Rearrange Your Furniture…Virtually

One of the things I have done as a Professional Organizer is advise clients who are building homes, telling them how to get the most storage space into their plans, consulting on closets, and putting in maintenance-saving ideas. My family and I have also built 4 homes ourselves along the way, and one of the obstacles you often face is being able to communicate your ideas effectively when you may not be the best at drawing them. You also might need to see if your furniture will fit into a new space. I did learn how to read blueprints and draw to scale, and that has been necessary for me to do my work, but I always wished for a good shortcut that would look better and be more easily changeable.

I have now found something that works pretty well! Floorplanner.com is a great way to quickly sketch out a room or even a house, and you can easily add furniture, surfaces, and features as shown in this illustration from their site. (click image for a larger view) You can switch from metric to imperial measurements with one click, so this site is usable by anyone (not just USA readers). Their basic version is free and it is web-based, so it's easy to share. You can even upload an existing blueprint or other drawing and start sketching on it instead of starting from scratch.

If you get a new piano, like my friend Heidi just did, you can see where the piano will fit before you bring it home! And you can spare everyone from the effects of trial and error and changing your mind.

Another thing that comes up in this process nowadays is deciding on placement of flat screen televisions. There is a certain viewing distance that is recommended for each size of screen. I recently found a Viewing Distance Calculator that helps you know where to put the sofa or chairs in relation to the TV, or decide what size TV to purchase based on the size of your room.

Happy Rearranging!

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