April | 2024 | rewindliveslow

Books can be a contentious topic. There are people who guard their personal libraries fiercely and say that is the one area of their life they will not downsize. I understand that. I felt that way about my CD collection. We all have one area that we won’t touch when it comes to minimalism. That Is okay. Everyone does minimalism differently.

For me, I was able to downsize my book collection to 5 books. Some of you may consider that extreme, but here are some of my reasons for choosing five books.

When I moved, I used boxes from the local liquor store. If you go by the liquor store in the morning, they put boxes outside for people to take that have been emptied from restocking their shelves. For me personally, empty wine boxes are the perfect size for moving. They are easy for me to carry, and you can fill them up without having them be too heavy to move.

I filled wine boxes with books for moving and the weight was just right to carry. Anyone who has moved can attest to how quickly a box of books can get heavy. While the number of books people enjoy in their personal library varies, I’m sure that everyone will agree that no one likes moving books. They get heavy fast.

For me, downsizing to 5 books is a perfect number because I can fit 5 books in a small boat and tote. I don’t have to worry about packing up boxes of books to move. All I must do is pick up my boat and tote, put the strap on my shoulder and off I go. My collection is curated to ease portability.

How did I decide on five books? For many people, books are like potato chips – there are so many that we like, it’s hard to choose just a few.

For starters, I am a big fan of libraries. I love being able to borrow a book, read it, and then return it for someone else to enjoy. I do not necessarily need to keep every book I read. For many books I read, once is enough. The book can move on to bring someone else enjoyment.

If there is a book that I particularly enjoy so much that I have checked it out of the library to read twice, then it meets my criteria to purchase. If I’ve gotten it out of the library more than once, then it needs to be in my personal library. If you check the same book out of the library multiple times, it’s probably one you should own.

Of all the books I own that meet the “twice out of the library” criteria, how did I decide which ones deserved a permanent place in my set of five? I looked at how many times I have re-read the book once I own it.

If I have re-read the book three or more times, then it earns a spot in my personal curated collection. Really, if you’ve read a book three or more times, you must really enjoy it. Those novels are the keepers.

Books I have gotten rid of have been donated to either Little Free Libraries or library book sales. They can bring someone else joy. I do purchase “new” books. Books I cannot find at the library, I purchase used from a site called Thriftbooks. You can get used books on Thriftbooks for $5 or less. They are in great shape. Purchases often support libraries, as some books are library discards. I typically place an order for 5-10 books at Christmas.

Once I have read a book, I will donate it. If I decide it is a book I may want to re-read, then I keep it. In this way, books flow in and out of my life.

My current book collection of 5 books is not a fixed set. Some books come into your life for a season. If there is a book that has particularly resonated with me that I have read more than three times, then I will look at the collection of 5 to decide if I need to add a book and if a book has fallen out of the season of my life.

It is possible for a book in my collection of 5 to leave. Different books speak to us at different points in life.

The next time I move, it will be very easy to move the books. I won’t have to worry about wine boxes full of books and how heavy they are to carry. My personal book collection fits in a boat and tote that easily goes on my shoulder, leaving my hands free to carry other things.

While 5 books may seem extreme to some, it works for me. I get plenty of exposure to books through the library. I do a Thriftbooks order every year for Christmas. I am not in want of reading material, nor am I bored with re-reading the same things.

What criteria do you have for establishing a favorite book? How many times have you re-read your favorites?

You can click to read the original Toilet Paper Chronicles, The Toilet Paper Chronicles Part 2, and The Toilet Paper Chronicles Part 3.

Sometimes I think my life has been defined and can be explained by the prevalence or lack of toilet paper. In previous installments, we have discussed how access to toilet paper is often a function of poverty. Being able to purchase toilet paper in bulk in a privilege. There is a cost savings to buying a package of 20 rolls compared to a package of 4 rolls.

I am going to take this one step further and think big: imagine a case of 48 rolls. Now, imagine a case of 48 rolls delivered to your home. You don’t even have to go to the store, perform the acts of tetris required to load it in the car, bring it home and then unload it.

To make this even more exciting, for an ultra-posh, super-rich experience, imagine said box of 48 rolls being delivered to your home on a SCHEDULE. It’s like magic! A case of toilet paper appearing on a regular basis so that you never run out.

This is the ultimate fairytale luxury.

Speaking of luxury, another vivid toilet paper memory I have from my childhood comes from my grandparent’s house. As you’ve read in previous installments, I grew up in poverty. We often did not have any toilet paper or would use other items to substitute like paper towels or Kleenex.

However, I remember that my grandparent’s house always had toilet paper. I loved going there. I also vividly remember that my grandmother always had a roll of “super fluffy” toilet paper that was for her use. Grandchildren would get spoken to if we used too much of it. As a child, I never understood the whole super fluffy toilet paper. Why did she need super fluffy? What was the point?

Now that I am an adult of a certain age, I completely understand why my grandmother had super fluffy toilet paper. When you reach a certain age, fluffy toilet paper becomes something on which you need to splurge.

The past few years I have been splurging on 12 packs of super fluffy toilet paper. I have noticed over the past 2-3 years or so, that even the super fluffy toilet paper is not so fluffy anymore. Quality of toilet paper across the board is declining. However, I need the super fluffy for a comfort issue.

Recently I heard about bamboo toilet paper. Bamboo is a grass and not a tree. It’s supposed to be more sustainable, as grass grows faster than trees. I heard that bamboo toilet paper is supposed to be soft, but is it “super fluffy” soft?

Back to this fairytale luxury of having 48 rolls of toilet paper delivered to your house…

It’s called a toilet paper subscription, and it is a real thing.

I ordered a box, just to try. I am in love. Yes, I did get the bamboo toilet paper. Unlike all other toilet paper that has declined in quality the past few years, bamboo toilet paper is on par with the high-quality toilet paper I remember.

In fact, I will say that bamboo toilet paper is even better than “super fluffy” toilet paper. Believe it or not, bamboo toilet paper is SOFTER than super fluffy toilet paper. It is also the strongest toilet paper I have ever encountered.

Now, I have tried items on subscription before and it is just not for me. For a while, I had shaving razors on subscription. I ended up with way too many razors. I canceled the subscription. I am still using razors I received through the subscription program 2 years later. Other than having our cat food on subscription, there is nothing that I use enough to have on a repeat order.

Enter toilet paper. I now have a toilet paper subscription. Given my personal history with toilet paper, I am thinking this is a subscription that may work for me, we will see if I need to make any adjustments to the frequency or have any issues with it. For now, I have a box of 48 rolls of the best toilet paper I have ever used in my life.

With all the challenges I have had in life, I can now say I have achieved the ultimate luxury of not only not running out of toilet paper but having amazing bamboo toilet paper on subscription. This is truly hitting the jackpot in my life.

Have you tried subscription toilet paper? Thoughts?