Wednesday, January 13, 2010

My Magazines

In 2004 my mum gave me a year's subscription for House Beautiful, which I really enjoyed. I decided to keep those magazines, and in 2008 I re-found them and had a great time re-reading them - with a new house and changing tastes, I found them just as interesting the second time around. By the beginning of 2009 I decided that I'd really like to sort my collection of magazines by month, because so long as I kept to the correct month, it didn't seem to matter if the magazines were old or not.Quite possibly a bit nerdy, categorising it all like this? Maybe, but it's worked for me! It's actually what brought me into blogging, because I searched the internet for some good printable labels for each month, and found the Farm Chicks, who had some lovely labels and a fantastic blog, and then I just found more and more blogs...
In the end the best month labels were on my computer anyway - I found them in clip art!
I bought some cheap magazine boxes in the January sale last year and decorated alternate ones with felt-tip stripes.My collection has really grown since coming to France. Publishers over here bundle up back numbers and sell three at a time for about 4€. What a good idea! The bundles are available a fews times a year in the big supermarkets, but also in hospital shops and places you might be getting bored. In addition, I bought a year's worth of Mon Jardin, Ma Maison at the Troc, Broc, Solde one year - such a good idea to sell magazines second hand. Since I started buying them second hand, I've also started donating less interesting issues to the Charity Shop, as there is clearly a good market for them here.Until I started the Challenge of the Utmost Kind, I was buying too many French magazines, and too many UK ones whenever I visited. But I am sublimely grateful for my birthday gift of a year's Country Living! You can have too many magazines, but you can also have too few...There are 21 people in our No Frills magazine swap at the moment. They hail from North America to Japan, from England to Australia via France and Italy. I think there may be some VERY interesting magazines to be swapped!Please join us by clicking here!

25 comments:

Coco Rose Diaries said...

That is a great idea to file away the mags all beautifully! I just get my monthly bundle, rip out all the inspiring and helpful pages and file then recycle. I could seriously have magazines take over the house if I kept them all! i hope your son is doing ok with his broken ankle. This weather is not lovely anymore! Have a lovely day! xxx

Michela said...

What a clever storage you have! Well..at last you're a teacher! ;-)

JuanitaTortilla said...

If you hadn't told us you had decorated those filing boxes with felt tips, I wouldn't have guessed it!

So, Farm Chicks huh -- that was how it all began. Interesting!

Selfsewn said...

dont get me started on magazines!

A Thrifty Mrs said...

I do the same with my mags. I have British and French Vogue since 1997 stored at my Mother's house. Madness!
I am going to have a cull when we move.

Anonymous said...

No no no - not nerdy but pure genius! I will try and hunt out some of those bargains when I'm next in France...

sarah-jane down the lane said...

Hi Floss,

Loads of catching up to do - how is your little man, poor chap how rubbish to pick up a snow injury!

I am thinking about joining the magazine swap but I am a serial tearer outer, hmmm will think some more!

I am so glad you liked the nostalgia trip, I love the sound of your Mum's skirt. They really didn't skimp on fabric back then did they?

Sarah x

Lululiz said...

Most of my magazines are craft magazines, quilting, cross stitching, beading etc, and I couldn't bear to part with them. They are full of wonderful projects. I know I won't actually make 95% of the projects in there, but they are wonderful for research.

I like the way you have organised yours with the pretty labels. Those magazine holders are great, aren't they? I have a lot of those as well.

Ah, that magazine swap, its such a lovely idea, but as I only have Country Living on a current subscription from mum and dad, I dont have any current magazines to swap. I do have some needlecraft magazines ( doubles ) though, if anybody is interested in those, I'll be happy to swap those. I'll check them again to see exactly what they are, if you like.

Anonymous said...

I think that's a really good idea, always there for reference when you need to ask a question. You can also see how much tastes and styles change over time.

CJ xx

harmony and rosie said...

Glad I'm not the only one. I find it almost impossible to throw certain mags away. I've got way too many CL's, Country Homes & Interiors, Martha Stewarts and Vogue Entertaining to bother counting but I have a small collection of Coast Mags that I just may be prepared to give away in the swap. Hopefully the months will be fine!

Hope you both get better soon.

Kate x

Pondside said...

How beautifully organized those boxes are.
I have a collection of cross stitch magazines from the last 15 years, stacked in a back closet. Now that I have a sewing room it may be time to do something like you've done - thanks for the idea.

Rubyred said...

Oh so organized and such a wonderful selection!
Rachel x

Andi's English Attic said...

I think it's a great idea. I try not to buy magazines...I fail about once a month!

Serenata said...

That is how I file my magazines... and music :-)

I need to get some more, but have to look in CS now for some!

VintageVicki said...

Now that is a good idea - sort by month :)

I have about 6 years of CL mags that I am keeping - often get the old ones out for a looksie.

Need to hunt out something for swap too - am sure I have something.

...Nina Nixon... said...

I love your mag organisation and a very handy system - not nerdy at all!!

Anonymous said...

Wow ! What a collection you have! And I like the way you organised them.It's a clever idea.

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

Oh my word that is some magazine collection – and so well organised too!

Victoria xxx

Country Cottage Chic said...

I tend to keep Christmas issues as Christmas doesn't change much! I do have the occassional clear out when the piles get too much.

Jayne

Joy said...

Love how you organized your magazines. This is my first visit to your lovely blog.
I will probably pass on this magazine swap although it does sound like so much fun. Two years ago I let all my magazines subscriptions go. (some went out of business) I not buy them second hand at our library for .10. I love looking thru the selection and picking something fun to take home read.

♥ Joy

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

Gosh it's looking like my lounge at the moment only your mags are super organised and mine are in piles everywhere. I'm trying to cull the really old ones but it means looking through them all first. There are so many in the bookcase I can't even get one out as the pressure from the others is too much. I don't need this many!

Josie-Mary said...

What a good idea! :) x

BadPenny said...

I had stacks of house beautiful - I think I donated them to the Doctor's waiting room in the end !

I stopped buying magazines years ago but I did buy one yesterday - the kitchen gardener and it had some seed packages.

Your storage boxes look great !

Pomona said...

I have never bought many magazines, but because of the Ultimate Challenge I don't even get Country Living any more, as my subscription expired last month. As a family we get Permaculture magazine, but that is only quarterly, so doesn't pile up very much! So I am really sorry that I would have nothing to offer for your magazine swap. The French idea of selling old issues secondhand seems a really good one. Even our dentist doesn't have magazines to read any more - is it a sign of the hard times?

Pomona x

Flower Girl said...

Your organisation puts me to shame! You certainly have some lovely magazines in France - I bought one of the back issue bundles you mentioned in a service station while on holiday a couple of years ago - great value! Rebecca x