Using Keyboard Shortcuts (Advanced Mode)
While you can use manipulators easily, the “expert” and really fast method for transforming objects in Blender is to use keyboard shortcuts. Sometimes, the manipulators will prove useful, but most of the time and especially for simple transforms, using the keyboard is faster and more efficient.
Press Ctrl + Space to show or hide the manipulators, (you can also do it by clicking the Manipulator On/Off icon on the 3D view header).
Press G (Grab) to move, R to rotate, and S to scale. When you do this to move and rotate the objects, they will move and rotate according to the view. LMB click to confirm, or click RMB or ESC to cancel.
After pressing G, R, or S, if you press X, Y, or Z, the selection will only transform on that global axis. Press X, Y, or Z twice to align to the selection’s local axis.
As an alternative to the previous option, when you’re transforming with no attachment to a given axis, you can click MMB and drag the object to select a global axis on which you can align your object.
Precise transforms, snapping, and axis locking using Shift and Ctrl while transforming with manipulators also apply when you use keyboard shortcuts.
Numerically Precise Transforms
When you’re performing a transform, Blender allows you to input numerical values. For example, if you look at the 3D view header when you are rotating an object, you’ll find that the header buttons disappear and are replaced with a display of the values of the transform in action. At this point, you can enter values directly from your keyboard and Blender will use them for the current transformation. Here are two examples:
Move an object 35 units on the X-axis: You can use manipulators and write the desired numerical value while dragging, but we’ll use the keyboard shortcuts. Press G to move, then press X to snap the object’s movement to the X-axis. Now you can drag the object through the X-axis. Enter 35 from the keyboard and the object will move 35 units on the X-axis. LMB click or press Enter to confirm the operation.
Rotate an object -90 degrees on the Y-axis: Press R to rotate, Y to snap to the Y-axis, and enter -90 from your keyboard. LMB click or press Enter to confirm the operation.
As you can see, using this method makes transformations really fast and easy to perform. The shortcuts are also intuitive and you can use them in almost any editor—G, R, and S will always move, rotate, and scale.