We went shopping today at the Builder's Box. It's a place where do-it-yourselfers shop for home improvement ideas. I had suggested making a trip there because we would be needing some basic fix-up items immediately after moving into the new home. As soon as we walked in the door, there was a sign advertising the various X10-compatible devices at the store. We've been using X10 devices for quite some time in our home. Some, like the X10 XCam2 camera are for fun and entertainment. Others, like the X10 lamp and appliance modules are used to enhance the lighting choices in our living room. In the new house, we will be converting the family room into a master bedroom. Family rooms generally don't include ceiling lighting, and in the case of this room, there were no light switches on the wall. Using the X10 capabilities, we can surface-mount a remote controlled "light switch" that has the ability to control several lamp modules. By plugging light modules into various electrical plugs in the room, we can control a variety of lights from the single light switch. That should make things more convenient.

We also took a look at various microwave ovens that had hood fans built in. The new house does not have a range hood/cooking light over the stove. By buying one of these combined units, we can get a range hood, as well as update our 15-year-old microwave oven at the same time.

Finally, we went to the carpet store to get an idea of how much it would cost to buy carpeting or other floor covering for the new house. Although it will probably cost us more than we had originally budgeted, it is still something we have decided to do. We plan to ask the real estate agent to grant access to some carpeting contractors a day or two before the official possession date, so we can get the floor done before our furniture is brought to the house.