is there any point repainting when a small boy lives here?

[BellevilleRendezvous]

The inside of my house was last painted 5-6 years ago, has had tenants (family with 2 u-10s) in it for a couple of years in that time too. paintwork is looking decidedly shabby and knocked about.

But I have a 3yo ds. Is there any point in spending the cash on getting it painted now, or shall I just leave it until we move house in about 7 years?! Seems a shame to only paint for the benefit of prospective buyers, but then if I do go ahead every time ds goes near the walls I'm going to be nagging him about being careful...

WWYD?

SEVEN YEARS? dearie me, can't you just paint it yourself?

We have a 3yo (and 2 older DDs, who can be just as mucky) and are gradually redecorating the house.

For the living room, hall and stairs we are using washable paint. And for more drastic cover ups we have some paint left.

no I can't paint it myself!! high ceilings, big rooms and I'm on my own with ds so would have to start painting at about 8pm every evening when he goes to bed.

hmmm 7 years does sound like a long time doesn't it... perhaps do it now and when we move!

if you choose the right paints and colours then it should be fine - and as castille says, keep the dregs in your attic for retouching jobs.

We painted before my (now) 4 year old DS1 was born and when we came to sell, really the only thing that needed redoing was the hallway. I also painted out a lovely scribble on the living room wall - but the rest was fine.

Baby wipes, btw, are amazing for getting sticky paw prints off paint! And if you choose one with a slight sheen they wipe much more easily.

I'm on my own and have just repainted my place when the DC are in bed (also took a couple of days off work). You are going to have to repaint it in 7 years for buyers whatever. If you want to live in somewhere shabby looking for that whole time though, then that's your choice but I personally think if it looks nice your DS will take care of it better

BTW I repainted our enormous 3 story hallway and stairwell in evenings and naps. Completely fine - ladder and an extendable roller and bob's your uncle.

Do an hour a night and clingfilm up the roller overnight so you don't have to keep washing it - only took a few hours in total.

Buy good quality paint - it saves you a coat or two.

Can I just say I'm completely with the OP in thinking I would struggle to paint an entire house on my own solely during the kids' naps and in the evenings. I think of myself as reasonably organized, but I've obviously got nothing on some of you ... and this is without ever going out in the evening or having any attempt at a social life.

In this home at the moment with 2 dc, naps and evenings are crucial for catching up on the basic housework duties and admin that stop us sliding into chaos. It's hard enough to stay on top of everything properly, without squeezing "paint the whole house" into those small windows of time as well! Occasionally we find time for a tiny amount of tv or reading before dropping into bed but the rest of the time, household duties and childcare take up virtually every waking moment.

Thanks VuvuzelaPlenticlew!! I too am in awe of people who could paint their whole house in evenings alone.

But agree with you all that 7 years would be a long time to leave it - may as well get it done now and enjoy it myself. Sometimes a bit of thinking aloud on MN helps to clarify the situation!

Yeah but you only do one room at a time obviously, it's not such a big task. If you got the worst couple of rooms done it would surely make a big difference? An hour or so in the evenings here and there, an hour occasionally at the weekends, let DC have tv for a little while, it's easily do-able.

Yes I agree - doing the whole house in one go would be a mammoth undertaking and would swallow up all your evenings for the foreseeable.

But as kitsmummy says, you take it one step at a time. It only takes a few days to paint a living room. Then you give yourself a rest. Maybe you don't bother with the woodwork and the ceiling, if it looks ok. Just get a couple of coats of emulsion on the walls and sit back.

Then a month or two later you do the bedroom. And so it goes.

But by all means, if you've got the spare cash then get someone else in to do it - much easier and you get the whole house looking pristine all at once! If they do a good job and you ask them to leave a small pot of each colour behind then you are unlikely to have to get them back in 7 years, just roller over any particularly tired bits and leave the rest.

Oh gosh yes, wasn't suggesting you do it all at once! You could get the hall done because that is hard with stairs etc but other rooms are easy (I didn't do the woodwork either, just the walls)

ah yes I was thinking woodwork too (which obv gets rather scuffed), and there is a lot of it. will definitely look at getting it done though!