Ultimately, what your kid’s room will look like depends on personal taste (yours and eventually your child’s), although there are some basics to keep in mind when designing and decorating one:

Choose colors, furniture and décor that will grow with the child. If you go overboard with the cutesy designs, things will have to be changed as the kid becomes a toddler or a pre-teen. A way around this is to paint the room itself a neutral tone and then use bedding, curtains and rugs to provide personality and details.

Pick materials that are durable. Washable fabrics are a must, as are darker colors (whites and beiges will get dirty too quickly). Low-maintenance that are machine washable and will withstand wear and tear will make your life a lot easier.

Get plenty of storage at kids’ eye level. Trunks, large drawers and bins are great to help kids get organized. At the end of the day, if you don’t feel like picking up things, they can just be thrown into containers to be sorted out later. If you want the kids to do the organizing themselves, don’t choose furniture with high drawers or pegs they can’t reach or open.

Provide plenty of insulation. If you have hardwood floors, cover them with thick rugs or rubber mats, to prevent injuries when kids fall or play on the floor.

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Unless money is not an issue, there are some home improvements that just don’t pay to be made.

Don’t turn a bedroom into anything else if you plan on selling your house soon. A home office or a workout room may look good, but your home will be listed as having one less bedroom, lowering the selling price.

Don’t get a concrete patio. Deal with the grass or have a section covered in stone or a wood deck. Concrete increases temperature, reflects sunlight and will usually crack in hot climates. Also, it doesn’t look that appealing and you’re stuck with no garden, even if you change your mind.

Avoid bold finishes around the house. If you want bold, choose a striking wall color or bright curtains or rugs, which can be changed easily. Avoid carpeting, counters and other finishes that are too bold or too different. They may look great now, but chances are you’ll get tired of them at some point and then it will cost you a small fortune to replace them.

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It’s not only the packing boxes that can be a nightmare. Getting stuff out of moving boxes and into their right place can also make things difficult on everybody, unless you keep a few tips in mind.

As soon as the packers are done taking everything into the house, make sure there are no boxes missing. If you have a box inventory, make sure everything has been placed where it’s meant to be and that nothing is broken. If it is, show it to the driver right then and there, so making a claim later will be easier.

Move the moving boxes to the rooms where they’re supposed to be. Resist the temptation to start unpacking in the living room. You’ll end up with stuff all over the place and it will take longer to get organized.

For the first day in the house, unpack only the cardboard boxes that contains all the essentials, such as personal bathrooms stuff, linens and maybe a couple of cups and dishes. Leave everything else to be unpacked over the course of the next few days.

Every time you finish unpacking a box, close it flat and put it out of the way (in an empty room or against a wall) so you can get through the room without bumping into empty moving boxes.

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While making a completely green house would probably require a major remodeling project and thousands of dollars, there are tons of small things you can do to better your home and protect the environment in the process.

Insulating the basement, attic and crawl spaces will ensure that you spend less money on electricity and gas to maintain optimal indoor temperatures. This also means less emissions going into the environment.

Installing lots of windows. One structural change that won’t cost you much but will save electricity is to have more windows put in, so you can take advantage of the light and the warmth of the sun coming in. Make sure you choose windows coated to protect against temperature changes.

Leave surfaces unfinished whenever possible. This will reduce the amount of formaldehyde and other chemicals in the area.

When possible, install containers outdoor to capture rain water. You can do this using a 50-gallon barrel, a cistern or even a fountain. You can use the water to water plants or to clean outdoor spaces. It will save on your water bill and conserve energy.

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Packing your moving boxes for a smaller place.

Downsizing has become increasingly popular, as people are trying to live more simply, save more money or buying their own (small) space. If you’re moving from a large place to a much smaller one, packing boxes and getting ready is essential for a smooth transition. 

Don’t pack anything moving boxes until you are completely sure it will fit into your new home. If the house is smaller, chances are the spaces to fit furniture will also be. Measure walls, windows, floors and ceilings to know what you can still use and you will need to leave behind.

There are certain items that fall into the “maybe” category, as in “maybe you should leave them behind.” These are: modular seating, love seats, pillows and rugs and glass coffee tables. These are all difficult to place in a home with a different floor plan, are cheaper to replace than move or have too much of a chance to break during transport to be worth the effort.

When it comes to packing items inside moving boxes, be ruthless. Unloved books, big potted plants, appliances you never use, artwork (unless it’s valuable or you really love it) and old, worn up bric-a-brac should be donated or discarded.

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Having a garage sale before you move can not only earn you some money to help you pay for the moving expenses such as moving boxes, but it can also save you the cost of moving heavy equipment. If you’re thinking about setting up a garage sale, these are just some of the things you should consider selling rather than moving:

• Large appliances such as refrigerator, washer and dryer and freezer
• Fireplace screens and tools (even if you have a fireplace in the new home, chances are it will be a different size)
• Chandeliers
• Shelving systems
• Workout equipment such as treadmills
• Paints, lighter fluids and even butane tanks used in camping stoves
• Pool table (unless you’re willing to pay for special handling)
• Firewood
• Swing set or playground equipment, including sandboxes
• Holiday decorations (unless Christmas is next week and you won’t have time to replace the tree)
• CDs and DVDs (take just the few you truly love)
• Toys (especially if your kids have outgrown them)
• Furniture that doesn’t match the color or style of your new home, unless you plan on reupholstering or repainting everything

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If you can’t afford to completely redo a room, there are still things you can do change its look and feel. Most of these changes will cost you under $50 and some will cost you nothing at all.

