PACKIN’ continued from page 11B are the insurance and the expe rience. "If something is damaged, we fix it," Bekins Northwest Moving & Storage employee Jim Oakes said. Oakes said his employees have a minimum of three years of experience. The cost of a full-service move depends on how much furniture and possessions need to be transported. Most mov ing companies recommend getting a moving consultation, which they generally offer for free. The consultation involves taking an inventory and fixing a price for the labor. "The cost of transportation is regulated in Oregon," Hixson said. Because of this regulation, which means most moving companies have similar rates for ground transportation, a lit Apartments and Residence Hall Rooms available. housing@uoregon.edu ■ 346-4277 EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity Club Mill 1255 Mill Street, near UO • 2 bedrooms with balcony • Dishwasher/range/refrigerator/garbage disposal • Landlord pays water, sewer, garbage & expanded basic cable TV • Updated carpets & on site laundry • Off street parking & summer pool • Very nice apartments with competitive pricing www.KeystoneHome.net For more information, call KEYSTONE real estate 746-1402 M-F 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Weekends by appointment Welcome Ducks! We have many places available on and off campus. Campus: 1715 High Street #1.1 bed. 1715 High Street #2.1 bed. 2996 Harris.2 bed. 1220 E. 23rd.4 bed. 990 E. 23rd #2.1 bed. * most campus places offer reduced summer rates River Road: 1238 Bramblewood.3 bed. 173 Lea Avenue.3 bed. Howard PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 8 REAL ESTATE .$470 .$470 .$695 .$1,395 .$525 .$795 .$655 IT For more information please give us a quack at 485-1864. Or visit us at 44 Club Road Suite 320 ■;«Vr 5 H H tie research can determine whose prices are better. Hixson calculated a hypo thetical move from Eugene to Portland. Moving 1,200 pounds with some preliminary packing and transportation would cost about $500. Oakes calculated a similar move with just loading and de livery at about $371. "For full service with some packing, you might add $ 100 to $300 for labor," Oakes said. For many people, including students such as Tighe and Knappenberger, a full service move is not the best choice. "1 like to do my own packing — I use a ton of paper, and my stuff is usually pretty safe, * Knap penberger said. "I've used a few Daily Emeralds in my time." For Renfro, moving wouldn't be the same without a few mishaps. "We thought it would be fun to ride in the back of a U-Haul truck, but when the driver hit the gas at a stoplight, I went fly ing and landed on a box of chi na, or something breakable," he said. Renfro recommended rent ing a truck and moving with friends — or getting creative in unusual circumstances. "The last time I moved somewhere was in 1996, dur ing the big flood. We loaded up our boxes in a canoe and floated them to our truck," Renfro said. "You know who your friends are by who helps you move." T.A. Akimoff is a freelance reporter for the Emerald DIY decorating Finding cheap ways to decorate can improve the look of a temporary home By Breanna Scott • Freelance Reporter After finding a place, signing the papers and are getting ready to move in, it seems like most of the hard work is done — until taking a closer look at the liv ing arrangements and realizing the work has just begun. The walls are bare, and the furniture is mismatched. It could be time to add some col or to the room with a little cheap redecorating. Many people run into the situation of needing or want ing to redecorate but don't have much money to accom plish their goal. Alisa Caesar, an interior decorator at Drag onfly Interior Designs, provid ed several suggestions on how to improve a space. "The easiest way to make a place brighter is to paint, which adds color and freshens up the space," Caesar said. "However, sometimes paint ing isn't always an option to those who rent." For those who don't have the option of painting, Caesar suggests the next level of im proving the look of the furni ture. "A slipcover on a couch or chair will drastically change the look of a room," Caesar said. "Even a blanket or sheet can be used as a slipcover to change the look of the furniture." Caesar said it is possible to add color in a variety of ways and at almost any price. "For example, an area rug can drastically change the ap pearance of a room," she said. "If the carpet is stained or ugly an area rug will cover that up, and they can be purchased at a variety of prices. A cheaper one can still look nice and can still accomplish the same look as a more expensive one." Once a color scheme is picked, Caesar recommended