Dear Family: Please close the cupboard doors

Really, that's all I'm asking. If you open a kitchen cupboard, please close it afterward. That's it.

Oh, and also clean up any crumbs you leave on the counter. Please do that, too.

And don't put a butter knife covered in peanut butter in the sink. Wipe off the peanut butter and put it in the dishwasher.

Just those three things: Close cupboards, clean crumbs, wipe off peanut butter.

And wash the pot when you make noodles. Don't leave it for someone else to do.

While I'm thinking about it, you'll also want to turn off all lights when you leave a room. Don't leave the laundry room light on, don't leave the basement light on, don't leave the mudroom light(s) on, and don't leave the upstairs hall light on. I'm constantly turning those off.

So cupboards, crumbs, peanut butter, pot, and lights. Those are my requests.

And those of you who cannot open and close doors quietly while others are sleeping (you know who you are), please learn to do so. And practice walking quietly on your tiptoes and not stomping around the house and up and down stairs late at night.

Maybe also make sure all doors are locked if I'm already asleep.

And make sure the TV is turned off when you turn off the cable box. Sometimes the TV itself is left on all night.

So, yeah...cupboards, crumbs, peanut butter, pot, lights, quiet movement, locked doors, and turn off the TV.

On second thought, you'll never remember all of that. Just stick to the cupboard doors. I can be content with just that.