To prepare your home for interior painters, clear small items and valuables, take down pictures and wall hangings, make space along the walls, confirm your colors and finishes, and plan where pets and kids will be. A good painting crew handles the rest: moving and covering furniture, protecting floors, patching walls and cleaning up each day.
Before the Painters Arrive: Your Checklist
- Clear small items: pack up decor, books, electronics and anything breakable from shelves and tabletops.
- Take down wall hangings: remove pictures, mirrors, curtains and TV mounts if you can, or let your painter know which ones need help.
- Make room along the walls: move what you easily can toward the center of the room. Your painters can help with heavy pieces.
- Confirm colors and finishes: decide on colors and sheen for walls, ceilings and trim before day one so work does not stall.
- Plan for pets and kids: keep them out of the work area while paint is wet.
- Point out problem spots: show your painter cracks, stains, water marks or nail pops you want fixed.
What Your Painters Should Handle
- Covering furniture and floors with drop cloths and plastic
- Removing switch plates and outlet covers
- Patching holes and cracks, sanding and priming repairs
- Taping and protecting areas that are not being painted
- Cleaning up the work area at the end of each day
| Task | You | Your painters |
|---|---|---|
| Pack small items and valuables | Yes | No |
| Take down pictures and curtains | Usually | Can help |
| Move heavy furniture | Optional | Yes |
| Cover floors and furniture | No | Yes |
| Patch, sand and prime walls | No | Yes |
| Daily cleanup | No | Yes |
How Long Will Each Room Be Out of Use?
A typical room often takes a day or two, depending on how much patching is needed, how many coats the color change requires and whether ceilings and trim are included. Modern low-odor paints make it easier to stay home while work is going on. Ask your painter for a room-by-room schedule so you can plan around it.
Geovany and his team showed up on time, were always polite, and delivered the project on time, even with all of the snow!!
Scott WolfGoogle review, 5 stars
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See our 5.0★ Google reviewsFrequently Asked Questions
No. Clear small items and move what is easy, and your painters will move heavier pieces and cover everything that stays in the room.
Yes, most homeowners do. Keep the rooms being painted ventilated and keep pets and children out until the paint is dry.
Wait at least a day before rehanging pictures. Paint keeps curing for a few weeks, so treat newly painted walls gently in that time.
Ready to get started? We take care of the prep, protection and cleanup on every interior painting and residential painting project in Wakefield and nearby towns.
Our Painting Services
Why Homeowners Choose GF Painting Services
GF Painting Services Inc. is a licensed and insured painting contractor based in Wakefield, MA, serving Reading, North Reading, Stoneham, Melrose, Woburn, Winchester, Saugus and Lynnfield.
- Rated 5.0 on Google
- Licensed & insured
- Careful prep, clean job sites
- Free, detailed estimates