Five years ago today, I moved into my condo. It was the first home that I purchased. Not only did I have a new home, but I had gained some hard-won knowledge along with a river view.

Start planning your new space before you move in. I blithely thought that since the condo was plenty expenditure enough, I would simply turn off the spending spigot and use everything from my former rental apartment. Well, the different dimensions, light, and room configurations gave my old things a new cast that sometimes just didn’t work. Exactly one year after moving in, the last new item—a side table for a corner that had the best view in the apartment—was delivered. Next time, I’d start budgeting and browsing (and maybe purchasing if I came across great sales) before the moving van arrived.

Prepare a spreadsheet to use at closing. My lawyer had explained the various costs that I should anticipate at closing, and I had a good handle on them. Then, at closing, the total dollar amount was in the ballpark, but some expenses had slightly different names and were broken out in differently named categories. My lawyer’s approach varied from that of the title company, mortgage insurer, and various other players that prepared the final paperwork. It was hard to make an apples-to-apples comparison on the spot. A spreadsheet designed for the closing appointment could have helped make sense of the sea of numbers, with columns for budgeted and actual costs.

Keep extra bags on hand for moving day. I had packed up my old apartment to force myself to edit down my possessions. I systematically boxed up the surviving items in numbered boxes. Yet despite these measures, tote bags, shopping bags, and sundry containers got pressed into service on moving day for odds and ends. If you’re not having the moving company box your possessions up, keep extra bags and boxes on hand for stray items.

There is an expert for every impossible-space problem. Even after winnowing down my possessions, storage still presented challenges in my new home. The closets topped the list. I interviewed five closet planning companies and I heard no end of concern over the difficulties stemming from the two closets’ narrow width. But the company I selected triumphed over this limitation, making full use of the closets’ height, and I’ve not overgrown my closet space yet.

Soundproofing is a good investment. My new condo was quiet, but my old rental by comparison was silent. It was in the back of a building on a side street. The modest street noise in my new place seemed disconcerting at first. Putting in a second window in the bedroom was a terrific investment, one which helped make the street noise into white noise.

For more on moving, consider these blog posts and articles:
Bob Vila Radio: Custom Closet
Bob Vila Radio: Home Inspection
Four Ways to Soundproof Your Home

5 Tips for Moving: One Veteran’s Advice Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Rotating shoe rack. This rotating shoe rack makes great use of a corner space, and takes advantage of height with its vertical approach to storing shoes.

Slide-out mirror. Tucked in, this full-length mirror takes up only about 6″ of space width-wise. With a 6″ footprint, it can fit in many narrow spaces. Pulled out and rotated 90 degrees, it’s about 12″ across. Its footprint is much smaller than a mirror that always faces outward, since in that situation you can’t put anything in front of the mirror.

Pull-down clothing rod. This pull-down rod is terrific for high-ceilinged spaces. Hold on to the bottom of the rod in the middle and the entire structure rotates down 90 degrees, becoming parallel to the floor. Then you can reach the clothes hanging on the rod.

Automatic drawer lights. When this drawer is pulled out, it automatically lights up with magnetic lights in the drawer’s interior.

These products are available from Rev-A-Shelf through closet organization companies like California Closets and Transform and, in lighter-gauge steel, from home improvement centers like The Home Depot and Lowe’s. Check out BobVilaShop for more storage solutions, too.

For more on closets, consider:

Add a Closet Where There Is None
Reviewing the Layout of Bob’s Walk-in Closet (VIDEO)
Installing Paneling in the Master Bedroom Closet (VIDEO)

Creative Closet Organizers Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: Summit Appliance

Cooktops that use magnets to generate heat. Lawn trimmers without wheels. Dishwashers for outdoors.

Innovation is happening all over home improvement. It’s inspiring to us here at BobVila.com to see companies invest the best of their creative energies to address home improvement needs. We know our readers invest a lot of time and energy in their do-it-yourself projects, after all. But how do you sort through the ever-growing number options?

Here are three trends that Bob has followed throughout his career. We think they are particularly relevant today, and focusing on them is a good way to make the most of your time and budget:

Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Design

From photovoltaic roof shingles in the Habitat For Humanity TV project, to air quality improvements in Babyproofing the House, to Bob’s new Building Green Web series, Bob has focused on eco-friendly solutions as a way to help the environment and save money at the same time.  Learn about what you can do for sustainability in this video of how a Georgian Colonial house was rebuilt after extensive mold damage.  See how architect Allen Shope’s earth-bermed house, built into a hillside, saved energy and lowered utility bills.

Adaptive Reuse

The past may prove a beginning point for the present.  In the DUMBO neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, Bob converted an abandoned warehouse built in the mid-19th century into a modern home.  A shipping container was repurposed into a home; read here about how this transformation was accomplished.   To learn more about how to salvage the old for the new, see:

• Architectural Salvage
• Great Places to Buy Salvaged Materials
• Remodeling an Old  House:  What Should You Keep?

New Technologies

The latest technologies often enhance convenience, improve durability, and/or are eco-friendly solutions.  Bob created a “connected home” in his Vermont Farmhouse project using advanced home wiring technologies.  New construction approaches allowed the laying of a concrete foundation in the Building An Addition project, saving time and money. For the latest in technologies for three popular areas of the home—kitchen, bath, and outdoors—check out:

• 2011 Kitchen Trends
• 2011 Bathroom Trends
• 2011 Trends in Outdoor Entertaining

Three Home Improvement Innovations Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: Gretchen Grant

This old tape measure follows me around everywhere.  My father gave it to me, and it does the trick.  Sure, it’s a little heavier than today’s newest models and the tape itself doesn’t stay extended with a flick of a button.  But it’s a happy memory plus a working tool, and has pride of place in my belongings.

For many of us, home improvement was a chance for parents or other mentors to give us welcome advice. Do-it-yourself projects were do-it-together occasions, and we learned practical knowledge that still serves us today.  For example, from working with a tape measure I learned:

1. Measure it—then measure it again! Those words really do save headaches and hassles.

2. Don’t fear fractions.  Measurements like 1/8″ and 3/16″ become less intimidating after working with them and seeing what a difference they make in a successful outcome.

3. Used tools can, and often do, work just fine.  When I don’t want to keep one, I consider if there is someone to whom I might pass it along.

We’d like to hear your home improvement memories.  What did your Dad, Mom, grandparent, or some other mentor teach you?  What lessons do you use today?  What are you teaching your children?  We’ll publish Top 10 Readers’ Memories with attribution to you, so write away—right away! Use the comment field below, or tell us on Facebook.

A Tape Measure with a Story Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

We at BobVila.com are dedicated to bringing you the most practical home improvement advice.  This new chair from Flux struck us as the ultimate in smart design and small space solutions.  Shown at the New York International Gift Show this week, the flat sheet of plastic on the right assembles into the chair on the left in just a few minutes (check out the video below).  When we tried it out, we were amazed by its comfort and stability.  You can buy cushions for the seat—though the chair was plenty comfortable without one—and wall hangers are available to store it flat.

Use the chair inside or out—it’s made of PVC that can withstand the elements outdoors.  It’s ideal for small spaces, and versatile enough to go in nearly any room … living room, bedroom, family room, home office, kids’ room.  Take it to the beach, use it for impromptu entertaining, or simply refresh your décor … the possibilities are many.  Manufactured in Holland, the Flux Chair is available in the U.S. through YLiving and sells for $199.

We’d love to hear about your small space solutions so join our Forums.  And for more, check out the following Bob Vila articles and videos:

Miami Beach Condo Renovation

Downsizing Your Home

Optimize Your Attic Storage

New Product: The Flux Chair Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com