Painting the inside of your home can be a very rewarding experience for a homeowner. Before you begin the process, it is important to make sure you prep the area and gather any tools you’ll need to complete the job properly. Planning ahead allows you to do the job as efficiently as possible and make clean up a breeze. Ensure that you complete your home painting project properly with the following tips.

• Clear out furniture. When moving bulky items like couches, cabinets, or tables, make sure you are doing so properly. Observing safety when moving furniture will help to prevent you from injuring yourself. Also remove any pictures, paintings, or other decor off of your walls. This includes outlet covers!
• Repair damage to wall surfaces. Any hole, small or large, should be filled with a spackling compound and sanded over once the compound hardens and dries. Professional Wilmington painters recommend that any other imperfections on your walls also be sanded flat to ensure a smooth finish.
• Cover your flooring. Protecting your floor is a key component to preserving the overall look of the room. To protect your flooring from paint drips, purchase a canvas cover from the hardware store. Canvas coverings are more durable than plastic, and won’t bunch up or become slippery throughout the painting process. Use painter’s tape to protect areas of the floor trim that aren’t covered by the canvas, as well as around your windows.
• Prep the painting surface. Once you’ve cleared everything out of your way and protected surfaces that aren’t being painted, you’ll need to prepare the walls or ceilings that are going to be painted. Gently wipe down the wall or ceiling with a slightly damp towel to remove any dirt and dust. Be sure to keep the towel clean by rinsing it, preferably in a bucket of hot water.
• Remove the dust. The final step in prepping to paint is also beneficial to cleaning up after you are done. Vacuum up any dust that has settled around the room from sanding and other prep work. You’ll be ready to paint, and you’ll have less to clean up when you’re finished the job!

Once you have covered your walls in gorgeous paint color, the final step is to clean up. Make the process go as quickly and smoothly as possible by:

• Make a mini-dumpster. The simplest way to clean up the area is by bringing in a large trashcan and placing it in the center of the room, or wherever it is easily accessible. This way, when you are removing painters tape or other disposable coverings, you can quickly throw the trash away.
• Replace everything. Return all of your outlet covers to their correct places, move furniture back where it belongs, and re-hang photos and other wall hangings to complete the look of your room.
• Give a final sweep. Run over your flooring with the vacuum one final time to give your newly painted space a polished, completed look and feel.

Tackling a painting project requires a lot of prep-work and clean-up. Follow these tips to make the process as easy as possible!