DIY Tutorials, Moving & Apartment-Hunting

Crafting a [Floor] Plan

Yesterday, when I shared Part 1 of my Backyard & Patio Makeover, Amanda from Hip House Girl asked:

What program did you use to design that diagram of your back yard?

The answer?  I used Floorplanner, a free online planning tool which is my I-love-to-move-furniture dream come true.  I discovered it shortly before we moved to this new house.  It’s awesome!!!  During our walk-through with the landlord, I measured all the 1st floor spaces, and was thus able to plan out the space prior to moving in.

Then, after we moved in and were inspired to design a patio for the backyard, I simply added it to the existing plan:

As you can see, I really like to plan ahead for a move.  That’s why I also planned out our new kitchen before the move, which only required a bit of text editing in Picasa:

So aside from recommending Floorplanner, here’s a little tip for those of you moving to a new space: Before doing the final pre-renting walk-through with the landlord, I sketched each room out in a bare-bones (and not-to-scale) diagram of the 1st floor in PowerPoint, so that all I had to do was measure walls and windows and jot them down on the Powerpoint sketch.  It made the whole measuring process much easier – I’d say it took me and Ryan about 2 minutes per room.

How do you plan?  Or are you more of a move-in-and-wing-it kinda gal (or guy)?

New reader?  Here are some of my other moving tips.  

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10 Comments

  • Reply Kate @ Twenty-Six To Life at 9:15 am

    Floorplanner is great. I’m a definitely a “wing it” kind of person though. I’m not nearly so organized!

  • Reply Jenn L @ Peas and Crayons at 10:39 am

    Fun stuff!!!! Thanks for the heads up!

    I wing it. so much in fact that this last move we shoved everything in random cabinets and drawers just to get them out of boxes and off ze floor…. i’m still trying to figure out where stuff should go! yikes! Where is the moving fairy when you need them? =)

  • Reply Jeannine @ Small & Chic at 11:00 am

    That is awesome! Now I want to try it.

    I moved so many times when I was in Boston that I had a science to packing. Well, purging and then packing. I don’t usually know exactly where things are going a head of time, but I use detail notations on boxes so when I’m unpacking the kitchen, for example, I know that I have everything that will wind up there.

  • Reply Amanda at 11:59 am

    Thanks for answering! Yeah, I’m a “winger”, but I admire those who plan. This looks really fun- I’m going to try it for my yard, since my AI file was lost and I haven’t been able to pin down the bf to make another one. Ahem.

  • Reply April in CT at 1:37 pm

    I’m a wing it kinda girl and just sort of figure it out as I go. As much as I make lists and plan, I never realized this is one area I just sort of go with the flow. I’ve come to accept the fact that none of our furniture ever fits quite right in the next place. LOL After being here for almost 4 years our living room still drives me insane with the furniture placement.

    So, are you available when we move again in about 6 months?

    • Reply Jane at 1:58 pm

      Oh, i have the SAME problem with furniture fitting! It’s funny, I feel like it’s easy for me to figure out placement for others – but in my own living room I always struggle.

  • Reply Abby @ a delightful design at 11:14 pm

    wow! You are organized!! I’m between the “winger” and a planner.

  • Reply Jen at 11:39 am

    Seeing this makes you my new blog bff! 😉

  • Reply Tina at 5:55 pm

    This is awesome!  I’ve been looking for a new apartment on this site (which btw, has 3D floor plans for the rentals listed) I took a little break to search for some tips, and came across your blog.  I’m excited to read through all your decorating tricks and suggestions, and put them to good use in my new place.  Thanks Jane.

  • Reply Heavenscent at 11:08 am

    This is one of the best floor plan I’ve seen.. Thumbs up for you jane,

    It was fantastic and you made everything organize

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