All I know about Painting: Part 2

Once you have decided on a color (remember this could take a day or it could take a year to figure it out. But it is worth the wait) now it is time to PAINT! Remember, I am here to help you SAVE money. So DO NOT hire anyone to help you! If a mom with a job and 3 little ones can find time and energy to paint (I am talking about me) so can YOU!

Supplies needed to Paint:

• Rollers. What kind of roller and size you need depends on the area you are covering and the surface (rough vs. smooth finish). When I am painting walls I like the fuzzy large rollers, the more surface it covers the better! But when I am painting shelving, bead board and furniture I get the foam roller for a nice smooth finish.
  TIP: My mother-in-law taught me that after you are done with the first coat of paint, to save and reuse the roller again you just wrap it in cellophane and stick it in the freezer. But don't forget to take it out a couple hours before you need it the next day (I have forgotten so I just nuke in the micro for a few! haha)
• Brushes. Spend the extra money and get a real nice brush! We have a $20+ brush but it has lasted us years and always makes the best finishes. A sloppy paint job lowers the value of your home and also makes it look more like a "starter home".
• Edger. YOU NEED THIS! This leaves clean cut edges around windows, ceilings and wherever else you can think to use it. This will make your paint job look truly pro.
• Painters Tape. The right tape means a more clean professional job. I always look for the BLUE tape they use on HGTV! haha.
• Paint pan. Pour the paint right in and roll. Make sure your roller fits it though!
• And don't forget a drop cloth! Anything from old sheets, moving blankets, to paper bags will work.

Good Preparation means Clean Lines:
Yes, I know, we all hate this! But it has to be done, and done right.
Tape all the baseboards and edges of walls. After you have taped, run your finger over the tape with some pressure to really make sure you come out with a clean line, leaks are not pretty. Get those ugly drop cloths down and get those nasty paint clothes on that your husband loves...riiight (I never get how the hosts on TLC and HGTV are wearing their designer clothes while painting).
TIP: Remove the tape at an angle away from the wall when the paint isn't dry but not freshly wet. Then you will come out with lines you are so proud of you could post pics on your cute blog like me :)

Bathroom

Office/Den
Kitchen

Finding time to Paint:

If you have any kids this will be a challenge. When we painted our whole house after we moved in we did it mainly at night after the kids were in bed. I painted my red kitchen during the day when my twins were wee little babies. I took breaks nursing them with red paint slopped all over my hands! I recently painted the Laundry room and that was a challenge. Now that my boys are running, climbing and cruising I had to literally lock them in a room while I finished. I painted through the cries and tried to utilize their naps (or was that when I took a nap??? I forget.....haha).
One of my next projects is to repaint their bathroom, I am still wondering how this will work. But I am sure I will find a way.

Clean-up...blah:

This is the one thing that totally sucks. Set-up and clean-up are the worst parts about painting. I don't mind the actual painting part.
Be sure to wash all your brushes thoroughly. I usually throw away the rollers.... just don't want to deal with it and they aren't that expensive.

There is so much more I could write, and I will. I can't put everything in a couple posts. But from experience I have learned that detail and clean lines are a MUST when it comes to having a beautiful outcome.
Happy Painting :)