So you’ve finally done it. You’ve been looking at that room for months now, thinking how bad it looks, hoping you’re going to finally have the time to fix it. You’ve looked at wall colors, planned your furniture and know exactly what you’re doing. The time is set aside, and you’re standing in the doorway to the room with your hands on your hips – and wondering what on earth to do next.
When you make a decision to makeover a room, you tend to focus on the finished aspect. When it comes to actually having to do it, it doesn’t take long to feel like you’re lost at sea and there’s no land around.
Rather than contemplating it as one big job you have to get through, try and employ a circular system. By dividing the tasks into manageable chunks, you can see your way through the actual project, and get to your desired end result all the quicker.
Phase One: Deep Clean
You almost certainly won’t want to do this. You’ll want to get right on with ripping up the carpet and steaming off wallpaper, but the clean is the necessary first step. For a start, emulsion paint will not adhere to walls that are dirty. The same goes for wood paint around skirtings.
Remove everything that you can from the room: furniture, furnishings that won’t be staying, and then set to work. If you’re dealing with something in a bad state of repair, then home cleaning services can help cut down the labor spent on this phase.
When everything is a sparkling blank canvas, move on to the next step.
Phase Two: Preparation
Again, it’s boring. You just want to paint and make it all pretty! But prep is what is going to let you make it all pretty. Sound preparations should include:
- Thorough masking of all areas, so you have clean lines and prevent damage.
- Covering anything you don’t want to be damaged with dust sheets. Don’t be tempted by cheap plastic covers; they’re too lightweight, so always use heavy fabric.
- Getting all the brushes and tools that you’re going to need and setting them within reach. You don’t want to be rushing around looking for something every time you switch tools; it will just slow everything down.
Phase Three: The Fun Bit
Now you can floor, paint, install and change to your hearts’ content. A good rule of thumb is to work from the top of the room down. So if you are painting the ceiling, do this first. This means any paint drips or other accidents do not damage newly decorated areas.
Phase Four: Deep Clean
This is what we meant by circular. You begin with a deep clean, and you finish with one too. Go through the entire room and remove the masking tape, paint drips, brushes and anything else that doesn’t live there.
Phase Five: Move Everything In
With the room decorated, in comes the furniture and the finishing touches. You’re done! Sit back and enjoy your handiwork.
