As you know, I recently painted my living room. I am no pro at painting; actually, I am probably one of the messiest painters you’ll (virtually) meet.

But, believe it or not, I did learn a few things during my last painting experience and I want to share them with my lovely readers!

Preparation is key: Getting prepared to paint your space serious business. You need to make sure you have all of the necessary items, such as primer, paint, brushes, roller equipment, rollers, tape (I prefer the green kind), drop cloths (plastic or canvas), stirring sticks, paint can opener, hammer (for closing paint lids), ladder (if needed) and a wet rag. If you are messy, get that wet rag ready—it has saved my wood floors & (already) painted walls more times than I can count.

Brushes: I do not like spending a lot of money on any one thing. But when it comes to paint brushes and rollers, here is my tip: don’t skimp (hey, that rhymes!) Get the more expensive ones that the paint store employee recommends-trust me, it will be worth it!

Ready and ample workspace: This kind of goes hand in hand with the above, but you will also need to move your furniture out of the painting area. I know this seems elementary, but I am an impatient person and did not move my furniture to provide ample space for my ladder (so I could reach the top wall trim), which was severely annoying. Also, do not forget to cover any furniture or items with drop cloths if you feel the need to do so.

Closing your paint can: When closing your paint cans (preferably with a hammer or mallet) always be sure to place some paper towels or scrap piece of fabric/drop cloth over the top; this will stop splatters from occurring. Trust me—I have had my fair share of paint splattering due to lack of this step.

Storing Brushes*: When I paint a space it typically takes me more than one day; I usually take a second day for any touch-ups and possibly the second coat (to ensure the paint is dry). Instead of washing out my brushes and rollers, only to use them again the next day, I will store them in zip lock bags (usually gallon size works best) or in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. The next day, just get them out of the fridge and continue painting. I do not know if having colder paint affects paint quality, but I have never noticed a difference. Sometimes I will get them out of the fridge and let them set for about 10 minutes or so. The only trick is to not keep them in the fridge for too long or to repeat this process continually with the same brush, as they begin to get gummy after a while.

Know your paint: Know if your paint is water soluble; if it is you can rinse out your brushes with water. If your paint is not water soluble you will need to get the necessary solvent at the paint store. I used water soluble paint in my living room and was able to take a bucket of hot water and a rag to get paint off of my wood floors—told you I was messy!

Pictures: Always take before and after photos of any space you are painting, decorating, remodeling, etc. You never know when you will need them…or when you will wish you would have taken them.

Storing paint: Make sure to store your paint in a dry, temperature-controlled space (and to keep out of reach of children, pets, etc. if necessary).

I would LOVE to hear from you: if YOU have any painting tips of your own, please share & I will post them here as well!

Thanks for stopping by & happy painting!

xoxo
Chrissy

*Shout out to Mama Mary Cabanilly for teaching me this trick many, many years ago!