I’m an organised person by nature. Not obsessively so; there are some areas of my life I prefer laissez faire. Holidays, for example. I prefer the peace of mind that comes from knowing that the major travel and accommodation are taken care of ahead of time, but am not a fan of rigid schedules for the rest of the holiday. To my mind that takes a vital something away from the vacation spirit.
My house is comfortably tidy rather than obsessively so. My work area is fairly organised, although the further I get into a book the less tidy it becomes. Note the pictures. One is the look between books, before I start surrounding myself with my notes and research books, my calendar and character pics, my synonym finder and music and other necessities. The second picture is a few weeks in. The clutter is still pretty organised. 
Losing things frustrates me. I say this with clenched teeth because I’ve wasted precious time this week searching for a research book I bought back in July. It’s here somewhere. I. Just. Don’t. Know. Where.
Another minor annoyance is buying a book I already own. This doesn’t happen a lot with print books; I read a blurb, I know if it’s a book I’ve read. Since I’ve started buying eBooks, however, I have double-bought. Whenever this happens I decide I need reading records. I bought a simple database for my PDA (which doubles as my eBook reader) and had a lot of fun entering a hundred or so books in it.
Then I lost that PDA and although I’d backed up the records I’ve not gotten around to loading them onto the replacement. I’ve also not added to that first flurry of data entry.
Next I joined Shelfari. Had loads of fun entering a few hundred of my keepers onto my bookshelf, rating and tagging and categorising them. Then I got busy and haven’t updated or visited in months.
Recently someone mentioned Fiction Database and while searching for books in a series, I realised what a fab resource this was. I signed up, entered a few experimental books, but then I stopped myself. Who was I kidding? Why would this be any different to my other two attempts?
Although there are times I will wish for an organised library system, although I will continue to be tempted by you-beauty recording software, I need to remind myself. Reading is my relaxation, my leisure, my holiday, if you like. I don’t need the organisation.
How about you? Are you an organised reader? Do you record the books you read each year? Do you have an inventory of your library, or do you–like me–just sometimes wish you had one?
November 6, 2008 at 10:12 am
Hi Bron!!
I am very organized too! However I have so many books I can’t keep track. I decided after moving to VA that I would get rid of a lot, and I mean a lot, of my books. I’m giving some to Goodwill and some to a couple of used bookstores for credit. I have OCD so I hate losing things also. Sometimes I won’t wear my jewelry ’cause I’m afraid I’ll lose it. Crazy? Yea…it’s my middle name!
November 6, 2008 at 11:09 am
I tried Shelfari, and a book with lines to list what you read and a list on my blog, and none are current. I haven’t found the answer yet.
November 6, 2008 at 11:40 am
Hello, Bronwyn,
You are much more organized than I! Because I don’t have
an inventory, I have occasionally begun to read a book only
to find a few pages in that I’ve already read it!
Pat Cochran
November 6, 2008 at 11:45 am
My books are completely unorganized but I have to get them organized. It makes me crazy when I want to read a book and then can’t find it.
November 6, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I recently moved my entire office to a bigger room upstairs. In the process, I weeded out several bags of books, and then tried to be organized when I reshelved the ones I kept. It’s more organized that it used to be, but still not up to the standards of two friends who could put the organization of the local library to shame.
II always think of French Stewart’s line in Third Rock From the Sun when he explained how he’d reorganized the video store he was working in:
Movies I like, Movies I don’t, and Movies I haven’t seen yet.
Works for me.
November 6, 2008 at 3:42 pm
I am not an organized anything. I have a TBR pile and the books I have read are in plastic grocery bags. My house is too small to keep books I have already read.
November 6, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Mel, good luck with weeding out and donating books. Hope it goes than my usual attempts. I form such an attachment to books, it is difficult to discard them. I have to remind themselves they’re going out to find new readers and bring more joy and entertainment.
Carol, you do sound like me. Fun to start inventories; not so much fun keeping them up to date. After all, there are so many authors and so little time!
Bron
November 6, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Patricia, don’t you HATE that? Sounds as though you need the system Alexis describes: Books I like, Books I don’t like, Books I haven’t read yet. LOL, love it! I would also need a fourth category: Books I’ve started and put aside but want to get back to.
Alexis, I think I have office envy…without even seeing your new office. It’s that “bigger room” that does it. Mine is small, which I convince myself means easier to keep tidy and organised. But every so often I daydream about a spacious and perfectly equipped office.
Bron
November 6, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Maureen, a simple shelving system perhaps? Depending on how many books you have, of course. I’m with you on the little things that drive you crazy. STILL haven’t found that research book!
Estella, your system works for you and that’s all that matters.
Bron
November 6, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Bronwyn,
I love that you are so organized! I saw the photos of your desk and thought “that looks like my desk!” My books are lined up similar to yours and I have a notice board just above. But I do allow myself one method of dis-organization…I scribble notes on dozens of note pads. Those notepads are meticulously NOT organized, but they do gather in a neat pile next to my laptop on my desk for when I need to refer to them!
You mentioned your forays into organizing your library…I mention this because I recently found a tool that I absolutely adore!!! It’s http://www.librarything.com/ . Library Thing is an online cataloguing system. It’s so easy to access and utilize! You don’t have to back it up because it’s online. You can even compare your library to others…like other famous romance authors that use the system!!! Try it…it’s a fabulous toy for any organizer! Dana (Bootcamper)
November 6, 2008 at 8:06 pm
*waving* hello, Bronwyn you temptress you!
