Moving into a New Apartment or House?

Opportunity Knocks - Answer the call to design your own space!

You now have the opportunity to invent yourself or really to reinvent your style. Whether you're leaving the nest for school or for good and you're moving into your own 'first apartment' or house, this is an opportunity. An opportunity to figure out your style and show it off in your own space. Here are some tips to get you on your way!

10 tips to help you get started

1. Budget, budget, budget! You don't have to do everything at once BUT you do need to know how much you are willing to spend on your interior and exterior per month or overall. This way you can prioritize and decide what you can do when.
2. Measure your space! You need to know what can at least fit through your doorway! You don't want to purchase that new sofa and can't get it past your door or it's too long for the tiny room you thought had more space, but it doesn't and you would know if you measured the room 0_0
3. Figure out what brings a smile to your face or gives you that nice feeling inside when you see it and include photos or artwork depicting these things in interesting ways can help jazz up your space and your life; nature, family, pets...
4. Try collections: empty bottles of varying shapes and sizes (that's me), vintage clocks and radios (i'm right there with ya!), pictures, illustrations and statuettes of girls with umbrellas
1. If you or your parents have old mismatched china that you/they never use you can incorporate these into a wall art piece in your dining space.
2. Group odd numbers of these similar items into a collection on your credenza, side table or entry consol or dresser.
3. Grouping items of the same or similar hue (colour) gives a clean, modern look to your decor.
5. Shop at your parents house FIRST. Be eco-conscious. Your family definitely has stuff they don't use, don't want-but-it's-just-piled-up-or-hidden in a barrel, closet or boxes in the basement, guest room or garage. See, you know EXACTLY what I mean. They were saving these wonderful heirloom pieces just for you and your move, wink, wink.
6. Garage Sale & Yard Sale shop after you've completed shopping at your parents home shopping network. Garage sales always have furniture pieces you think you don't need like large armoires or storage items. Snap them up! You can convert an armoire into a nifty home office, laundry area, or even a pantry.
7. Try freebies and bargains at Craigslist, Ebay, Etsy just to name a few. 
8. Rummage through design and decorating websites to get some ideas of what you like and don't like and figure out your design style. You'll also get some helpful tips along the way.
9. Have fun with it!
10. If you're really too afraid to venture out into the diy world on your own, hire a designer or decorator to help you get the cohesive, stylish pad you've been dreaming of.

Now for the decorating...