I hate decorating, but I am doing it anyway. What are your best tips?

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I'm painting the lounge on Saturday. I have paint, brushes, and sugar soap. What are your best tips to make this easy and bearable? 😭😭😭

Pay someone else to do it…..

if you hate it then don't do it.

pay someone

But obviously that’s not at all helpful! So I’d say make preparation is the key. Do any filling, sanding, cleaning, taping etc first. Cover everything u don’t want paint splattered on and do the cutting in first….good luck!

Prep.

Paint in daylight.

If using sugar soap, start at the bottom and work your way up.

Use dust sheets.

Move any animals and/or small children out of the area to be painted. Preferably out of the house completely, or the county if you want to be really sure they won't mess it up.

Masking tape edges. Get decent dust mats.

Put music on and don't get thirsty and grumpy without noticing. Take before and after pictures.

Wrap bristles of brush / roller in clingfilm or plastic bag with the air pushed out of it, saves from having to wash it each night.

Radio/music, rags for drips, clear up first before you start, take your time, dont fill the brush/roller with to much paint, cling film any brushes/rollers if you have not finished to use the next day.

I also line the rolling tray with cling film, then fill, its easier to clean or just wrap up any dregs rather than cleaning it all out.

Use a brush rather than a roller when painting - makes much less mess.
Only allow paint on the first section of the brush so it doesn't drip down the handle.
Children's paintbrushes are really handy for awkward crevices.
Wear disposable gloves.
Wrap paintbrushes in clingfilm between coats.
Teach any children how to paint as soon as they are old enough

Plenty paint sheets to protect furniture and carpets.
A stirring stick
Cling film (for brushes)
A cutting in brush+ frog tape for edges.
The best quality roller you can afford.
A stable platform (not ladder if you can help it).
Comfy painting clothes
Lots of rags- for wiping
White spirit if using gloss/oil based paint.
Lots of patience
More time than you think you'll need!
Enjoy.

All the practical advice here, plus - a nice big mug you don't mind getting paint on, for tea. A bottle of water. Spotify or heart radio - lots of cheesy tunes you can sing along to. Rags (damp) or kitchen roll for wiping up splashes.

@TheCaddieisaBaddie

Wrap bristles of brush / roller in clingfilm or plastic bag with the air pushed out of it, saves from having to wash it each night.

This. Also good between coats. The worst bit of decorating is washing the brushes and rollers!

Could also get cheap brushes and bin but they're crap (shed bristles which is a real bugbear of mine) and it's not very environmentally friendly.

When you've finished a coat don't look at it until it is dry - it will look patchy until it's dry, walk away until it's ready to be recoated!

Yy to water, mugs of tea and music/ a great podcast- I discovered them just last month during the marathon that was the loft. Discovered brilliant ones and the hours slipped by no bother.

I'd go for cutting-in brushes over masking tape, having had masking tape errors in the past (pulling off existing paint etc).

And put your fave music on.

Ooh I need proper groundsheets, good shout. I will check amazon for a cutting in brush. Thank you!! O am proper dreading this, but my decorator has gone awol and I prepped the room for him, bought the paint, and now it isnt happening. I'm very disappointed at having to do it myself.

Cut an onion in half and score it through with a knife. Keep it in the room you are decorating and it will absorb the smell or fumes from the paint. The room will smell of paint for a bit.

Prep as much as you can.

You can buy liners for the roller tray, so you’re not always washing out the tray afterwards. Well worth it, we reckon.

Something good to listen to. I used to listen to plays or talk programmes, but music is good too if you choose.

You can get low contact tape, which is better for masking.

Shoes for painting, so you step out of them before leaving the room.

I use a small roller rather than a big one. It’s not much more work and there’s less splatter. I use a dulux corner brush for cutting in. Get the best masking tape you can afford. I also use a staircase dust sheet for all my painting and cut it in 2. Also second wrapping your roller in clingfilm overnight if you have to finish the next day. Plastic paint tray covers are good and save cleaning trays. That said, always clean brushes, rollers and trays as soon as you’re finished. Start as early as you can and you should be able to do 2 coats in one day depending on the size of the room. Make sure you have some great tunes to listen to.

Ceiling first — easier to cut in wall edges.
Then walls.
Skirting, doors, window frames etc… last.

Oh, I was going to do the skirting, door frame, window ledges and picture rails first! Argh

Green masking tape, not the cream one. Like a PP said, it’s low contact and shouldn’t pull off all your paint.

Cut in round the edges first - masking tape is time-consuming and unreliable. Take your time, go carefully, using a 2" brush at an angle.
Start at the top and work down.
I use a small radiator roller unless it's a very large wall. It takes longer but is less messy and tiring.
Woodwork last. Brush in.the direction of the grain if there is any.
Radio/podcasts, tea.

I always gloss 1st. Then the emulsion wipes off easier.