Books Don’t Actually Make You Smart

Unless of course you read them. But when you have so many that they are teetering in piles like the ones you see on the left ALL OVER THE HOUSE, and you won’t even let go of your dusty, disintegrating paperbacks? Well, then you’re most likely a Smart Structure (STJ), or are an Organic (NF) who’s been raised by one. Peter Walsh, Oprah’s resident organization guru, is also right on the money with this type of clutterer he has deemed “The Knowledge Clutterer.”

We’re not saying that all Smart Structures (STJs) are book hoarders, it’s just that in our line of work, when we come across a crazy stash of these dust collectors that clients call books, they’re usually Smart Structures, or their progeny, especially those of the Organic (NF) persuasion (Yeah, I’m talking to you Patrick.) The reason Organics are so malleable in this area is because they’re very influenced by their parents’ values. Both my brother Patrick and me are the Organic (NF) children of a book hoarder and it took me 8 years of therapy to winnow my collection down to hardcovers and be able to fold over the corner of a page without feeling guilty. Patrick, however, has not benefitted from professional help and so his wife has had to manage his ridiculously large collection. She and my mother are saints.

So, if you’re a Smart Structure book hoarder, then Walsh’s suggestions to buy a Kindle, or throw away books that aren’t out of print is rather mute. We get it. The books aren’t going anywhere. The one thing you CAN do, however, is to make your book collection look more cohesive and more artful. (And seriously, going forward and at least for beach reads? We ask you to seriously, for the sake of your loved ones who must share space with you, consider an e-book reader. The fact that my dad got one means that anyone can.) So, think about separating out your paperbacks from your mass market from your hardcovers. You remember books by visual means anyway so this should be doable. Also vary the position of the books. Throw in a few stacks here and there in a random pattern so it’s not just a whole line of books. And maybe add a few photos and trinkets for dimension.

Now Walsh actually includes magazine hoarders along with the book collectors and these types tend to vary. A Classic (SJ) can get stuck with a collection of any kind, so magazines, especially one kind, like Martha Stewart Living or National Geographic, can easily happen. Organics (NFs) will also tend to hold onto magazines, or even more, catalogs for the visual aspect that inspire possible futures. With these kind of collections — and you other types who like your books — “Walsh suggests designating a clearly defined area for your book and magazine collection, whether that means one shelf or six.” Or, for those Smart Structures, bookcases in every single room in your home, including, as for my poor mother, her basement.