What to remember about your current house

01
The view from the kitchen window
What is always there, including the unremarkable parts.
02
Where everyone drops their shoes
Do not straighten them first.
03
The room at its most-used hour
Morning light, after-work clutter, or the quiet after dinner.
04
The cabinet that never closes correctly
Every house has its small negotiations.
05
What the house smells like after dinner
Write it down. A photograph cannot keep this part.
06
The route you walk through the house in the dark
The turns your body knows without thinking.
07
What is always sitting on the counter
The permanent temporary pile.
08
A favorite corner
Include why you end up there.
09
The sounds from the bedroom at night
Traffic, pipes, neighbors, appliances, weather.
10
The marks of ordinary use
A dent, scratch, fading patch, pencil line, or loose handle.
11
The nearest neighbor you know
A name, a habit, and the last thing you talked about.
12
One room before it changes
Take the wide photograph and three unnecessary close-ups.

The view from the kitchen window