Recruitment

Organizers begin in New York City through overlapping contacts, particularly in technology and art. They solicit participants among friends and family, invite referrals, consider an open call. Each route affects available possessions, existing relationships, expectations, trust. The local group supplies the initial context for the project.

They invite people to an extended interview and portrait session, discuss possible object custody, distinguish participation from deposit. Some interviewees retain every possession. Organizers therefore conduct more interviews than the intended number of deposits. Interviewed non-depositors can still attend the Housewarming or participate in an optional Unpacking. Additional guests, including possible plus-ones, can change the event's composition.

After each visit, organizers review the collection's size, variety, practical uses, care requirements. They can ask later participants to consider an underrepresented family or adapt the venue. Acquisition review and collection planning explain the process. An earlier proposal involving roughly 13 to 33 people describes a possible initial scale; the actual round follows participation and the intended setting.

Researchers begin preliminary research before visits where useful, map existing connections, retain the recruitment route while examining subsequent encounters. Alternatives include selected unfamiliar participants and different mixtures of referral and open access.