“Hmm…maybe it could go here. Or here, or wait better yet here!”
Sound familiar? I know for myself that when I’m moving, one of my biggest challenges is deciding how I’m going to arrange everything in my new home. Whether we think about it when we’re in the moving truck or when moving help is unloading everything, it’s a constant task. And I know that I’m guilty of trying to walk across the room with a fixed wingspan to see if the dresser will fit in a certain pocket of the wall. It’s not a very effective method of measurement, trust me!
But what if I told you that this problem could be nothing but a thing of the past? Would you believe me? What if I told you that you could do it without even seeing the inside of your new home. Ok, that ones a stretch and I hope that you have at least seen your new home before you moved in! But with just some basic information, like the dimensions and shape of the room, you can show up at the new place with everything already designed. What’s the secret you ask? Well, it’s a handy little online tool called a room planner.
Design your room before you even step foot in your new house.
What: A room planner is a tool that allows you to design a room on a computer using either a downloadable program or an internet tool. Punch the dimensions in and then adjust the room to the correct shape. Once you’ve done that, windows, doors, closets and others can be added. Now you’re ready to design! Want a love seat? Add a love seat. Want to see how it looks on the back wall next to your old nightstand? With a room designer it’s all just a click away.
Why: Planning is one of the most if not the most important steps in moving. A room designer allows you to plan where everything will go ahead of time, saving you sometimes hours in the long run. More than likely, your new home will not be the same layout as your old. Depending on the situation, the rooms may either be larger or smaller, or maybe a combination of the both. You’re going to have to design a new layout. So instead of doing all of that the day of when you arrive, you can take your time and do it little by little leading up the move. Most programs and websites allow you to save designs making it easy to come back to at a later time. And hey, while you can’t move in your bathrobe you surely can design your new home in one!
How: Many tools come with a pre-built repository of items. Couches, dressers, lamps and desks. Most allow you to modify the items — so for example if your couch is 9 feet long, you can update the couch to reflect that. Almost everything that you would ever need is pre-loaded into the system, but if you find something that isn’t don’t panic. All you have to do is take the measurements of the item in real life and input it into the system. While it most likely will just show up as a box and not a pretty drawing of what the item actually is, it will do the job none the less. And it will make it easier for you in the long run, trust me!
Where: View a list of recommended room planners here.
Have you ever used an online room design tool? Hate them or love them? Have a favorite design tool of your own? Let us know in the comments below.
