After going through the process of hiring interstate movers and finally getting settled into your new home, you may want to reward yourself with a few improvements in your new abode. If you suddenly have an abundance of space in your living room, this may be the perfect time to design a home theater from the ground up. With the right components and furnishings, it may become the most popular spot in your home. Consider these three home improvements that could go a long way.

1. An A/V Receiver. A receiver is like the central nervous system of your home theater. This device will power your speakers, sync up your components and provide the power your system needs to run at its best. HowStuffWorks.com recommends studying what types of inputs you'll need for your theater, its power and ease of use, which are all important factors when making a purchase.

2. A Surround Sound System. To make the most of your space, HGTV suggests purchasing a 7.1 surround sound system to create audio effects that are conducive with the space. You may want to pre-wire these devices before you add other furnishings to hide any cords that may be running from the speakers to the receiver.

3. Comfortable Seating. To ensure that your home theater is still a functional living room, consider using sectional sofas, bean bags and other versatile seating options that are perfect for viewing a film or hosting a social gathering.

While proper lawn care is the key to having a nice outdoor area, there are other items that you can add to your grass and garden to enhance their appearances. Here are a few that you may want to pick up once your international movers have left.

Bird Paraphernalia

The chirping of birds as they fly about your yard is bound to add an air of pleasantness to your home, and the great accessories that they love can also make good decor. Think about putting a bird bath in your garden that's made from granite, but make sure to change the water every couple of days so you don't attract bacteria and mosquitoes. A bird house hung from a tree or propped up with a large stick will also add some appeal and your aviary friends will have full tummies with bird feeders.

Seasonal Decor

You can show your festive side by placing seasonal decor on your lawn. During the Halloween season, use cardboard cutouts to make a fake graveyard and add some Christmas lights to your bushes and trees during the winter season. Most holiday stores have decorations made for the outdoors, so you'll be able to adorn your yard year after year.

Sundial

Sundials were originally used to tell the time by the position of the sun, but now they serve as yard accessories. Purchase a chic metallic sundial at your local gardening supply or off of a website like Amazon.com store and either put it down in a bed of mulch near your flowers or keep it raised with a granite pedestal.

Keeping your lawn fresh and orderly will give off a good impression to your neighbors, and people will enjoy the view as they pass by your house. To help keep your grass looking pristine, you may want to invest in these three pieces of equipment once your international movers have vacated your home.

1. Weed Wacker

You don't want any pesky plants upstaging your flowerbeds and green grass. If you don't have the time to get down on your hands and knees, you can chop those weeds down to size with a gas- or electric-powered weed wacker. Besides keeping your flowerbeds in order, wackers can also trim the edges of your lawn next to your house and driveway that your mower can't get.

2. Lawn Mower with Bag

While the fall foliage is always a pleasant sight, once those leaves fall from the trees, it can make your yard an eyesore. Raking is a great way to clean your yard and stay in shape, but sometimes you don't have time for a full-scale manual operation. Using a lawn mower with a bag attachment is an easy way to rid your outdoor space of leaves. Remember to empty your bag frequently to improve the mower's efficiency.

3. Rototiller

Sometimes the best way to get a fresh lawn is with a fresh start. If you plan to lay down seeds and start your grass from scratch, you may want to break up the soil so there's an even distribution of nutrients. This can easily be accomplished with a rototiller.

Plants will add life and color to your new living space, and you'll enjoy tending to them all throughout the year. Of course, keeping your chlorophyll companions alive can be a tricky task, so you may want to keep these three tips in mind after your international movers have left.

1. Learn the location

According to Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) magazine, location is key when it comes to preserving your indoor plants. You should try to find out how much light each plant requires so you can strategically place them all according to the areas of brightness in your home. For example, African violets need large amounts of light, while crotons can thrive in darker environments.

2. Mist and wipe

HGTV recommends misting your plants with a spray bottle three times a day to keep them healthy and hydrated. The reason for this is because plants usually benefit from increased humidity levels. Your plants also don't require as much water in the winter as they do in the summer, so keep the watering to a minimum during the cooler months. Just like the rest of the items in your home, you should frequently dust your plants. Removing any dust using a damp cloth will allow them to breathe better so they can thrive.

3. Add Fertilizer

BHG notes that each plant requires different levels of nutrients in the fertilizer. Look on the back of the plant's label to find out the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium there should be in the fertilizer.

Before you begin your international moving venture, you may want to secure all of the important information on your home computer. Whether it's your favorite photos or files for work, these two methods for backing up your laptop will help ensure that none of your digital information gets lost in the move.

1. Cloud Service

Saving your information in the cloud means that everything is stored online. This is beneficial because you can access it from any computer and you don't have to worry about losing data due to physical damage. Services like DropBox and RackSpace are easy to use and extremely affordable. You usually pay by the gigabyte, and many times you get a small bit of space for free. If you have privileged information, cloud computing is good because of the secure password-protected networks.

2. Physical Device

You might also want to save your information on a physical device, such as an external hard drive or CD. These allow you to view your information without having to access the internet. Although some hard drives have enough space to store all of your computer's contents, you may want to make duplicate copies of the extremely valuable information in case your hard drive gets lost or damaged. To conveniently keep important files on you, you can purchase thumb drives that have a couple of gigabytes worth of space that you can keep on a keychain or stick in your pocket.

Once your international movers have helped you unpack and get settled, you may be eager to entertain your new neighbors. A great design scheme that's sure to make your home the go-to hangout spot is one that's reminiscent of a cozy tavern. Here are few ways to pull it off.

