I saw a cardinal at my window the other day. Many people believe that a cardinal is a representative of a loved one who has passed. When you see one, it it said
to mean they are visiting you.
Whether you believe this to be the case or not, this beautiful bird remained in view for over 15 minutes and it was such a beautiful sight. Being familiar
with the belief reminded me of my mom.
Later that day, I was thinking about switching things up in my living room. Not big changes. Just moving a table and rearranging a few decorative
items.
It then occurred to me that rearranging and redecorating were two of my mom's favorite things to do. I really never knew anyone who changed things up as much as she did, especially
during the back-to-school season.
I would come home from school and a selection of the furniture and/or décor from a room or two would all be someplace else!
I guess she always wanted to change the indoor scenery. We didn't have a whole lot of money back then, but it was amazing how she managed to always give our house a fresh, new look with what we already
owned or with inexpensive additions like a slip cover or a new decorative vase.
If you enjoy rearranging and redecorating, here are some tips to make the processes easier and less
time-consuming.
1. Measure first. If you're planning on moving big furniture, FIRST always measure a) whatever you're moving (the sofa,
dresser, etc.) and b) the space you're thinking of moving it to. This will tell you whether it's going to fit or not.
2. Use a room layout app. There are
tons of apps you can use to help you lay out a room. Just go to your phone's app store and type the words "room layout app" in the search. Room Planner Home Design 3D is a popular one.
3. Declutter first. It's easier to rearrange and redecorate a room when it's fairly empty and you don't have to keep moving clutter from one end of the room to the other. Tidy/clean while you're at it as well.
4. Get help. While my mom, who was not a big person, seemed to have the strength of two professional movers and moved everything herself, it probably was not the best idea. She could have hurt her back or worse. If you can't do the job yourself, get another family member, friend, or neighbor to help. Moving companies can assist as well if there is nobody else and paying them is within your
budget.
5. Rearrange biggest to smallest. Move the largest item first...the one that is serving as your home's focal point. Then continue with smaller furniture. Finish
with accents and decorative items.
6. Use furniture sliders. I cannot stress enough how great furniture sliders are. Slide these under your furniture and you can glide very heavy furniture with ease.
7. "Shop" from other rooms. Just because you need a change doesn't necessarily mean you have to run out and spend money to do so. Shop in other rooms of your home. I recently moved a jewelry armoire, that I keep inexpensive jewelry in, from the bedroom
into the living room. I get so many compliments on it now that it's visible to guests. I also just hung a kitchen cutting board that was sitting in a cabinet, on a wall in the dinette area. I love the new look.
8. Function before form. When you're in rearranging or decorating mode, think about function before you think of form. For instance, if you're rearranging your home office, be sure the new arrangement is going to help you be more productive when you're working in that room...and also ensure good traffic flow.
Then, think about form...wall paint, decorating, etc.
9. Don't place furniture right up against the wall. You may feel that doing so will make the room look larger. It does just the opposite. Always place furniture 3 to 4 inches away from the wall. It creates a "floating effect"...which makes the walls look further away and gives the room a much larger feel.
10. Don't obstruct doors or windows. If you have natural light coming into a room, don't block it. Plus, obstructing either doors or windows could be a safety hazard.
Even if you're just moving one decorative item from one room to another, it could be a fresh, positive change for you. I hope you have fun with it and would love to hear your experiences and ideas.
Also, let me know when a beautiful cardinal stops by your home to happily greet you as well. I hope it brings you as much joy as today's visitor did for me.
