it from the library if I choose to re-read it later? If this was a sentimental gift - is it inscribed - or has the purpose of the gift been fulfilled by my having read the book? (Inscribed books were kept.)

A book gathering dust on a shelf is not fulfilling its purpose of sharing thought and being read. The only books we kept were ones that we re-read on occasion (& had already read more than once), reference books that we actually reference (not theoretically will reference at some unknown future date), or were inscribed by the gift-givers. Sentimental attachment to THINGS has limited place in a room with no space. Your husband can be sentimentally attached to the thought and concept contained within a book without actually keeping the book. People often hang onto book collections as some subconcious proof that they are well-read, but a well-read mind comes through in word and deed. It does not require being surrounded by proof of being well-read.

Since we purged our book collection, we have some guidelines on book possession in our house. First - we don't buy books immediately. If there's a book we want, we get it from the library. I even do this with cookbooks (oh, we kept cookbooks) and reference books. Library first. Try some recipes or a project and decide if it will be a worthwhile reference before deciding to own a copy. Gifted books should be re-gifted or donated after being read. If the library doesn't have it, see if a friend has it to lend. If it isn't available that way - well, if it's trendy fiction - then I don't need to read it that badly anyway or I request it as a gift when an opportunity arises.

vm said...

I think it is wonderful that you honor your grandmother with her dress hanging on display. I also think that your children will probably grow up with a real love of reading if your own book collection reflects how important books are to your lives. What a gift to give them!

kariwhite said...

Emily,

We're bibliophiles here, too! I know you're not interested in reducing your collection, but we found that we had to over time as more children came into our family to make room for their books. :)

Are your children's books in the living room or their bedroom? (Or should I be asking that question elsewhere? I have a hard time determining what you consider on-topic and what is not.)

Allie Bague said...

Emily-

I noticed you don't have curtains on your windows. What do you do for privacy?

Ria said...

I'm envious of your book collection! :) I myself am an avide reader, and have too many books for too few shelves. Must rectify that soon. But it's great to have so many books within easy reach; I'm never lacking for entertainment or education!

frugalredneck said...

Rachel in florida, We live in a 2500 sq house, There are 8 of us, But we have never lived in anything this big. The only reason that we have this big of a house, Was the price when we were looking to buy a house with cash. ($5000). Now the house is a serious fixer upper, We have done alot of work inside to get the house liveable but have lots of work to go, Outside is ugly, So we are not envied by any means lol. Although I love my house, More because we own it, I often miss our smaller houses, less to clean, Sometimes my children feel so far away all the way upstairs lol. I grew up with very wealthy parents, Don't ever think affluence or big houses mean happy families...Trust me they don't. And that old saying, money can't buy happiness is true. Good luck with your bible study, I am curious how many of your affluent church members will show up to the bible study, Cause they feel the same. Emily, You know I love everything you do, so nuff said there lol. ( But I loveeeeeee books too, I am in the doghouse with your husband, I keep some for sentimental reasons, A habit I wish I could break!!!) I more loved seeing the little one curled up napping, Makes me smile. Michelle frugalredneck.blogspot.com

Penniless Parenting said...

Wow. Its amazing how some people always need to be critical. So WHAT if you have a lot of books? Is it hurting anyone? NO!!!! You love your books, KEEP EM!
Books are not clutter!
Clutter are things like empty boxes from old electronics- even if they have "sentimental value" because they were from your first cell phone, and those should be removed from the home (hint hint, husband of mine).

