Painting - End in sight

Given I feel like I've been painting forever, when it's really only been 3 weeks in between baby sleeps and the daily demands of Muddy Hubby and the Muddy Tribe, I am now feeling like the end is almost in sight.

I've been thinking about how crap a painter I am (I really don't know how people do it as a job, I take my hat off to them) and I have some handy tips if you're thinking of embarking on any painting jobs any time soon, especially with kids around.

- Don't let Hubby seal the paint tin back up, it's likely he'll forget he said he'd do it and before you know it one of the kids will have tipped the tin over and you'll have even more paint to clean up.
- Best not to let him open it either, as he'll get such enthusiasm up for the job that he'll dent the lid and the rim, meaning you can't properly seal the tin back up and will have to do more painting in a small space of time to use up the tin before it hardens with a now unsealable lid.
- Have at least 2 or 3 rollers or brushes, chances are your first one won't have dried before Baby has their next sleep and you want to go painting again.
- If you're getting new carpet it's a perfect time to paint before the carpet goes in, you don't have to worry about drop sheets, and can even wipe your hands on the carpet in emergencies and you don't have to stress about it.
- As much as the kids would like to help - don't let them. Wall paint does not wash out of clothes and takes a few days to get out of hair.
- If you've asked Hubby to look after the kids while you get some quick trim painting done, make sure he understands what you mean, not 'yes I know where they are', otherwise you'll have kids running around your feet, bumping into freshly painted walls and trim and you'll have more paint to try and get off their clothes and out of their hair.
- Avoid the cheap paint hubby wants you to use up to get it our of the cupboard if you can. It's thin and takes about twice as many coats to look as good as the quality paint you would have bought, so you've wasted your time by having to do two extra coats.
- Do not pick a paint colour by solely looking at the Dulux colour charts on the website. You'll be disappointed and it won't look anything like you were hoping it would.
- Follow Shannon Lush's advice and use Clove Oil to get rid of bathroom mould, but be prepared for your house to smell for days and days like cloves.
- While Feature walls are nice, they're fiddly and mean more edging, more brushes and more tins of paint to clutter up your laundry and spill out onto the verandah.
- Think of the people who may move in after you and want to paint, light colours are easier to paint over, browns, blues, dark greens all suck to try and paint over, meaning you end up with either and undercoat or extra coats of paint til the colour you've chosen looks right.
- If you can afford it, get a professional in, you'll probably be happier with the result, less stressed and your hands and hair won't look like you've had a bad manicure and hair dye job.