Bar

Instead of going with a traditional kitchen island, install a bar in your kitchen. Go with a dark varnished oak or maple. If it's in front of the wall, install shelves that can hold liquor and mixers. Make sure you have stools so you can socialize with your guests as you play the role of bartender. Washingtonian.com recommends keeping the tools of the trade on hand, such as a margarita shaker, jiggers, muddlers, swizzle sticks and cocktail books.

Glassware

There are a slew of great glassware options if you're going for a bar feel. Get some pint glasses for lager and shorter stout glasses for mixed drinks. Mix it up with martini glasses (perfect for James Bond theme parties) and throw in a few highball glasses.

Lighting

While you want your kitchen to be well-lit, you should install a dimmer to set the mood of a neighborhood pub. Feel free to have a few classy neon lights as well.

Food

No bar is complete without a few snacks. When you have guests over, put out the traditional popcorn and chips, but don't be afraid to shrug tradition in favor of health with a veggie plate or some hummus and pita.

You may be excited to start decorating after you and your international movers have finally finished setting up your new home, but you might be unsure how you want to go about it. Going nautical is a great way to lighten the atmosphere and bring about a feeling of liberation that's reminiscent of the open seas. Here are a few great ways to pull off a nautical theme.

Ocean Decor

Adorn your room with artifacts that would be found on a vessel. A circular life raft or old antique wheel will work well, and there's no limit on the amount of anchors you can have. Find great photographs and paintings of serene ocean landscapes or tumultuous storms. Place photography books of Cape Cod, Kennebunkport and other port towns on your coffee table. A ship in a bottle is an appropriate centerpiece, and a framed sailors knot is also a good idea.

Color Scheme

Blue is an ideal choice for your walls, but you have a slew of other options. You can go dark with a navy hue, reminiscent of the deep ocean waters, or opt for a light blue that would match the clear horizon out on the seas. Wood paneling on the upper edges of the wall will give your space a feeling like you're in a ship - go with an off-white or simply apply a coat of varnish to the wood.

While you may frequently use the staple appliances in your new kitchen like the stove and microwave, you may want to mix things up from time to time. Here are three great specialty cooking appliances to add to your kitchen collection once your international movers have help you settle in.

Dehydrator

A dehydrator provides a great new way to enjoy your favorite vegetables. All you need to do is slice up some veggies, place them on the plastic racks and watch as they become tasty hard morsels. Dehydrated vegetables and fruits are perfect for sprinkling on salad or getting eating like chips. Drying out food is also a great way to preserve it - with this appliance you won't have worry about anything going to waste.

Waffle Iron

Forget those frozen store bought waffles. Complement your eggs and toast with some fresh Belgian waffles. All you need to do is mix flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, milk and vegetable oil, put it on the iron and put the top down. After a few minutes, you can enjoy your cooked-to-perfection concoction with some maple syrup, whip cream and blueberries.

Juicer

If you're always on the run but want to get the right serving of fruits and vegetables, make delicious health-inspired drinks using a juicer. Look on websites like SmoothieWeb.com and PlanetSmoothie.com for recipes. Add organic cane sugar or cinnamon to your mixtures for extra flavor!

After your belongings are all unpacked and your international movers have vacated your home, you may want to start thinking about decorating. Wallpaper is the ideal way to infuse your personality and penchant for style into any room. Installing wallpaper can be a tricky venture - consider these four tips before you start your project.

1. Check Dye Lot

To ensure that your wallpaper has a nice, even look, you need to make sure that all of your paper is from the same dye lot. WallPaperStore.com notes that you should look on the label of each roll and check if they have the same lot number, run number and batch number. You should also be wary of any defects before you put the wallpaper up.

2. Start out Even

It's crucial that you have a good plumb line running the vertical length of your wall to start off. DIY Network recommends using a chalk line to make the marking. You should avoid using the side of a door because it will rarely be even, and using it as a starting point will cause your wallpaper to be crooked.

3. Center the Dominant Element

Some patterns of wallpaper have a dominant element or focal point. You should start off with this at the center of the wall. If your wallpaper has no discernible center point and is just a random pattern, then you don't have to worry about this.

4. Beware of Common Problems

There are a slew of common problems that can negatively affect your wallpaper ventures, such as flaking, color burning and bubbles and blisters. These can all be avoided by taking the necessary precautionary steps. For example, to avoid flaking, wipe your paper with a sponge before putting it up.

 While you may be ready to start the next chapter in your life in your new home, you might miss the dear friends you've left behind. The distance between you doesn't equal the end of your relationship, though. Here are two great ways you can stay in touch after your international movers have left.

Pen Pal

While snail mail may seem obsolete in the digital age, hand-writing a letter will infuse a personal touch into your correspondence. The time and effort it takes to write a letter is a testament to the fact that you care about keeping in touch. A good method for pen pals is to have a mutual notebook that each of you write in and send back and forth to one another. Add illustrations to the pages or fun indicators of the past, like ticket stubs, photographs or other souvenirs.

Video Chat

Video chatting is the ultimate real-time experience. All you need is an internet connection and a computer that has a webcam and built-in microphone. Use software like Skype, which allows you and your friend to see and chat with one another for free. Schedule regular talks and feel free to share a cup of coffee, or both of you can prepare a meal so it's like you're on a dinner date. You can also bring your little ones along for the chat so your friend can see how much they're growing. Skype will also allow you to give your friends and family a grand tour of your new digs!