How to Paint Your Home Without Making a Mess

There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint. It can give a room a dramatic change. Painting is tons of fun, it is inexpensive, and it's very easy to paint a room. First, you want to pick your color. You can go to any hardware store and look at different color palettes to get some ideas. Once you have selected your color, it's time to pick a finish. The different types are: flat - good for walls with rough texture - has no sheen; semi-gloss - good for doors, kitchens, moldings bathrooms - also washable; satin - can be washed, light sheen and is great for high-traffic areas such as a living room or den. If you have selected a dark color, it might be best to talk to a rep at the hardware store to help you pick the best primer for the color you have selected in order to insure you get the best coverage. A primer is not necessary, but it does help reduce the amount of coats you will use. When you select your paint, you want to choose good quality paint and rollers/brushes.

Things you will need: drop cloth or tarp, rollers, sash brush, paint tray, paint, masking tape (to hold dropcloth on the floor), screwdriver (to remove wallplates/fixtures), and a wet rag or sponge.

Before you paint: Take anything off of the walls that you do not want painted (A/C vents, pictures, nails, electrical outlets, switch plates). Wipe down your walls with a wet rag or sponge as well. It is best to paint on a clean surface. Also, if you have any holes in the walls, you can fill it with some spackling. Then, once dry, you can sand the surface down. Make sure your walls are dry before you start painting. It is best to clear out the room you are painting. You can move large furniture items to the center of the room but I would recommend covering them with a drop cloth. This will avoid any paint splattering onto your furniture and will allow you to get to each wall with ease. I would also recommend covering the floor with a drop cloth as well, especially if you have carpet. Wood floors and tile are much easier to clean if you have paint splatter but still can be a hassle to remove. I would keep a wet rag handy just in case you have a spill. That will definitely clean it up.

Now that all of the hard stuff is done, you are ready to paint. If you have more than one bucket of paint, I would mix it all together in one large bucket in order to blend it well. Once mixed, pour into a paint tray and start rolling. It is best to use a high quality roller for the ultimate results. Read the directions when purchasing your rollers. Some require prepping. Start at the top of the room and work your way down. When you are working at the ceilings and trim, take your brush, remove excess paint, wedge it into a corner, and drag the brush across the edge of the wall or trim. It is best to have a small cup or tray of paint with you so that you don't have to continue asking someone to apply paint to your brush.

Once you have painted the ceiling and trim, you can now paint the walls. You don't want the roller to be dripping with paint. Make sure you have enough paint on the roller though so that it is soaked but not dripping. If you are painting a lighter shade, two coats should do it. If you are going darker, you may need another coat. Paint the walls in a W or V pattern and move across the wall as you are ready to. Also, make sure as you are painting to open up the windows and get some fans going. You definitely want to paint in a well-ventilated area. Also, get a radio going to keep you in a great mood! Don't forget, keep that wet rag or sponge handy in case paint gets where it shouldn't. If you get to it immediately, you will have no problems removing it.

Once you are finished wait half a day or so for the paint to dry. Once it is dry, replace all of your fixtures, wall plates, pictures etc and move that furniture back in. It is now time to enjoy your new room!