I remember my first couch. It was a sturdy piece of furniture with an outdoors-themed print, made from a combination of dark wood and velvety fabric. In fact, we had a coffee table, armchair, rocker and miniature rocker to match. For my family, the couch was where we watched Saturday morning cartoons, opened Christmas presents and ate dinner together most nights. After several years with that set of furniture, we had it reupholstered and taken to my grandma’s house, where it still resides to this day. Every time I visit my grandma’s house and sit on that couch, I’m reminded that it is just as much a part of my family as she is.
The furniture in our homes is an important part of our daily lives, but its value goes beyond how comfortable we feel when we sink into the seat. The average couch will last for eight years, be host to more than 1,200 family dinners, experience approximately 1,600 spills and cater to more than 750 visitors. And although your couch can’t cheer you up when you’re feeling down or celebrate with you when you’re on top of the world, it will still be there in your memories.