Variations on a Theme

In the hope that talking about your problems can help solve them, I've decided to continue with the theme of my magazine addiction and you, dear readers, can be my therapist. I've collected all the magazines from around the house and put them on the kitchen table so that the scale of my problem can be really appreciated.


So here you are - my entire magazine collection. Sort of. Minus the one outside that I was reading over breakfast, and the one upstairs on the edge of the bath, and the one under the pram, and the one on my bedside table and the one on the floor in the living room. And the entire crate of 34 Conde Nast Traveller and Wanderlusts dating from 2005 & 2006 that hubby is constantly moaning about.But aside from those, here is my collection. My name is Wifey and I'm a Magazine Addict. There, I said it. Except that when I was reading Country Homes and Interiors this morning over breakfast, I was thinking to myself 'Hmmm, this magazine is lovely, I really should buy it more often.'


So, here are the magazines broken down pile by pile, starting from top left.

Top Row
Mother & Baby: 4 issues from September, October and November 2008. Such is my problem I managed to buy two copies of the Sept issue, and the Nov issue is still wrapped in cellophane with its free gifts (might become a collector's item in years to come if I keep it in this pristine condition...)
Pregnancy and Birth: 4 issues, Aug-Nov 2008
Prima Baby & Pregnancy: 2 issues, Oct & Nov 2008, with Nov still being wrapped in cellophane
Pregnancy, Baby & You: 3 issues, Aug-Oct 2008
Parenting & Pregnancy: 3 issues, Oct-Dec 2008
Can you see a theme developing there? Although I was pregnant from July-March, I clearly got bored of reading (or not reading, as is mostly the case) the same old thing in these pregnancy mags and by around Oct/Nov, with four months still to go, had given up on them.
Grazia: 1 issue, 13 Oct 2008


Middle Row
Easy Living: 1 issue, June 2009
Woman & Home: 11 issues, Sept 2008-July 2009 (all donated by my mother-in-law)
Selection of 5 magazines bought to take in to hospital when giving birth to DC, including Country Living, Hello & Period Living
Hello: 6 issues, 28 Oct 2008-29 June 2009 (mostly donated by my mum)
Ideal Home: 1 issue, July 2009
Wanderlust: 3 issues, Nov 2006, March & April 2007
Conde Nast Traveller: 1 issue, Nov 2008


Bottom Row
8 catalogues, inc IKEA, M&S, Mamas & Papas, John Lewis
Marie Claire: 1 issue, May 2009
Good Housekeeping: 9 issues, July 2008-May 2009 (all donated by my m-in-l)
Junior: 1 issue, July 2009
Source: 1 issue, May/June 2009 (at least this is a freebie mag, from Waitrose)
Real Homes: 1 issue, Jan 2009
M&S magazine: 1 issue June 2009 (again, a freebie)
Country Life: 1 issue, 27 May 2009


That's a total of 68 on the kitchen table, plus 34 in the crate and five dotted around the house. Making a grand total of 107 magazines. I'm wondering whether to add up how much I've spent on them. Shall I, or is it too scary? I know I've been given quite a few of these and I also had a subscription to Traveller mag, but still, there's a lot of money been spent on these mags that could (possibly) have been better used elsewhere. If I do add up how much I've spent, perhaps it will help cure my addiction. What shall I do?!