Rebecca

TBR Jar & Tracking

In the middle of all the new things this year {I even have a new brand of planner for the first time in 5+ years!}, I’ve decided to try something I’ve never done before. A TBR jar. There was much internal debate about how to make this work, since I am very much a mood reader. In the end, I think I found a way to help me tackle the “backlog” on my own shelves while still keeping things open and flexible to match the moment. Prompts.

I thought about the books on my TBR in terms of genre and/or vibes, and made a list of prompts that span the biggest expanse of titles. The prompts are open-ended enough that I can pick whichever books matches my mood at the moment, but should help knock out some of the TBR.

In making the list of prompts, I realized I had quite a few “levels” under nonfiction. Enough to create a list of their own, in truth. Since I’m feeling a shift toward more nonfiction, I decided to make a second set of prompts for nonfiction reading. The hope is that I will be able to read {at least} 1 nonfiction book a month in 2026. I’ve tried this in years past, with varying degrees of success, so we shall see what happens.

The next step was to figure out the “jar” aspect. Originally, I envisioned bookmarks with the prompts and room to record the actual titles read. It’s a fun idea, and one I may play with in the future. Instead, I made use of scrapbook paper scraps: cutting slips and folding for blind selection. I even found the perfect vessel to hold them: a stacked teacup-pot from a paint-your-own-pottery adventures years ago. Nonfiction went in the teapot, fiction in the teacup.

I can hear you asking “but how does it work?” and that’s an excellent question. I plan to draw a slip and pick a read off my shelf, then return the slip to my jar {after making a notation of when I drew/read it}. Since there are multiple books fitting each category, this feels like the best way to knock out the most. So far as frequency of the drawing … I’m not sure yet. Nonfiction once a month, at least and/or hopefully. Fiction may be more often, depending on how often I feel my wheels spinning between books. The not knowing and figuring it out is half the fun of the process. Right?

As mentioned previously, I’m not tracking as much in 2026. The spreadsheet I keep for generating the cool graphs has been scaled back dramatically. My planner does not have an integrated reading component this year, and while I am using a reading journal from OwlCrate, it is a very loose approach. I’ve also mentioned this year’s book blanket will be color-coded by month and hopefully look like a bookshelf when complete. One other very cool thing I’m excited about this year is the adorable library sign I got for Christmas.

How cute is this? Attached directly to my bookcase, it’s a simple and sweet way to watch the reading add up. After a flurry of books to start the year, mid-January reading has slowed down. With a major winter storm promised {threatened?} for the weekend and brutal cold forecast for most of the next week, I anticipate this number rising.

Have you ever used a TBR jar before?
Do you think you’d rather use a very specific one {individual titles}, or open-ended prompts?

If you’re in the path of this mega winter system: stay warm and safe, friends! Forecasts keep changing, but the one thing everyone constantly agrees on is the cold – and that can be dangerous enough on its own, without the precipitation.
May your power stay on, your heat be cozy, and your books a delightful escape.

17 comments

    • I’ve never had one either, but I’m always intrigued when other people talk about them! And I love it too 😍 One of my besties found it and it’s just so cute!

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    • I was so excited when I realized the teapot could have a purpose 😂😍 Wowza! Go you on the nonfiction front! I am… 1 out of 5? 🤣 but that’s better than nothing.

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    • Thanks! 😍 I hope it’ll be a fun experiment, and the sign makes me smile every time I see it 🙂 And thank you, we are prepared as best we can be I think and now we wait… hoping for the best!

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  6. TBR jars always look like a fun way to tackle some of the books you’ve had on your shelf for a while. I love how you’ve used prompts rather than specific titles for yours. And also that you have a nonfiction jar as well as a fiction one. Good luck with it and I look forward to seeing what books your jars lead you to.

    Also you did a fantastic job decorating the teapot and that sign is so cute 😍😍

    I also hope you stay safe storm wise and snuggle up in the warm.

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    • Thank you! I’m hoping it will end up being as fun {and helpful!} as I hope 🙂 It’s definitely cute, so that’s a start in the right direction 😉 hehe

      We’ve managed to stay safe, and as warm as possible! 😀 Thankfully the worst case forecast missed us, and we’ve made it to the other side. Which is still very cold. 🙂

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  7. I LOVE this!!! And I love that reading counter- it’s really cute. I want one!!!

    I’ll be interested to hear how this works for you. I can imagine myself drawing a slip of paper, seeing that it said “Historical” (or whatever) and throwing it back in the jar and saying “nah! I feel like a mystery.” Does this mean I’m a “mood reader?” I’ve never really thought about it before. Anyway, I have a stack of books I’ve recently purchased and I HAVE TO make my way through them first- then I’ll go back to the library. I’m also behind on my reading- only three books for January, but one of them was almost 900 pages (the latest Robert Galbraith mystery.)

    Happy reading!

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    • When I opened the reading sign/counter, I squealed 🙂 That was definitely a spot-on gift, and I’m so excited to watch the count tick up.

      Sounds like you’re a mood reader too! 😉 I left my prompts open/flexible enough that I should be able to wiggle if I need to … Like, if I drew Historical but felt more Mystery, I’ve got a few historical mysteries I could count. I tried to make the prompts work for me – but also use them to help me decide what I do actually want to read. Because if I draw something and am immediately “oh, but I wanted…” then I know what I was actually in the mood to read. Hopefully that makes sense 🙃 We shall see how this works going forward …

      Yay for book stacks to read through! That’s my forever life, especially since I get distracted by library holds and forget to finish reading what I’ve got personally. Oops.

      I think the 900pg Galbraith should count for at least 2 books read 😉 That’s a great way to start the year, with a big chunky book!

      Happy reading!

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