Moving into a new home can be quite a challenge for anyone, whether you are moving into your first home or your fifth. Aside from the usual challenges of moving out, moving in, and adjusting to your new environment, you also have to think about how your new home will look. No two homes are exactly alike, which means moving from one home to another won’t always be as easy as transporting your things from one place to another, as you may need to add or subtract to your home furnishings. So, to give you some much-needed help, you can use this guide for when you move into your new home.

Basic Moving Tips

Before you move out and move in, you should consider these basic tips to help you out.

1)    Make a plan.
They say that 15 minutes of planning is worth hours of work. That’s true in this case. Most likely, you already know what your new home will look like (unless you’re moving to a temporary home or moving abroad to corporate housing). In such cases, you can make a plan as to where your old furniture will or if you’re starting from scratch, what types of furniture you need. Keep yourself organized by writing everything down in a notebook or using computer software to note down ideas, prices, and reminders.

2)    Get Rid of Stuff You Don’t Need.
The first thing you want to do before moving into a new home is to get rid of your excess stuff. You may find that you won’t need all of your old stuff in your new home or that it may cost you more money to move your old stuff to your new place than buying brand new things. For example, if you have large chairs or recliner sofas and you find that they will cost a lot more to hire a van or a shipping company to move them than buying new ones, then it’s best to get rid of them. If you’re worried about waste and your impact on the environment, consider donating your old stuff to charity or holding a garage sale and donating the profits to Greenpeace or other similar organizations.

3)    Organize Your Packing.
There’s nothing worse than moving into a new home and not knowing where everything is. Therefore, make sure you pack everything accordingly and neatly so you know where everything is located. Keep items from the same room together and label them. If possible, ask the movers to place your boxes and your furniture in the right rooms already. For example, for heavier items like sofas or movie room recliners, you can stick a note or Post-It to let them know where to put it so you don’t have to do it yourself later.

Basic Decorating Tips

Now that you’ve taken care of moving your stuff, you should next consider how your home will look like. So, read the following tips to help you with your decorating:

1)    Choose a theme.
Most likely, your style of home and the built-in interiors will help you decide on what type of theme and décor you should have, as well as the existing pieces you already have from your previous home. If you’re starting from scratch, then you will have more leeway in terms of design. Make sure you choose a unifying theme. If you want something simple and clean, then you may want to choose a modern design. If you want something more homey and comfortable, then a classic country theme or contemporary style may suit your.

2)    Place large items first.
If you have big pieces like your bed frame or recliner chairs, it may be easier to put these into the room first and build around it. For example, if you’re building your entertainment room, place your TV and your recliner chairs into the room before you put in anything else. It’s much simpler and easier to do this and you won’t run the risk of running out of room for the more important pieces. Of course, it helps if you already have a plan instead of just arranging things on the fly.

3)    Choose colors wisely.
The colors you choose for your room are very important. If you have a large home and lots of space, you can be a bit more liberal in choosing your colors, as even darker shades won’t make the room look so cramped. However, if you have a small room or apartment, make sure you choose light colors for your walls and ceilings. This will give the illusion of space, as well as make your room seem more open than it really is.

4)    Make room for light.
Having lots of natural light for your bedrooms, living room, dining rooms, and kitchens is a must. Natural light makes your room look more appealing than harsh fluorescent or incandescent lights, and so you should try to make a lot of sunlight enter the room. Don’t block out windows with your furniture, and try to use light or sheer curtains and window dressings (with some block out curtains for your bedroom to use if you need it.) Of course, some rooms may not need natural light. For example, if you have a home theater or entertainment room, you may want to use a room without any windows so you can fully enjoy the movie. Blocking out sunlight may also help protect your leather recliner chairs and furniture, as light can often make leather age faster and look more warped.

So, follow these simple tips and your move into a new home will surely run smoothly.