Keepsake resources
Skills
Practical how-tos for interviewing and recording at home.
Upgrade the craft side of memory keeping with clear tutorials for interviews, audio capture, and editing basics.
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Family interview kit
Worksheet · A small conversation, a clear permission check and a story record
How to interview a family member about their life
A seven-step way to ask a relative for an interview, prepare questions, record the conversation and save it with their permission.
Recording voice notes of a family conversation on your phone
How to record a relative's stories on an ordinary phone: where to put it, how to test the sound, what to say about permission, and how to keep the file safe.
Printables
Guides
75 journaling prompts for everyday life, memories and decisions
Browse 75 writing prompts by topic: starting an entry, noticing the day, remembering, considering decisions and relationships. Choose one and leave out anything you do not want to explore.
50 journaling prompts for self-discovery and family memories
Fifty journaling prompts for self-discovery in five parts: values, early memories, relationships, change and family stories. Write privately, skip anything and share only what you choose.
Recording voice notes of a family conversation on your phone
How to record a relative's stories on an ordinary phone: where to put it, how to test the sound, what to say about permission, and how to keep the file safe.
Questions
40 funny questions to ask friends, family or a group
Funny questions that get people telling their best stories: school pranks, trips gone wrong, family inside jokes and pets with personality.
- What's the most dramatic thing you did as a kid?
- What's your most chaotic travel story?
- What's the best inside joke in your family, and where did it start?
41 romantic questions for couples about affection and shared memories
Choose romantic questions about affection, shared memories and time together, with room for both partners to decide what they want to discuss.
- When did you first feel loved by me?
- What moment made you feel proud of us?
- What does romance look like to you today?
60 philosophical questions about life, ethics and the mind
60 philosophical questions on identity, free will, meaning, ethics, justice, God and knowledge, with the classic puzzle behind each group and ten lighter ones.
- If every part of you were slowly replaced, the way an old ship's planks are, at what point would you stop being you?
- Would you plug into a machine that gave you a perfectly happy life, if you would never know it wasn't real?
- If you had a ring that made you invisible, would you behave any differently?
60 uncomfortable questions for optional private reflection
Questions about choices, boundaries and unresolved thoughts. Skip any premise that does not fit; discomfort is not evidence that a question is useful.
- What are you avoiding that you know you should face?
- What is a truth about yourself that took years to accept?
- What do you pretend not to care about but actually do?
Controversial questions that challenge assumptions
60 controversial questions about ethics, politics, technology and relationships, with ground rules for disagreeing without a fight.
- Is revenge ever justified?
- Should wealthy people be required to give away most of their money?
- Is social media making society better or worse?
Conversation starters that make talking easy
Choose conversation topics and opening questions for everyday chats, new friends and groups, with examples and simple follow-ups.
- What went well for you this week?
- What have you been reading, watching, or listening to lately?
- What was the best thing you ate this week?
Deep questions that open honest conversations
40 optional deep questions about who you are, turning points, love and trust, and what comes next, with advice on choosing topics and respecting a pass.
- What do you wish people understood about you without asking?
- Which moment in your life changed how you see yourself?
- What does feeling safe with someone actually look like to you?
Embarrassing questions that keep it light
30 embarrassing questions about slips at school and work, social mix-ups and family stories, chosen so people laugh with the teller, not at them.
- What were you saying when someone pointed out you were on mute?
- Have you ever waved back at someone who was waving at the person behind you?
- Which outfit looked better in your head than in the photograph?
From the blog
25 mindfulness journal prompts for noticing everyday life
25 mindfulness journal prompts about your surroundings, small moments and the people around you, plus optional questions about worries and where to find help.
How to digitize old photos without losing the stories behind them
How to scan old family photos with a phone, a scanner or a service, which resolution and file format to start with, and how to keep names and dates with each image.
Frequently asked questions
A smartphone with a voice recorder app works well for most home interviews. For better audio quality, consider a clip-on lavalier microphone. Choose a quiet room with soft furnishings to reduce echo and background noise.
Review any family photos or documents beforehand to spark questions. Prepare 10-15 open-ended questions but stay flexible. Test your recording equipment, choose a comfortable location, and allow plenty of time so the conversation can flow naturally.
Agree on a length that suits the person and stop when they want to. A short first conversation may be easier to arrange. Leave room for another visit instead of trying to cover a whole life at once.