My name is Lauren Sapp, and 20,244 pins organized on 45 boards later, I admit that I am hopelessly addicted to Pinterest.

It’s not an addiction that I can’t overcome, but the kind where 20,000 plus pins just isn’t enough to quench my thirst. Some might think I’m a stereotypical Millennial Pinterester because I have the food board, the crafting board and the adorable baby animals board. How many things have I actually cooked or crafted or copied? Less than fifteen, maybe, and that’s aiming high. I share attractive engagement photos even though I’m as single as they come. I own one piece of jewelry I’ve shared on my jewelry board, and that was the result of an accidental purchase last weekend. I did fulfill one item on my virtual bucket list, but let’s not get into specifics. I just love it all, okay?

When you think about it, Pinterest is kind of an odd form of social media. The site does not display a lot of personal information like Facebook. All you do is share clothes you like or houses you’d like to live in or places you want to visit someday with other users, who can in turn share those same pins on their own boards. ArtsyGeek stated that Pinterest is essentially “electronic hoarding.” Now, I’m pretty much a minimalist, with the exception being shoes. And jewelry. Ooh, and purses. Okay, so I’m more minimalist than some, meaning I don’t like clutter and I like using things until it’s necessary that they be replaced as opposed to buying something new just because. Pinterest allows me to keep my dreams and wish list organized. The website is simple, the app’s interface is clean. What more could I ask for?

So after you’ve pinned inspiring quotes and Save the Date card ideas for your dream wedding, what’s next? Why do so many people keep coming back to the site? What continually attracts me to Pinterest is that when I use the site, I’m not putting up a front. Everyone knows that Pinterest users do not actually own every clothing item in their virtual closet or have traveled to every destination photo they share. It’s one of the unspoken rules of Pinterest. My 45 boards provide you with 45 different facets of my personality that make me unique. When a user views my profile, they’ll discover that I like the outdoors, Disney, reading, and that I enjoy quotes so much that I started separating them into boards by topic. Seeing what others pin to their boards can spark a conversation. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been chatting with my friends and have used the phrase, “So I saw this on Pinterest.” It’s a great way to connect with others.

The founders of Pinterest thought so, too. Founder Ben Silbermann said that, “What you collect says so much about who you are,” and isn’t that what Pinterest is showing the world? Think of it as your childhood stuffed animal collection in electronic form, or fridge magnets or postage stamps. If anything, Pinterest takes up a lot less space! Time, on the other hand, well, there’s never enough of that anyway.