You are surrounded by many sensory 'clues' that can help you understand your environment. For example, your sense of hearing can tell you a lot about your home, both inside and outside. Sounds like the TV or radio, a drippy faucet, a ticking clock, and motors being turned on and off, can help you form a picture of the inside of your home. Any sounds coming from the outside, such as birds or traffic or children playing, will also help you build a mental image of your surroundings.

Other 'clues' are:

• Textures under foot, whether tile, wood, rugs, or linoleum all help you to create a visual mental image of your surroundings.
• Air currents in the house, air conditioners, fans, or forced air heat can also help you tell where you are and stay oriented.
• Rooms are different sizes and will sound different from each other. A bathroom, for example, is usually a smaller size than most rooms and has hard surfaces such as tiles and?porcelain can cause sounds to bounce and echo. Bathrooms can also cause difficulties with glare because of the shiny surfaces. A living room is larger, with rugs and soft furniture that can muffle sounds.
• Aromas are also useful room-clues: flowers in the living room, baking in the kitchen, and detergent in the laundry room.