Looking around
your home, think about the last time you rearranged your
furniture. Was it last month? Last year? Last century? When your home starts to
feel like it could use some change, one of the simplest things to do is to
rearrange the furniture.
When you first move into a new home you might
put your couches against the walls and your TV directly across from them. Or you
might put your bed in the corner with a nightstand on both sides across from
your dresser. Sometimes, space doesn't allow you to have your furniture any
other way, but with some planning you could make changes to utilize your space
better and have your furniture the way you like.
Have a friend help
It might seem easier to just try
and move your furniture yourself because you know how you want it to look in the
end, but many times the
furniture is too heavy to move on your own. Have a friend,
roommate or family member come and help you move the furniture. With the help of
someone else your furniture will be moved in half the time, plus you'll have
someone there in case something falls over on top of you and injures
you!
TIP: If you have specialty items like
a piano, antiques or a sculpture
consider hiring a
professional to move those pieces for you in order to avoid damaging
them.
Map out ideas
Before you start disconnecting electronics and
packing up knick-knacks to move across the room, figure out if
the furniture you want to move will even fit in a different
location.
Draw up a sketch with proper measurements of your room's
dimensions and the dimensions of the furniture you want to move. Then, “put” the
furniture pieces into their new spots on paper and you'll get a better idea if
items will fit where you want them adjust accordingly before even lifting a
chair.
Have a plan, but be flexible
Even if you have an idea mapped out
on paper, you won't know what it actually will look like until you move the
furniture into place. Even then, you might hate the idea of having your couch
face away from the doorway, or your nightstand on the opposite side of your
bed.
After you've got everything in its new home you'll be able to take
it for a test run and see if you truly enjoy your new layout or if it is even
makes sense for that space.
Use the largest pieces to anchor the room
When rearranging your
furniture it's best to start with the larger pieces and then fill in spaces with
the smaller items. Great rooms or large living rooms can end up
feeling cluttered if there are too many smaller pieces
together without a larger piece to anchor them. Sectionals, sofas and coffee
tables will help anchor the room so you can easily decide which smaller pieces
to tuck in between.
Take one piece out
If the furniture isn't looking good in its
current spot, try removing one or two pieces of furniture from the room. Often
enough, people have too much furniture in the room. When you remove one or two
pieces of furniture from the space, it opens up the possibilities.
Empty space
Once you've got all your furniture where you want
it, don't be afraid of an empty space. If you decide that there's just that one
piece that would really look great in that corner, or there's a need that isn't
being satisfied, take the time to figure out what you're looking for and spend
some time looking for the right item.
Rushing into buying an extra ottoman or
bookcase may end up wasting your time and money if it doesn't quite meet the
needs of what you're looking for.