Painting is a wonderful way to update and refresh your home. From covering up stains, to going with a new paint color, you can transform your home.  And while you may want to tackle this before the holidays, it is a good idea to consider waiting to fit in your house painting until January. 

Why wait?  The holidays are stressful enough, and the fall months are generally busy with other holidays and events, from the busy school year to Thanksgiving and Christmas. For parents, this is often the quietest time of year to do a project. Once December celebrations and the New Year is over, you can clear out your holiday decorations, do some deep cleaning, and start fresh. Another good reason is that you are less likely to have guests coming and going or staying at your home once January rolls around.

Here are some things to keep in mind when planning a painting project in January.

Preparing

You will want some prep time to get ready for the painting project, even when hiring a house painter. You may need to move furniture or other items that are blocking the walls. This is a perfect time to do some deep cleaning and get a head start on spring cleaning. Get your holiday decorations organized and packed up and get rid of clutter. A new paint job will refresh your space and make it look updated, so why not update other things as you go, and bring the whole space together to look fresh and cohesive.

Remove things that are hanging on the walls, and make note of repairs that need to be done. This could be anything from holes to cracks, water stains, and so on.  Some issues, like stains or damages, may require some extra work, such as stain-blocking paints or replacing pieces of drywall, and it is good to budget some time for these types of repairs. Since light switch and outlet covers will have to be removed, this is a good time to see if you want to replace any of these, or change them out for upgrades.

For a bedroom, you may want to temporarily set up to sleep in a different room until the painting is complete. New paints are often low odor or even VOC-free, but you will still want to let the paint dry thoroughly, possibly with fans running and windows open.

For kitchens, you will likely want to clear your counters and make plans for not using your kitchen for the duration of the painting project. Plan for not cooking while the kitchen is being painted, and perhaps getting takeout or using the microwave set up in another room.

You may also want to cover up areas like floors, carpeting, or furniture.  Painting contractors can help with this process, but it helps to do some preparation and perhaps consolidate your things.

Doors & Trim

Consider if you want to include your doors and trim included in the painting project.  Trim work can be more time consuming, but you may also want to make sure that everything is done at once to give your home and overall fresh look. Trim can be quite tedious to paint, so this is another great task to leave to a professional.

Take a look at anything you would like to replace, as this would be a good time to do so (such as replacing doors or updating trim).

Budgeting & Estimates

Come up with a budget for your painting project, and consider the variety of prices involved.  Depending on the condition and color of your walls, you may need a heavy duty primer or several coats of primer (e.g. to cover a darker color or damages).  There are also different varieties and qualities of paints, such as those designed for bathrooms or kitchens.

Give yourself time to gather up estimates from contractors, and to do some research on how much it will cost for the materials and work.  Compare prices between contractors and materials.

Choosing a Good Painting Contractor

Allow some planning to ask around and research a reliable contractors that do residential painting. Make sure that the project includes everything from setup to repairs, washing and prepping surfaces, and so on. You will also want to be sure that the estimate includes cleanup. Your contractor should not just provide an estimate of cost – the contract should include an estimate of timeframe, and have a clear plan for materials and thorough cleanup once the painting is complete.