Planning your move

Whether you are moving across town or across the country, moving can be an exciting experience fille dwith anticipation. Planning is the key to making te transition as enjoyable as possible for you entire family. If you've ever moved before, you know the endless preparations and decisions can be a bit overwhelming. Completing many tasks and arrangements ahead of time will make moving easier.

Practical tips for moving day include:

• Mark boxes to identify in what rooms they're to be unloaded. This helps the movers be more efficient, and helps you know which boxes to unpack first.
• Pull out a few items upon your arrival at the new destination to provide instant familiarity.
• Label these boxes "Last in / First out."
• Put children's rooms in order right away to make them feel at home the first night.
• Designate a room in you new home where you can go to relax. Clear the room of clutter and boxes and set up some of you familiar belongings. Set realistic goals. Give yourslef permission not to get all of the unpacking done the first day.

Furnishings:

If you've ever thought about unstuffing those closets and getting rid of items that just take up space, the time is now. Discuss with your family how your needs have changed over the years and how your new home might accomodate them.

Decor:

Besides furnishings, your decorating decisions will involve the windows, walls and floors of your new home. Moving cna be a big expense, so you may want to consider howmuch you spend for redecorating.

Walls:

There's nothing like paint for a fast inexpensive pick-me-up for walls. Paint can help camouflage cracked walls or quickly adapt to the colors of your upholstery fabric or a bedspread.

Floors:

Floor treatments have become increasingly important in the realm of decorating. Hard-surfaced floors are popular, while a myriad of styles of carpeting make it a choice in almost any room. For a fresh look, add an area rug. Area rugs are stunning against hardwood floors and can give a rich, plush feel when placed over existing carpeting.