If you are looking for a way to change the entire look of a room then a coat of paint could be your answer! Paint has a lot of power! You can showoff your style, make a room look bigger or taller, or even showcase feelings or memories with paint! You can achieve a big change with a relatively small budget. But anyone who has ever painted before knows you have to put in some elbow grease! Here are a few tips to help you get your next painting project done quickly and done right!

Prepping is Vital!

If you think that you can skip over the prep and skip right to the paint, sadly you are mistaken. Don’t waste your time (and money!) by skipping these important steps!

• Fix any problems! If you have holes or other imperfections fix it with a little Spackle. Let it dry and lightly sand it to make sure it is flush.
• Clean your walls before you paint! This is super important if you are painting rooms like the kitchen or bathrooms. You want to make sure that there is no dust, cobwebs or dirt!
• Primer is your friend! Primer will hide dark colors, block stains, and keep your paint lasting longer! It’s an absolute MUST when painting things like wood or covering laminate.

The Right Supplies

You wouldn’t cut your lawn with a a pair of scissors! So don’t paint your home without the right supplies!

Here is a list of supplies (besides the paint and primer!) you should have ready:

• Tape
• Drop Cloth
• Paint Brushes
• Paint Rollers
• Paint Tray
• Paint Stirrer
• Paint Pourer Lid
• Baby Wipes

Painting Tips

So your walls are prepped and you have your supplies ready and you are all set to paint! Here are a few tips to help you get the job done quickly and correctly!

• Start with the outside and work your way in. Think of it like a puzzle. First you do the edges and then fill in the inside! You will want to start with painting along the trim, the ceiling line, and corners with a brush.
  
  (Hint: Hold the brush sideways so that the brush is vertical to give you a cleaner line when painting along the trim and ceiling!)
  
  
• Paint in long continuous strokes.
• Don’t stretch your paint too thin. You don’t want to glob it on, but you also don’t want to stretch it too thin!
• Paint a second coat, even if it looks like it might be ok! It will look even better after the second! make sure you let it completely dry between coats!
• Make sure you keep a lid on the paint can after you have poured some into your paint tray. You want to keep the lid on to avoid dust or dirt from falling in or it beginning to dry out.

Painting is a fun and easy way to update your home! What room will your next paint project take place in?