• Paint the room. Choose a contrasting color to the one you had before, so it’s truly noticeable. If you can’t afford to buy paint for the whole room, paint one wall in a vibrant color and make that wall the center of the room.
• Change the curtains. A lively, flowery curtain will give the room a completely different feel than heavy drapery would. Play with options or choose whatever is on sale.
• Cover the floor with a rug. Simple rugs can be found at discount stores for as little as $20-30. Don’t worry about covering the whole floor either. Just place it in the center of the room or in the area you want to accentuate.
• Move the furniture. Simply changing things around will make the room feel different. You can also switch pieces of furniture with something from other room or use a side table as a nighttable or vice versa.
• Hang art on the walls. You won’t be able to afford a one-of-a-kind painting for $50 but places like IKEA sell posters ready-to-frame that look like the real thing.

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If you have a spare bedroom in your home, chances are is turning (or already has) into a catch-all room, where all the extras goes and no real order can ever be made of anything. If that’s the case, don’t despair. You can rescue the bedroom and convert it into an useful, organized room.

The simplest idea is to turn the room into a guest bedroom. This requires no additional purchases (providing you already had a bed and wardrobe or chest drawer in there). Clean up the items you don’t need, pack up clothing or seasonal decorations and you’re ready to have company over.

The second most useful idea may be to turn the room into a home office. Even if you don’t work from home, you can still use an office to help you organize paperwork and bills, to spend some time reading alone or to store the computer and other office equipment. An office needs a desk, a comfortable chair and a shelving unit or drawers to organize office supplies and other extras.

If you have kids, making the room into a playroom will allow the kids to play at their hearts’ content without you having to worry about seeing toys strung over the whole house. If company shows up, you can simply close the door and not worry about the mess. Also, having a specific room designated as a playroom will make it easier to child-proof and make sure it’s safe and free of sharp corners or dangers when the kids are jumping around.

If you need a storage room and there’s nowhere else your stuff can be relegated to, you can use the bedroom as storage, as long as you find a way to do it cleverly. Buy cardboard boxes or plastic containers where you can divide and store things according to season or use. Cupboards and drawer systems will take care of paperwork and other flat items, while you can use hanging bags to store out-of-season clothing or sport equipment. If you organize it well enough, there’s no reason why the room couldn’t serve as both storage and bedroom or office.

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If your house is in complete chaos, the idea of making sense of it all may seem overwhelming. However, there are some basic things you can do to get started in organizing and cleaning up your home.

STEP ONE: Prioritize

Look at what needs to be done and make a list with two columns: big changes and small ones. Big changes will include anything that requires purchasing furniture or driving to the library to donate a pile of books. Small changes will include organizing the kitchen drawers or clearing up the desk.

STEP TWO: Do it one room at the time

Things will get overwhelming fast if you think about everything that needs to be done. Choose one room and get to work on that one. Only move to the next one when you’re done or when the next step requires you to buy something or go out of the house. Start with the rooms that you use the most.

STEP THREE: Separate into piles

Divide everything that is lying around into three piles: everyday or often use, used seasonally, never used. Anything that goes into the third pile should automatically be put aside to donate or throw away.

STEP FOUR: Be ruthless

Discard anything that you don’t truly love, won’t use or is broken, especially if you already have a replacement and are just holding on to the older item “just in case it can be repaired one day.” It won’t, so let it go.

STEP FIVE: Find appropriate storing

Things will never be organized if you don’t have a proper place to store them. Whether it’s shelves, cardboard boxes or full pieces of furniture, having storage space means you’ll be more likely to put things away, rather than letting them pile in the corners.

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If you’re packing and moving your fridge, there are some steps you need to follow in order to make the transition as smooth as possible.

• Turn off the refrigerator and empty it at least 48 hours before it has to be packed. This will melt any ice residues left inside, as well as dissipate any lingering odors (keep the door open to accelerate the process).
• For persistent odors, place an open box of baking soda inside the fridge. Clean with warm water and dish soap.
• Remove any lose parts such as drawers and shelves. Wrap those pieces with bubble wrap and pack them securely into a cardboard box.
• Secure the door with moving supplies such as stretch wrap, packing tape or tie a cord around the fridge to prevent the door from moving and banging. Electrical cords should be taped against the back of the fridge.
• Wrap the refrigerator with moving blankets to prevent scratches and chips.
• Use a heavy-duty dolly to move the fridge or leave it to professional movers. It will not only save you from back pain, but will also ensure that the fridge remains in top shape.
• Because fridges should be transported vertically (to prevent compressor oil from damaging the coils), it’s important that the item is secured inside the truck using ropes or being placed in between other heavy-duty items. Shifting can cause damage not only to the refrigerator but also to the moving boxes and furniture around it.

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