I know people that have shelves and shelves and shelves of books. I only have 3 floor to ceiling book shelves, but that's only because i don't have more books. I believe in having as many shelves as you have books, and not getting rid of books for more room.
Two of our bookshelves are filled with religious books, and only one is other books. I'm sure that as a pastor to be, many of his books are important religiously, and I would never tell anyone to limit the amount of religious texts they own. Throwing out religious texts is an affront to G-d.

www.PennilessParenting.com

Heather said...

though others disagree, i don't see your bedroom as being cluttered. yes there is a lot of stuff (books-whoa!), but to me all of your belongings have a spot and are in them. cluttered is what i have most of the time... which is stuff everywhere because there hasn't been a home created for it yet. (which i'm working on thanks to you emily!)

i do prefer a less is more approach to decor but again, to me the room is organized. i love the dresses! and that is so neat that you not only have them but display them. i wonder if they will be ok open to the air? i know that some protect their gowns, etc. in air tight packaging. i don't have a wedding gown and the baptismal dress my daughters wore is hanging in the back of my closet with a plastic store type cover over it. so for your sake and mine...just wondering how we can best protect them?

as for books. i love to read. but usually i don't keep my books. fiction ones-even if i loved them i can't see myself re-reading because there are always new books coming out to occupy me. i do keep a few non-fiction and spirituality based books. as for all of my college nursing texts, i was glad to see them go. most of our medical reference books are gone since that sort of stuff is available online.

as for your choice, if you want to keep all of those books-go ahead. my goal is to read the books i have waiting and move them on out and then try to rely on my sony reader for books. unless it's something like a craft, cooking or reference book.

sharing your space makes me feel better about my own space. we are 4 plus pets in 1,000 sq ft and pretty miserable. and here you are 5 in a lot let space and happy. so i'm trying to start making the best of our space.

thanks for sharing!

Stacy said...

Sweet sleeping little boy- that's my favorite touch!

One thing I put on the inside of some of our closet doors is a clear plastic shoe holder. It's great for storing odds and ends, and everything is clearly visible.

http://www.amazon.com/Over-Door-Clear-Organizer-Storage/dp/B000IXOH7G

Emily said...

theresa, I have a feather duster that sucks any dust right up.

Scottish Twins, we do sell some books, but Dan likes his school books for future reference. This semester we had to order a book for one of his classes that is similar to a book we have. Not so similar that we couldn't buy the new one, but similar enough so we don't need two. That's going to be listed on Amazon in a few days.

Allie, we're high up, so no one can see in.

Kari, the boys' bookshelf is in their room.

heather, I don't keep fiction except classics I want my kids to read (or that I'll read again and again and again) or for our Star Trek collection. My husband has a few other sci-fi novels, but otherwise, we agree, most fiction we won't re-read and declutter. We have a lot of reference books. I'm glad that my sharing my space is helpful. (:

Jessica said...

I agree with Stacy on the shoe storage containers hanging on the backs of doors. I use one in my cleaning closet to hold all of my bottles and sponges and other random junk. It frees up my shelves in the closet to use for other things.

Anonymous said...

Emily, and anyone else with tons of books, have you ever heard of BookCrossing? You register your book with a number, then leave it somewhere for others to find. They put in the number and you get an email. It's a fun way to get rid of the clutter. http://www.bookcrossing.com/

Anonymous said...

I love seeing a house with too many books instead of too many TV's !

Anonymous said...

To the poster who said a cluttered room is a sign of a cluttered mind:

I totally disagree!

In my experience, the people who have a low low tolerance for clutter are the ones who go go go all the time, their heads chock full of timetables and appointments and every minute packed solid.

Me? I have a high tolerance for clutter, and I'm more relaxed as a person. I might have clutter, but I know where everything is because I don't keep it all put away somewhere I'm likely to forget.

I have at least as many books as Emily. I recently sold some, but I've probably replaced 10 of them by now with thrift store books. I love books and couldn't imagine not being surrounded by them.

The only thing in Emily's room that would bug me is the clothes line. I'm tall and I would not like constantly ducking. I think I'd get a retractable one at Wal-Mart.

marion said...

I love to see books in a home. My best friend does not read, nor do her children or her husband. Her house is spotless and always looks like something out of a decorating magazine, but it feels empty to me without books.

Daphne said...

Again with the unsolicited advice! To me, the best decor is books! your room looks cozy and snug and perfect for snuggling and reading, which I presume is its primary purpose! Thanks for a fun show-and-tell.

Daphne said...

Also, just thought you might enjoy this ingenious book-storage solution (not as a suggestion! Just thought you might like it!)

