Whether you just moved into a new home or want a change in your existing one, painting the walls can be a quick and (fairly) easy DIY project as long as you take a few important steps.

Always make sure to test the color you want first. You don’t want to have spent beaucoup bucks on a gallon of paint only to discover that you don’t like the way it looks with the afternoon light streaming in. Always paint a test area first and make sure you like the way it looks at various times of the day. Better yet, get samples of the same color in various hues so you can compare and contrast to see which one you really want.

Get the walls ready. A little prep work goes a long way when it comes to painting your own walls. If the walls look grimy, take a damp cloth and clean the surface you’re about the paint first. Fill all holes with filler. And if you’re painting on top of existing paint, particularly of the glossy variety, you’ll want to sand down the walls first.

Use a primer. Primers stick better to existing paint and ensure that the actual color you want to paint will go on smooth. If you’re planning on doing two or more coats of paint (which you should for best results,) consider making a primer the first coat. This is also often more cost effective than painting two coats of your fancy custom color.

Paint in daylight for the second coat. While the first coat may be fine to do at any time of day, subsequent coats will be much easier to do in the daylight when you can clearly see where you’ve left off. Otherwise you  may  be left with patches of the wall that are darker than others.

Splurge on the roller/stick combo. Save your time, money and back by investing in a good paint roller and stick. Trust me, it’s worth it.