Friendly reminder: you don’t need a giant book collection to be a book blogger, lover, or reader.
I fell into the trap when I started blogging and when I got a job. Buying books just to build up a collection seems like is a thing to do. Book hauls are bragging rights and it’s a bit of a competition to see who’s got more and whose shelves are the biggest, sometimes even jokingly bragging how now they may not have enough for food or rent (it’s not funny, please don’t). It seems like it’s a thing to strive for amongst bloggers.
Except in the past couple of years of rethinking how I approach reading, I discovered something very important: I don’t care for big book collection or giant TBRs. Spending more money than I should on books made me feel incredibly guilty because I don’t actually make that much money. And the giant TBR gave me a lot of stress and anxiety. Not to mention the fact that as a renter, I don’t have that much space for a giant collection and thinking about moving it to a new place gives me heart palpitations. Suddenly, having giant book collection and a big TBR wasn’t a good thing, it became a burden, one that made me unhappy and stressed.
So I began cleaning out my shelves. Books I wasn’t gonna read or didn’t want. I donated or gave away a lot! And it made me so incredibly relieved. The stress, anxiety, and guilt went away. I borrow more from the library and read more books I already have, instead of buying new ones. I discovered my happy place. I’m not the kind of person that needs a giant book collection; just my favorites. I’m not the kind of person that wants a giant TBR; just a few books that I really want to read at my own pace.
To be clear: I’m not saying you shouldn’t build up a giant book collection. Or that it’s a bad thing. This is not a shaming post!! If it makes you happy, go for it!! All I’m saying is that it’s not for everyone. If it’s not for you, don’t get caught up in the race that you think you have to participate in to be a blogger or reader. Do not feel bad about not having a lot of books or borrowing books from the library or buying ebooks. You are a valid reader and blogger nonetheless!