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/at-europe/at-europe-london-closeup-the-amazing-staircase-042543

Elizabeth said...

Books!! I LOVE books and have more books than bookshelves at the moment...I need to at least go through them and find some to sell at our next garage sale. Or have hubby build me some shelves like the ones in your room.

You mentioned that you are too high up for anyone to peek in. Are there no houses around because at night when your light is on anyone in the surrounding houses are going to be able to see you moving about...I just wonder about if you get dressed in your room or have a private moment with hubby if someone can see you? The reason I have asked is because around here it isn't too uncommon for someone not to draw their shades at night and driving past or looking across the street you can see people clearly moving about their houses...just thinking that may not be the best choice for the bedroom? But if it isn't a problem from the direction of your window I would love all that natural light flowing in!

Emily said...

Scottish Twins and Stacy, I agree that the backs of doors should be used for space, which is why I have coats on one and skirts on the other. Using them beyond what is there now would be too much for me.

Anon, that made me laugh because we don't even have one TV.

Daphne, I love that idea. I'm not sure Dan would want his books being stepped on, but I'll show him that and see what he thinks.

Elizabeth, I love the morning sun and am thankful to be up high. If we stood on the bed, we would be seen, but since that is not a common nighttime practice, we have plenty of privacy.

Angela said...

The books don't bother me, but the window would drive me nuts! I have to have some kind of window treatment, even if it's sheer. The thought of people looking up from the street or a car or even animals freaks me out!

Unknown said...

I think everyone has to remember that this is a family of 5 living in 450 square feet. It is going to look cluttered because of the small space. I think if the ceilings were higher it would look bigger. Maybe 8-9 feet would be better in your next home so you can do vertical storage more efficiently. MSN did a story yesterday about kit houses and most were very small and very efficient. You should see if you can find the article. They were not mobile but they were made to be assembled by an average person to save costs.

Melissa said...

Hi Emily! I love that your family has tons of books!

I'd love to see a floor plan of your home, maybe when Touring Tuesdays are over?

nepamom said...

Our current bedroom is roughly the same size as yours but looks 3 times as full! We're supposed to be switching into a different room to give the kids more space but hubby is a bit of a procrastinator...regardless, seeing your room makes me want to straighten up my room a little better. If nothing else it will make the "move" easier if that ever actually happens! One suggestion I would make, just because I am one of those "clutter" haters (hubby is more of a clutter collector which keeps things interesting!), have you considered/would it be possible to consolidate all your shelves onto one wall and then put up ceiling to floor curtains in front of them? I use fabric (even flat sheets and old quilts) everywhere possible to at least give the appearance of a simple clutter-free space, while still keeping all our stuff accessible.

(and I love books and think they are the best "clutter" to have around)

Michele said...

Hi Emily

I love the caftan hanging on the wall. I'm a seamtress at heart and love to create. I agree that books are the best "clutter" to have around. We have a basement library that holds most of our books. Most of my books I've had read 10 times or more. Books are as necessary as food in our house

SoMo said...

I find this amusing, because when I got pregnant with our third child I was asked by just about everyone if we were going to start looking for a bigger house. Our home is 2300 sq ft with about another 300 sq ft in a back office for my husband. He is self-employed. The reason we were asked is because we only have 3 bedrooms and the girls share a room. I thought it was silly to even think of getting a bigger house. I guess we technically have 4 bedrooms, but one is downstairs (not a master) and is being used as a playroom. I feel that with all the toys in one area why does each child need their own room to sleep or read. I figured when they got older and needed their own space we can change the playroom into a bedroom or more just make it more of a space for teens. And my motto is: Bigger house, more toilets to clean. I already have 3 and that is plenty. :)

Clisby said...

Daphne: That is one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

SoMo: When I was little, my parents had 5 children in a 3-bedroom house - and one of the bedrooms was reserved for guests! We were fine. (I'm sure they'd have spread out into the guest bedroom as we got older and added #6).

Emily said...

reese, I found the link

http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?icid=msnre_moneyhp&cp-documentid=23168683#10

The prices are quite steep, but it is an interesting idea.

Cris said...

