Lessons learned, forgotten, and re-learned

I got a great deal on two tall bookshelves via craigslist last week. Originally they were $25 each, but the seller ended up giving me two for the price of one...yay! As they're just particleboard, I probably could have gotten them for pretty cheap at Target, but I prefer to buy for even cheaper and then cusotmize a la Centsationalgirl. (Tangent - I heart Kate's site and home. Check her out.)

Right now I am in the middle of priming and painting them. It's been so long since I've painted anything that I forgot some of the little tips and tricks that I've learned in the past. Aside from the basics, here's a refresher course on the little details that will make your painting project go much smoother:

1) Always have paint-mixing sticks on hand. They're cheap and so precious during a project like this.

2) For anything with corners, also have an angled brush available. For everything else, use a roller. So much faster.

3) Speaking of corners, do corners and edging first.

4) Paint in a well-ventilated and well-lit area. (Seems obvious, but easy for us northerners to forget when we want to paint and it's 40 degrees outside.)

5) Paint is meant to be applied at 70 degrees Farenheit and in moderate humidity. If you're painting in different conditions, use an additive such as Penetrol or Floetrol to allow for even coverage.

6) Don't bother with a manicure until the project is COMPLETE.