Christmas is over, and Easter approaches. With not long to go, you may already be thinking about your annual Spring clean, and with that sometimes comes a home makeover. Unfortunately, you also might be tempted to do it alone, or even with help, not plan ahead. Fortunately, you can make redecorating much less stressful by cleaning, using proper tools, and not trying to do too much.
Clean-Up as You Go
Any redecorating task generates a lot of rubbish. Wallpaper strips, paint chips, old furniture, and packaging will quickly fill your home. Cleaning up as you go is a great way to minimise the amount of garbage and maximise safety. You could hire professional services to clear away rubbish from your property, both inside and out, as a room full of paper and plastic is likely to cause a trip, slip or fall. At the very least, this will extend the amount of time you need to complete tasks. And if you are on limited time or have commitments, this can be disastrous.
Use the Correct Tools
While you can get things done using alternative tools, you will have a challenging time. For instance, there might be some hard-to-reach areas of your room. And rather than fetch the ladder from the shed, you simply grab the nearest chair. Standing on a chair will help, but you might not get the height you need, and it’s potentially dangerous. Getting the right tools for the job not only reduces the chances of an unfortunate incident but allows you to get things done correctly. It’s a good idea to make a list of what you need before you begin.
Get on the Same Page
Getting help is great when you are on borrowed time or aren’t as mobile as you would like to be. But it can spell disaster if everyone involved is singing from a different songbook. Should you enlist any help for any job, it’s helpful if you make it clear to all involved what they need to do. For example, your time and materials will be all but wasted if your dear friend uses skirting gloss for your radiators. You will have to wait for it to dry, remove the paint, and then paint it again using radiator paint. It also helps if you check in on friends from time to time, just in case.
Plan Around Tasks
Like any project, your decorating will benefit from planning before you begin. Time constraints are a significant factor in such tasks, and not everything is available at all times. So it helps if you can make better use of time between jobs. For instance, paint doesn’t dry in five minutes and can take several hours. Therefore, while paint or wallpaper paste is drying, you can get along with other jobs. Smaller tasks like preparing more walls, covering valuables, or moving furniture to a safe space can be done during these long periods of waiting.
Do Only What You Can
If you can get help, that’s great. But people aren’t always available, and decorating is a strenuous task that most people really don’t want to do. Also, you might be the kind of person who likes to get things done alone. Don’t try to do too much at once. You are only one person, and there are limits to what you can do. Additionally, it isn’t uncommon for redecorating jobs to take longer than you initially anticipated. Focus on one job or room at a time, and get help with things that take two people, like shifting heavy furniture.