adding patterns to give a space more variety. "You can add patterned pil lows or curtains to a room that pick up the other colors in the room," Caesar said. "Discount stores are good places to look for patterned things to add, al though it might take longer to find something you really like." She also said window treat ments are becoming more do it-yourself. "All the supplies are avail able at various stores," she said. "You can choose the color, the fabric, the style of treatments and buy a curtain rod to hang them from. Even sheets can be used as a curtain in a pinch." Sophomore Michelle Rose offered some suggestions about decorating on a budget. "If you can identify your dec orating inspiration, then you can find low-budget items that replicate the features that you admire," Rose said. Sophomore Patty Miller said Ikea — the closest store is locat ed just south of Seattle — is a good place to find items for decorating an apartment. "It's trendy style, but cheap prices," Miller said. Miller added that putting up posters is a cheap and easy way to cover bare walls. "It's cool when people do things like hang their own art work and add color and per sonality that way," she said. "My aunt, for example, makes artwork out of household ob jects and hangs it on the walls. It ends up looking pretty cool. "Do things like decorate new lampshades for old lamps you find at thrift stores," Miller said. "This will make them look newer and trendier." Miller said throw pillows can add a lot of color to a room and are easy to incorporate. "You can even take an old pillow and cover it with fabric," she said. "They fill up space and accent the rest of the colors in the room easily." Home decorating is becom ing easier and more accessible as stores focus on do-it-yourself projects. While you may not be able to change everything in a new place on a small budget, you can make drastic improve ments. Simply adding color to the walls, throwing down an area mg and putting new cov ers on couches and chairs can make a drab place look new. "The range of things that people can do varies whether they rent or own and what the available budget is," Caesar said. "But home decorating has become so much more accessi ble to the average person and they are able to do a lot them selves." Breanna Scott is a freelance reporter for the Emerald. Local stores provide easy, inexpensive options for decorating There are many places tc buy affordable furnishings tc make a dwelling cute, comfort able and impressive. The key i; shopping around. Although most student; can't spend top dollar com missioning artist Vigil Ortiz tc design a bedspread or have fa mous designers plaster th< wall to accent a Picasso paint ing, domestic necessities car be affordable. Graduate student Kristir Hoobler said she has bough items on discount at yarc sales including an antiqut coffee table for $10 and ; kitchen table and a nigh stand for $2. She said sh< loves Ross Dress for Less, lo cated in the Gateway Mall ir Springfield, andT.J. Maxx, lo cated in the Oakway Centei off Coburg Road, where she has found stylish dishes anc sheets. Hoobler said she has an artistic eye and enjoys making things work together. "I get to be creative, and I save a bunch of money," she said. Many people have found fantastic savings at thrift stores like Goodwill, with five area locations; The Salvation Army at 2065 W. Seventh Ave. in Eu gene and 346 Main St. in Springfield; Value Village Thrift Store located at 555 W. Cen tennial Blvd. in Springfield; and St. Vincent de Paul's six lo cal locations. However, some of the merchandise at second hand stores is more expensive than at discount stores. For ex ample, a used couch was sell ing at Value Village for $119.99, and stained lamp shades were going for $4.99 at Goodwill. At Ross, furniture pieces range from $12.99 to $149.99, and lampshades are priced at $4.99 and up. TLC's "Trading Spaces" i s i designer Vern Yip said in an online posting that he likes to shop at Target for lamps and glass accessories and at Ba nana Republic for sale bed ding and towels. Area resident Lindsey Lusk said she gets good deals at Discount Depot, located at 3061 W. 11th Ave. She said the last bargain she got there was two Ralph Lau ren pillows for $10. Small touches can also make a big impact. Bright candles, vases and fake roses add color to rooms. Throws cover worn desks and tables, and small pil lows accent other decorations. To inexpensively add spark to a room , find a few decora tive pieces to visually excite and cover flaws with table cloths, throws or paint. Other local stores that sell acces sories are Pier 1 Imports and Bed Bath & Beyond, both lo cated at Oakway Center off Coburg Road. — Mary Sasa