Real LI

Here's a tool that will either make your furniture-moving tasking quicker, and easier on your back, or just frustrate the heck out of you -- the "Home Quick Planner." It runs $23 to $25 and is available through Edmund Scientific (scientificsonline.com; 800 728.6999) and Fat Brain Toys (fatbraintoys.com; 800 590.5987). It takes probably a good hour to get used to, but then it is kind of fun. It would make a cool gift for someone who likes moving the furniture around all the time. The strange thing about it is that it is touted as both a useful tool for an adult and a fun toy for a child. And they're right. It does work for multiple age groups and multiple functions.

The graph paper is simple enough to use and there are 700 little pieces of stick-on paper furniture. The nice thing is that the squares are bigger than a lot of graph paper I've used, and the page folds out so it can go from 8.5-inch by 11-inch to 17-inch by 22-inch -- a lot easier on the eyes and the fingers. So, if you're preparing to move furniture for the holidays or want an unusual gift for the holidays, take a gander at the Quick Home Planner kit.

There also is available a 3D Home Planner Kit ($25-$30) that is a little more time consuming. It helps with design of the exterior of your home, including some landscaping.