confessions of a book hoarder: my secret TBR organization system
welcome to my literary confessional, where TBR lists go to multiply 🖤
Wanna know my dark little secret that would make any minimalist reach for their smelling salts?
I'm a literary hoarder with a TBR list that would make Marie Kondo not only weep but possibly consider a career change.
We're talking 500 books and counting, my loves. And you know what? I regret nothing—except maybe not having enough bookshelves to contain my growing obsession. 😅
Last night, it was 3 AM, and I was adding my fourth book of the night to my ever-growing TBR while sipping matcha that had been cold since yesterday (judge me, I dare you).
The soft glow of my phone illuminates my face as I scroll through BookTok, adding yet another enemies-to-lovers romance to my list because, apparently, I haven't learned my lesson about sleep being necessary for human survival.
What’s that saying again? Oh yeah!
I’ll sleep when I’m dead because there are too many books to read and not enough time.
Despite reading 3-4 books a week like the obsessed bookworm I am, this list keeps multiplying like rabbits in springtime. It's giving Tribbles from Star Trek energy, and honestly? I've accepted my fate as a collector of unread possibilities.
Each new addition is like adopting another literary child—sure, I might not get to them right away, but they're mine now, and I'll love them all equally…eventually.
To combat my TBR chaos and bring a semblance of organization to my bookshelves, I've developed a system that would make any librarian either swoon or have a panic attack—there's no in-between, unfortunately.
Everything is grouped by author and genre, creating what I like to call my "mood reading menu."
It's like having a wine cellar, but instead of wines, I have books perfectly paired with every possible emotion. Because sometimes you need a specific type of book boyfriend to get you through the day.
👉 Need a dose of deliciously dark spice? I slide over to my Katee Robert section, where Electric Idol and friends await, ready to make you question your life choices in the best possible way.
👉 Craving a billionaire who actually knows how to use his...assets? Scarlett Avery's corner beckons with Always Love and its sinfully good companions.
It's my personal literary matchmaking service, except all the matches are books, and they'll never ghost you (unless they're about actual ghosts, of course).
This dirty little secret keeps my TBR growing faster than a vampire's body count, but I never, ever stop adding books. Ever.
You know why?
Because limiting yourself in literature is like only eating vanilla ice cream when there's a whole world of flavors waiting to corrupt your taste buds!
Every time I finish a book, I add three more. Like a literary pyramid scheme, except instead of losing money, I'm just losing shelf space and possibly my sanity.
But darlings, what's sanity compared to having the perfect book for every possible mood? Sometimes, you need to sort out your priorities.
Embrace the chaos. Let your TBR list grow wild and free, like a beautiful, untamed garden of stories waiting to be discovered.
Now, the first rule of TBR club is to tell EVERYONE about TBR club.
This is my top-secret weapon for when you're stuck in a reading slump: (you know, that tragic period when you'd rather re-read the same book for the tenth time instead of starting something new—hello, my well-worn copy of Featherstone Academy by K.C. Kean) 📲 phone a friend.
Have someone—anyone—pick three books from your TBR. But here’s the twist: you MUST read all three (including any series they're part of) before moving on.
It's like literary Russian roulette 🔫, but with less danger and more happily ever afters.
This method has led me to some of my favorite reads, mainly because it forces me out of my comfort zone and into new literary territories I might’ve been too scared to explore on my own.
We could all use some book therapy. Sometimes, you need someone else to push you off the cliff of familiar reads and into an ocean of new possibilities. And yes, sometimes you'll belly flop, but other times? You'll discover a new favorite author who will add another 30 books to your TBR.
Join Our Book Hoarding Support Group! 🫶
Want to enable each other's literary addiction? Join our Discord, where we:
🍆 Compare TBR sizes (size matters here, darlings 😉)
🤝 Share organization systems
📚 Enable more book-buying
🍾 Celebrate our collective chaos
😈 Plot world domination through literature
Don’t forget to subscribe to Darkly Romanticized for weekly doses of reading confessions, TBR management tips, book recommendations, and more bookish chaos to fuel your obsession.
Life is too short for TBR shame. Your stack of unread books is proof that you still believe in possibilities, in magic, and in the power of "just one more chapter."
Now go forth and add more books to your list—I won't tell if you don't. 📚
🖤 See you next time,
Courtney Ann
P.S. Drop your TBR count in the comments. Let's make each other feel better about our life choices. After all, misery loves company, and book hoarders love enablers.