Write an article based on this "Draw a floor plan. Decide where the large furniture will go. Find a decorating scheme that merges your tastes. Box everything up by room."
This might seem like a bit of a hassle, but it will make your life a lot easier when you start moving into the new place or when someone else is moving into yours. A floor plan is a drawing or illustrations of the floor space of each room in your house, as viewed from above. Your drawing doesn't have to be a work of art; just create a to-scale sketch of each room. Include doors, windows and radiators, if present so you know where furniture can be positioned. Measure the rooms in your new space. Write the measurements of the different rooms along the edges of the sketched walls. This way you can figure out what will fit where.  Include the windows, doors, cabinets, the kitchen island, and other features that might affect how you arrange furniture in the room. Take pictures as well, so you'll remember the little details that could help you decide where to put things. Before you even pack it up and start moving it, determine where you want each piece of furniture to be positioned. That way you can put it where it's supposed to go as soon as you move it into the house, rather than grouping everything in the front room and trying to figure out where it should go.  Measure the furniture to determine where it will fit. Check your drawing of the floor plan and visualize how each piece of furniture will look. Keep swatches cut from the underneath of couches, chairs and upholstered pieces. It will be easier to tell if items match or not before having to move them. Think about furniture pieces individually instead of their current arrangement. Follow common decorating rules in terms to help you arrange things in a pleasing fashion. For example, couches should be surrounded by a little space on all sides. In the bedroom, your bed should be the main focus, rather than shoved in a corner. Whether you're moving together into a brand new space or into one of your existing homes, decide on a new decorating scheme that will tie all of your possessions together into a cohesive home. You might want to paint the walls, install new light fixtures, get new curtains, and so on in order to make the space feel like it belongs to the whole family, and not just one person.  See if it’s possible for each person in the house to get some space of his or her own. Decide which rooms will be "family rooms" and aim to have them reflect the personalities of the entire household. Consider getting furniture recovered. A good upholstery shop can not only change the fabric but they can add or remove padding to change the shape. You'll have a chance to pick fabrics together and there's a better chance of finding something that ties your taste together. Now it's finally time to get ready to move by putting your possessions in boxes. Go through your home room by room and box things up. Make sure fragile items are packed with soft materials to keep them safe during transit. If you're having movers help you merge your two households, make sure to give them clear directions about where everything should go.  Label the boxes by color, and have the person you're moving in with do the same. For example, items that belong in the living room could have a purple label, items for the kitchen could have a red label, and so on. Have the boxes them delivered to the appropriate room in the new home.