The time has come to move home. You’ve enjoyed many years in your current property, making memories with family and friends but now you need more space (or even less space) and a new setting.

A big move requires a lot of organisation – from the actual paperwork that comes with buying a house to packing up your belongings to ensuring everything is organised in time for that all important moving day. If you perhaps need to refine your organisation skills or simply need some tips on how to keep better organised, then this guide can help.

1. Ensure everything you own has a place

A big move is the perfect time for a big clear out and to perhaps reconsider your current taste in furniture or decor theme. However, f you have any bulky items such as an exercise bike you never use or a bookshelf that is no longer needed, you may not want to simply throw them out.

A storage unit is a great solution for keeping bulkier items out of the way while you pack up the things you want to take to your new home. You’ll find units in most cities in the UK, with storage in Southampton to the Isle of Skye. Get a quote before you sign up to ensure you have the right size and price for your needs.

2. Keep paperwork filed away properly

You’re going to need it to refer to later, so ensure you have a binder or folder you can place all the letters and documentation you receive in to keep it safe. Tuck it away somewhere easy to access so you can add to it regularly.

3. Make a list of everyone you need to notify about your new address

From your employer to your dentist, there’s a long list of people who need to know your new home address – including your Great Aunt who sends you a Christmas card. Make a start on this list before the move date, letting them know when you’ll be at this new address and to change the details they hold for you moving forward. Less admin when you arrive at your new home is always a plus!

4. Try to get as many timescales in place as possible

Knowing when you need to do things by and when to expect things from other people in the chain can really help when organising that big move. Use your calendar or diary to keep track of when you spoke to your conveyancer or the estate agent and what was said to refer to later if necessary. This timeline from the Money Advice Service is a good starting point and something to refer to as the ball starts rolling.

5. Label or colour code boxes

To make it easier when you arrive at your new home, label all the boxes to match the corresponding rooms the items inside relate to. This will make it much easier when trying to work out where everything needs to go and ensures nothing goes missing. If you’re feeling really organised, create an inventory for each box listing what is inside. This means if you’re wondering where the forks are or the spare dummy for your little one, you’ll be able to find it fast.

That big move should be a breeze with these easy to follow tips. Keep them in mind while packing and organising to ensure that relocation goes smoothly.

Romance is beautiful, and that’s why people look forward to that one day when they can express their romantic feelings: Valentine’s Day. People go all out with vibrant red flowers, memorable gifts, beautiful cards, amazing dinner dates and anything that they can use to show how much they care for each other. Whether it’s a friend, a partner, a family member or a colleague at work who means the world to you; this is usually the day to express your appreciation in more than words. You can get lots of gift ideas from Valentine’s Day Gift Guide which range from what flowers to get all the way to jewelry, and you will be sure to put a smile on someone’s face. And the ideas also work for single people who are looking to make this day a success, with or without a partner. Given that romance is so beautiful, there is no reason why we should restrict its appreciation to a few days in a year. Forget about being romantic on birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions and allow yourself to bask in passion all year long by incorporating interior design ideas that are bursting with romance. Then each day can be Valentine’s for you and those around you. Here’s how:

When people think of a romantic look, they envision rose petals scattered from the doorway to the bedroom with some slow music playing in the background. However, there is much more to this look than this. While you could always go for frill and floral prints, you will get more out of it by taking bits of different styles and combining them for the perfect versatile look. Check out some of the factors you need to consider:

Style

The French Neoclassical style takes center stage when it comes to the basics of this look. Through the use of shapes that appeal to the senses as well as pieces that exude timelessness, you can achieve this look. The aim is to create a space that is warm and one that feels welcoming to anyone who enters the room. You can opt to go for the standard floral ruffles and frames, or you could go a step further and borrow from other styles to achieve a contemporary look.

Hue

Vibrant reds work for special occasions, but when you are creating an everyday space, it is always best to go with neutral colors. Think more princess-like and less seduction and work with that. The walls and ceiling should have colors such as white or cream as these will add warmth to your space. For the floors, go with natural hardwood. You can now work with other colors to add some life to the room. Pink and blue are great for the creation of calm energy where you can relax and take in the beauty.

Fittings

The traditional way of going about this would be by getting grand pieces with lots of detail. You can achieve a romantic look by getting pieces with precise curves and decorative appeal. Examples include classic canopies and curvy couches which will add to the charm in the spaces. You can take a break from the traditional feel by having modern pieces in the rooms. A blend of the two will work great.