I think the small space and the varying heights (colors?) of the shelves make it look more cluttered. If it was a larger room with more open wall space or the shelves were condensed into matching taller ones it would look "cleaner."

Dan is better about books than my partner. He refuses to donate books he's never read and has no intention of reading... He did manage to let go of five milk crates worth recently. I gave him the goal of only keeping what could fit in the office and he said he'll try:p

Amy said...

I am an avid book lover and can't get rid of any of them!! I have 5 bookshelves in my home and luckily I have a garage so there are many boxes of books out there waiting to find a home inside the house. We are a military family so the movers always hate us but they are my passion. My husband doesn't understand it but he fell in love with me and my quirks so he deals. If I only had a tiny apartment like yours I would do the same. I'd probably have all the bedroom walls covered with shelves though to accommodate all of them.

KyliesKompass.blogspot.com said...

Oh, I love your dresses from Sierra Leone! What a beautiful story behind such a pretty heirloom.

I also love your books. It looks like you have quite the collection... very cozy!

Sarah @ Hippie Mommie said...

Wow! I'm jealous of how many books you have! I have one of those spouses who hates reading, and doesn't understand my crazy love for it, so he's constantly begging me to weed out my books. Is the clothes line going across the room used for drying clothes? If not, what is it used for? & if so, do you ever use a dryer or just the line?

Amy said...

How often do you have to dust all of those books? I love books too, but it would drive me crazy to have to dust all of those! lol

Devon said...

We have a ton of books as well. Fortunately, our rental came with built in bookshelves near the door, so I didn't have to find a place for them. I have a hard time giving up books as well...my dream is to have a huge home library for my kids, so I tend to hold on to them. I did get rid of a few that we weren't using at all and wouldn't in the future, and got some cash for them at Hastings, so I used it for Christmas presents.

Margaret said...

Love the books. Nothing wrong with having lots and lots of books. And I think you've done a pretty good job with the storage of all those books. :) We had a ton of books, but I did have to purge them on our last move. They are incredibly heavy and difficult to move. :(

I kept one banana box full of kids books, and 2 very large boxes of dh and my books. I will probably have to go through them again when we move again in August. We have a really good local library system, so I only kept the special kids books. Everything else can be borrowed and enjoyed, and then returned. :)

Although I love books and really want to be building up a good personal library, as a family that is rather mobile (4 moves in 7 years, another move anticipated this year), I've been gradually divesting myself of the need to collect and working on having "open hands" so that I'm not clinging to boxes and boxes of stuff we rarely use, and schlepping it all from one house to another.

mimikicks said...

Hi Emily,

I was glad to see that you are making books a priority in your home, over TV. Does Dan watch TV at a friend's house? Are there any shows you watch on your own? I've never watched the Star Trek shows much, but I'm starting to think I should :) Are you a fan of the movies and TV shows as well as the books?

Emily said...

Cris, I've been wanting to sort them by color to reduce the random look and possibly make a fun looking design, but Dan isn't up for it.

hippie mommy, yes, the clothesline usually has clothes drying. (:

mimi, what fun questions! I think I'll save them for an FAQ, if you don't mind, but the answer is no and yes. You should definitely watch some Star Trek. They have the original series free to watch on YouTube.

Karen A said...

I love the Touring Tuesday feature! Thanks!

~Melissa said...

That is such a sweet picture of your son sleeping in your bed.

Anonymous said...

I am someone who hates clutter, but I don't consider books as clutter. In my (tiny) apt too, they're part of the design scheme. I would keep the books, but if it were me, the other things (the dress and knick knacks on the walls, the little hammock things, storage boxes, clothesline, etc.) would bother me greatly. I just can't handle clutter like that! But I guess it's about different people and what they can handle, because many people have said the same thing about the books and like I said, I don't think they "count" as clutter. :)

Question about the bed, did you put it low on the ground specifically because the kids like to nap in there? Or is it that kind of bed? I ask because it looks a little bit like a large air mattress, which is actually what we use as a regular bed. I get some night and morning back pain and an air mattress is somehow the only thing that helps.

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