See, I’m with you, but since I don’t have all that many ebooks (yet) I haven’t double bought so far… erm… I think I haven’t…
November 6, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Hi Bron,
I have just finished your Tycoons One Night Revenge and have to tell you how much I enjoyed it.
I was doing some cleaning the other day and came across an old diary I used to list books in that I’d read when I was young. That’s quite a few years ago I must say. I had forgotten all about it. It was fun to go through it. I was surprised at how many titles I simply can’t recall and smiling at plenty of forgotten favourites. We’re big readers bin our house and they are jammed and stacked onto very overflowing bookcases.
November 6, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I don’t have a system for my books. I am a very unorganized person. I keep my books in boxes. Books that I have read and are autographed I box up in my closet. Book that are not autographed is given away to a different reader for someone else to enjoy. Then I have a few keepers that go in with the autographed books. My TBR books are also in a box. The one book shelf that I have is full of books of hubbies and World Book.
November 6, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Temptress, hmm, I think I like that (even if undeserved.) Thank you, azteclady! As for doubling up…all in good time.
Quilt Lady, you SAY you are disorganized but it sounds as though your system is quite organized, each set with its own box and place, and that it suits you just fine. I’m still finding the system that works for me!
Bron
November 6, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Totally deserved–you dragged me here!
As a book hoarder (it’s so hard to part with books I enjoy!) my problem is not the system but the space. The TBR mountain range looms unsteadily next to my bed, and the keepers crowd every other available space, closets included.
Now, if I ever finish those bookcases for behind the doors…
November 7, 2008 at 1:03 am
^5, Dana, my fellow tidy desk diva! I also have the bits of notepads and torn sheets from notepads all over…but then I gather and spread them in neat array beside me as I write.
Since we are like organisational minds, I shall have to check out librarything — I think I have seen bookshelves and TBR’s on websites using this to display covers. Am I right?
Bron
November 7, 2008 at 1:07 am
Alison, thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed Tycoon’s One-Night Revenge. That’s always a thrill. As finding that old diary must have been. I would get SUCH a kick out of that. I’ve always been a voracious reader — how fun would it be to have a record of every book? Wonder how many I’d be up to…
Bron
November 7, 2008 at 1:26 am
AL, here’s my tip: finish the bookcases. Would hate you hear of your untimely demise, crushed beneath avalanche on TBR mountain.
Bron
November 7, 2008 at 3:14 am
Hi Bron,
Good heavens, you write full time and you still have a study that looks straight out of brochure on ‘how to keep your workspace tidy.’ I’m a member of bootcamp and a few months ago, she who would be obeyed, during the month of positivism,tasked us to tidy our workspace. This was to give us a sense of achievement. It worked I was thrilled when I finished. Hmm, maybe it’s time for another tidy.
Ciao Roseanne
November 7, 2008 at 6:48 pm
no i dont. i do hav ea good memory of what i read, espacally paperback. i like to organize too lol.
November 7, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Roseanne, not full time and I often go days or weeks without writing. When I do get to work, I need to be able to put my hands on things and to know where I’m up to with my wip. Hence, the tidiness is necessary. As for the rest of my house…
Listen to She Who Would Be Obeyed, she knows stuff. *g*
Kim, would like to have your good memory. Care to share?
Bron
November 7, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Hi Bron,
I’m afraid I’m hopelessly disorganised. Can’t count the number of times I’ve stood in a store reading the back of a book and wondered if I’d already read it. But I’ve never bought the same book twice *g*. I remember starting a record of titles I’d read, including comments on what I thought of the book. No idea where that list is now. Like I said, I’m hopelessly disorganised. Sigh.
November 8, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I am like way too organized. First I have a print list of all TBR books(updated monthly or every to months), highlight a book as soon as it’s read. later it gets moved to another books read print list(usually updated every 2 months) Then as soon as books enter the house they go on the book shelf at Shelfari and http://fictiondb.com/. On both those sites they get moved (on Shelfari from “I plan to read” to “I’ve read”, at fictiondb from bookshelf to archives). The site http://www.fictionwise.com/home.html is where I usually get my ebooks and if you have already bought the ebook there it won’t let you buy again. It tells you you aleady bought the book. I also like the fact that I can buy an ebook as a present go someone(as long as they are a member)
November 8, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Janine, since (unlike some people *g*) you’ve never bought the same book twice, you probably don’t need to be any more organised than you are. But I bet you’re wishing you knew where that list is!
Hey, Christa, I knew you were the organised one…although I wonder if there’s any such beast as “too” organised? It was from you I heard about fictiondb. Good plan entering them as soon as they enter your house. If I started that, I wonder you I keep it up? At least them I would build a record of all the new books…
Bron
November 9, 2008 at 10:13 am
heehee. I hate double buying so I like to keep books straight. ok I admit there’s a little flaw when it comes to inputting the books at Shelfari and fictiondb, they don’t go on the bookshelves till they have been input so they go to the little foot stool beside my desk but I like my foot stool for my feet so they don’t stay there long before they get input then placed on shelves. Which are organized too, 1 for read books and 2 TBR plus my bil just mde me a small one an autographed books are going in there.
It’s only far that I let you know about fictiondb, after you so kindly shared the addiction known as Shelfari