Fabric

You need some bling in your space, and you could opt to go bold, or you could go timeless. The latter will work in achieving a traditional and welcoming space. To get the classic feel, you could go for hardwood floors. You could also opt to use marble which is modern. Pieces such as chandeliers will also add a romantic vibe to your space.

Texture

Here, go for soft fabrics such as silk and velvet when choosing the curtains and the upholstery to create a romantic and welcoming feel. You can try out different styles in each room. For the patterns, less is more for this look. However, if you feel inclined to have lots of prints, be sure to balance them by mixing and matching different designs.

When it comes to accessories, choose pieces that catch the eye to awaken the senses. A little here and there will get you a romantic space where you can celebrate love each day as you await the big day.

Let’s face it: Furniture can be expensive. To outfit your home with rooms full of quality pieces, you could easily spend tens of thousands of dollars. That’s why most people have a mix of high-end pieces and discount (or free) furniture that they collect over the years.

That doesn’t mean that your less-expensive furniture has to look cheap, though. With a little ingenuity, your hand-me-downs, yard sale finds, and discount store furniture can look like their more expensive cousins. So, whether you’re putting together some Swedish furniture with an Allen wrench or hiring a Houston furniture assembly service to tackle the task for you, try some of these tricks to get a luxe look for less.

1. Paint

The fastest, and one of the least expensive, ways to change the look of your furniture is with paint. A few coats of paint can completely change the look of any piece of furniture, and if you don’t like it, you can just paint over it. Some designer tricks for using paint include:

• Spray painting metal furniture in metallic shades. Some gold spray paint can take a dingy, old looking metal coffee table from drab to fab in just a few minutes.
• Chalk paint. Hand-painted furniture pieces made with chalk paint (a matte finish paint) often go for hundreds or thousands of dollars in furniture galleries and boutiques, but you can get the same look yourself. Try painting tables, chairs, desks or bookshelves with this technique to breathe new life into old pieces.
• Accents. Painting the back shelves of a bookcase or built-in shelving unit adds a pop of color and distracts from a less-than-expensive piece.

Sometimes, just adding a fresh coat of paint can make an old or outdated piece look fresh, so don’t be afraid to experiment to get the look you want.

2. Hardware and Trim

Sometimes, what makes the difference between a cheap piece and a more expensive one is the details. A high-end bookshelf, for example, might have hand-carved trim on the shelves, or a dresser has more ornate hardware. You can fake the look of luxe, then, by adding or changing these elements on your cheaper pieces. Simply changing out the drawer pulls on a dresser or side table can change the entire look of the piece, for example. You can also make bigger changes, like putting new legs on a table, chairs or sofa (you can typically find an array of options at home improvement stores or online) or adding trim to plain pieces. Basic trim pieces that you can cut to size only cost a few dollars but can make it look like you spent hundreds of dollars more on your furniture.

3. Upgrade Upholstery

Outdated prints or cheap fabric can be a dead giveaway of low-end furniture, but re-upholstering pieces with better fabrics can make them look more expensive. You can probably handle basic jobs — such as recovering the seat cushions on dining room furniture — on your own with some fabric and a staple gun, but bigger jobs should be left to professionals. Depending on the fabric you choose and the size of the piece being re-upholstered, you can have a chair done for a few hundred dollars; couches and larger pieces cost more. Keep in mind that in some cases, it’s more cost-effective to just buy new furniture, especially if there are structural issues with the piece, but if you have a good quality hand-me-down or yard sale find that just needs sprucing up, an upholstery upgrade will do the trick.

4. Accessorize Thoughtfully

Even the most expensive piece of furniture can look cheap if it’s covered with clutter or poorly accessorized — but a less expensive piece can be disguised by well-styled accessories. A less expensive sofa, for instance, can be jazzed up with luxurious throws and a mix of throw pillows, while tables and shelves are ideal for vignettes, deliberately arranged groups of accessories. Vignettes work best when they are a mix of heights and textures and built around things that you really love. But even if you don’t have a collection of accessories, a simple stack of books topped with a candle or jar of shells or stones, paired with a plant or flower arrangement and a lamp, can help make the room feel pulled together and stylish, and distract from the less-expensive table underneath.

Regardless of the cost of your furniture, your home should always reflect your own personal style and be filled with things you love, which is always en-vogue.