A lot’s happened, I just haven’t felt like doing the usual retrospective.
I’m kind of cranky and mopey today. I’ve narrowed the cause down to the feeling that I don’t feel very on top of things. Too many things I should be doing, none of them that I’m actually doing. Lack of time, lack of money, fear, or deadlock prevent me. (Deadlock: that state where no matter what you consider doing, it reminds you of something ELSE which is equally urgent).
It’s time to become the Ubermensch. I have a hard time, though, becoming ubermensch and remaining civil. It’s either lazy and disorganized or efficient cold-hearted bastard with me – no in-betweens. The latter state is a problem when there is family around.
Anybody have any ideas for storing books on the cheap? I have lots of books around in boxes and in stacks, and I need to get them onto shelves of some kind. I don’t want to build shelves because I want them to come with us when we eventually move. And I hate particleboard, which eliminates the cheap assembly-required freestanding shelf units found at most department stores. Any thoughts?
I am failing in almost all the endeavors which are important to me.
Not “almost all”. All. I can’t think of a single thing I’m succeeding to my satisfaction at.
It’s time to make a change.
Ikea in college park has wooden storage shelves that go together and come appart easily that are fairly cheap. I know several folks who’ve put them to use as cheap bookshelves.
http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=12&categoryId=10760&langId=-1&parentCats=10104*10173*10760&cattype=sub
You could always go the traditional college kid route and use some pine planks with cinder blocks. It might not even look that bad if you painted them all the same color. Of course, there’s no reason you couldn’t use wall brackets and planks which are cheap and could be moved easily with you.
The problem with that is that technically it may be a breach of the rental agreement. It has the typical stanza which says that anything attached to the house becomes property of the landlord.
How often is your landlord around to inspect what’s been added and what hasn’t and how likely is he to take you to court if you take shelving with you? My guess is not very. He’d probably just tear it out before a new tenant came in anyway.
If you don’t like cinderblocks, many of the home improvement stores sell square heavy glass bricks, which are very attractive shelf dividers…
Attractive being a relative term, of course. :-\
Book storage
You can make a decent bookshelf with plain old 3/4″ plywood sheathing found at Home Despot. A 4×8 sheet is under $20 and will make 10 9-3/4″ shelves when cut up. Use brick blocks or whatever you have to as risers between the shelves -even hardcovers that you don’t plan on using until you move. Sometimes you can find wood wine crates cheap to use as risers. This is quick/easy/cheap and if you wanted to spend a litle more time you can buy “oops” paint that someone got tinted wrong for a couple of bucks for HIGH QUALITY paint and paint the shelves. The wood you can bring with you and use for any other shelf project like for the garage.
I understand the Deadlock concept. I’ve been there. It sucks. It sucks. It sucks.
I know that “deadlock” feeling all too well. I hope things improve.
Another idea to use for uprights would be various things – plastic plant pots, a stack of books you don’t mind not getting to, garden statues that have a flat top and bottom… and you can check w/ freecycle in your area.
I’d totally go the IKEA route if I were you.