What is the best thing to do when getting ready to paint, they may seem obvious, but it is surprising how many times the most obvious things can be forgotten, or neglected. By remembering to do these few things, you will save yourself a lot of hassle later:

• Remove and wall art or photos


• Remove any outlet covers, fixtures, and other items in the room that you do not want paint to get on.


• Turn off electricity to the room, so you do not hurt yourself on an uncovered outlet.


• Move all furniture and items in room to the center, or as far away from the walls that are being painted as possible.


• Cover the items with a drop cloth. This can be a professional type of drop cloth such as those you can purchase at PaintingSuppliesDirect.com, or it could just be an old sheet or some other material. Using a professional drop cloth is better as an old sheet could absorb paint and still allow it to get on your furniture or floor.

Using a Drop Cloth When Painting The Ceiling
"Drop Cloths" are not always cloth, in fact they can be made up of cardboard, or plastic, or some other non-absorbent material. The key is, be sure to use them, especially when painting the ceiling, as it is almost certain you will have some drips. The best way to protect the room when if you're painting the ceiling, is to drape your walls and woodwork with a sheet of plastic. Press the top of a strip of 2" painter's masking tape along the edge of the ceiling and the wall, and attach the plastic sheet to the lower half of the tape. This will protect you prom having to clean up drippy paint marks on the walls, and it will keep you from cleaning up paint spots off the floor. Also plastic can be reused, or thrown out as necessary.

Painting the Walls
When you're painting walls, mask the baseboards, windows and door casings with painter's masking tape. Use a putty knife to make sure the edges of the tape are tight. And do not forget to always use a drop cloth when painting a room. It is worth repeating that the time it takes to drape a drop cloth over the items you want to protect is worth it, and will save you tons of time and a big headache later, as you are probably going to drip some.
Painter's masking tape, which is usually blue, is not as sticky as regular masking tape, so be sure that when you use it (especially if you are choosing to use it instead of a drop cloth) that you make sure it is airtight, and sealed to the wall, and paint will not seep under it and get on the areas you do not wish to be painted.