I became a homeowner fairly early on in my life; I'd just turned 25, but had been living in my house and renting it for six years prior. At the time, I wasn't necessarily looking to buy a house, but the opportunity presented itself, and with a lot of work and a little luck, I was able to make it happen. Although I didn't feel like it at the time, I was just barely figuring out life at that point and figuring out who I was, too. In many ways, I still am, and probably always will be, but I like to think that I've learned a lot since then.

My journey to homeownership was fairly nontraditional, and although I wouldn't go back and change the decision I made to buy my house, I sometimes wonder if I had waited or taken a more traditional approach of house hunting, if I'd still end up in the house I currently own and live in. At 25, I really had no opinion on what I wanted out of a house, other than I knew I liked the one I lived in, and if I could buy it, I would. Recently, I came across an article that discussed what potential homeowners look for the most when they are thinking of buying a house. They listed off things such as a laundry room, garage storage, hardwood floors, a front porch, a walk-in pantry, and more.

Making a list of what is most important to you when looking for a home can be a powerful tool in guiding you to finding the right house to purchase. Oftentimes, that list evolves as you tour different houses and figure out which features are non-negotiables and which ones are added benefits, or things that can be added later on down the road.

After reading that article, I was inspired to get creative and make a list of my own as if I were house hunting today, and see what I already have and what I can create at my house. Some of my non-negotiables already exist—such as the location of my property. Others, like a dishwasher, can be added. Although I am still working on it, creating this list has helped me to organize and refine how I want my space to look and function.

I can be notorious for having a lot of ideas existing in my head at once, but falling short when it comes to actually making them happen in the real world. By creating this list and putting the thoughts down on paper, I feel as though I've already completed the first steps towards shaping my house into exactly what I want it to be. For me, deciding what I want actually feels more difficult than completing the tasks themselves, so I feel hopeful that the hardest part is over. Well, almost—I still have to finish the list, but I'm getting there.

Paige O. Roberts has a degree in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Henniker Review, Sidereal Magazine, Rejection Letters, and Cypress. She has been nominated for a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize. She lives in northern New Hampshire, where she owns and operates a pet boutique called Tailswag.