Unread magazine project

I love magazines.  I read tons of them and I love them. 

The most challenging aspect of loving magazines (for me) is keeping up with them month after month and not amassing a huge pile of unread paper.

I have a great system for this - when I'm finished with a magazine, it goes to the bottom stack (my read and unread magazines have a dividing point - so I know where one ends and the other begins).  As soon as the unread stack reaches the top of my chair, then I call the magazine lady and give them to her. 

Now if I have such a great system, why am I writing this?  Martha Stewart Living. 

I love Martha Stewart Living magazine, yet for some reason I went months and months without reading them.  They kept getting pushed to the side and put in other places. 

I have some of those nifty plastic magazine holders that have my subscriptions of past years and I've decided the I will no longer keep them for reference (I haven't referenced them and most stuff can be found online) - however - I do want to read them all before I let them go. 

Thankfully, I no longer subscribe to Martha Stewart Living - so I'm not adding to the unread magazine pileup.  And that's the only reason I no longer subscribe - my unread magazine pileup. 

I've created a plan for myself that will take one year to complete - yet if I decide to shorten the plan, that's also okay. 

I am going to gather all of my Martha Stewart Magazines by month and read them accordingly.  If I start reading one and realize I've already read it, then it will go in the rotation of my nifty plastic magazine holders until I have completed the year and at the end of that year I will give them away to someone that wants them.

Here are my ground rules: 

1.  Read the magazines by month - since this is August, I will start with the September magazines - my fantasy goal is to read the September magazines between Aug. 15-Sept. 15 and then start in on the October magazines Sept.15-Oct. 15, etc. 

2.  If, for some reason, I need until the end of the month, that's okay, yet the minute the month changes - that's it - the magazines are headed to my nifty plastic magazine holders to await their eventual give away. 

3.  I have one year to complete the challenge.

4.  If I take less than one year - that's okay.  

And the big bonus at the end of all of this?  I will have more stuff out of my home!  Clearing clutter opens up more space for good things!  And that's a good thing (to borrow from Martha Stewart). 

Ready, set, read!

What challenge would you like to create for yourself?  How will you keep yourself motivated, accountable and on track? 

I'd love to hear your insights and discoveries. 

Comments

[Toni]

I get a fix when I buy a magazine. Subscribing does not have the same impact. The interesting thing is though that sometimes when I buy, I do not look at, let along read the magazine. Go figure. (Me not you.) I subscribe to two. The thinking is even if I only read a few a year, I have saved money. I have concluded that I do not read because I have not given myself the gift of space/time to do so. I feel so much better when I have this mini vacation of a magazine that I am not sure why I avoid this. I think somehow I think I am too busy. Then the other part of me says, “Yea right. Too busy not finishing things.” So on Saturday, my official “do anything you want day,” I walked to the grocery store and bought a newly out fashion magazine. Upon my return I fixed a delicious chicken sandwich (on whole grain with Romaine lettuce), ate, then looked at my new magazine, believe it or not, standing at the kitchen counter, cover to cover. I felt great. Do I need this info from this magazine? No. People who wear shorts, tees, and exercise clothes do not. However I do love to look at accessories, colors, and styles. I love nail polish color. Chanel has a dark blue. I think it was out last year, too. My fix was not complete. That evening I bought another and again looked. That one remains open on a table at the point where I stopped. My possible favorite is not out yet. Historically last of the major ones.

Last week I took a stack of magazines to the hospital. The volunteers have a place in the lobby where people like me can leave donated magazines and books. I appreciate that they have this. I am always so grateful that I can leave them there. I believe it is more for my benefit than those who now have them to read.

Let us know how your system goes. I will make sure I have these mini vacations regularly.

[Patti]

I love magazines. It is a great PB for me and I really enjoy reading them. Many years ago, i stopped spending money on magazines because my habit was costly and I needsed to find ways to cut. I now go to the lobrary and check out the magazines I want to read and return them in a couple weeks when I am done.