Your Preparation · 02 of 08
Help us understand what everyday life really looks like for you — how you spend time together, when you need your own space, what works well now and what drives you mad.
Keep coming back to this one.
Over the next few days, notice the little things about your home and the way you live. Add them here whenever they occur to you.
Add the little things you notice about how you live. You don’t have to do them all at once — come back over the next few days as things occur to you.
What do you love about your current home — or homes you’ve lived in before?
Everyone always gathers around our kitchen island. I love that.
The north-facing light in the living room in the morning.
The flow from the kitchen straight out to the alfresco.
What gets in the way, feels awkward or simply drives you mad?
Having to walk through the laundry to get outside.
The pantry is tiny and things get lost at the back.
The bedroom gets so hot in summer afternoons.
Something you’ve experienced in another home, a friend’s place, on holidays — anywhere.
We stayed somewhere with a window seat overlooking the garden and I loved sitting there in the morning.
A mudroom at a friend’s place — shoes and bags just disappeared.
Big sliding door that opened the whole living room up.
Anything you’ve lived with before and would rather leave behind.
A formal lounge that nobody ever used.
Carpet in the dining area — such a mistake.
A dark, closed-off kitchen with no connection to the rest of the house.
Don’t know what to add?
Pay attention to the little moments over the next few days. When something in your home makes life easier — or annoys you — add it here.
When you’re all at home, how do you tend to spend your time?
Anything you’d like to tell us about that?
Some households love open spaces where everyone is together. Others need more separation, quiet spaces or somewhere to retreat. What tends to work best for you?
Who cooks? Do people cook together? Are weeknight meals different from weekends? Where do you usually eat? What happens when family or friends come over?
Is it usually a couple of friends, large family gatherings, children’s friends, outdoor entertaining — or is entertaining not particularly important to you?
Does anyone regularly work, study or pursue hobbies from home? Tell us anything that might affect the spaces you need.
You don’t need to write an essay! Think about mornings, arriving home, meals, evenings, weekends — anything that helps us understand how your home fits around your life. (Completely optional.)
Your new home isn’t only about accommodating life as it is today. Tell us about anything you’d like your home to make easier, better or simply more enjoyable.
Add anything else that didn’t quite fit above — or simply something you’d like us to keep in mind.
Your Consultation
Ideally have your Preparation ready by Sunday 18 October.
This gives Andrew time to review what you’ve shared and prepare properly for your Consultation.
Preparing together
You don’t need to complete everything in one sitting. Come back as thoughts occur to you — sometimes the most useful insights come from simply noticing what works, what doesn’t and what matters in everyday life.