Four months, a million trips to the hardware store, prying toddler fingers off of paint rollers and out of open cabinets, and here we are: almost all unpacked with the exception of a few open boxes of frames, and making this space our home — one fresh coat of paint and thoughtful detail at time.

What have I learned thus far?

1. It’s okay to take your time. It will always take longer than you expect. Repainting your walls is more than just grabbing paint and rolling. It’s researching the right color, buying the paint and materials, removing furniture, cleaning, taping off, setting up, actually painting, cleaning up, waiting, and then more cleaning up. Add in work, life, and kids in-between each step, and you’ve got a more accurate picture of how long it’ll take.
   
   
   
2. Don’t skip the prep. Whether it’s a paint job or assembling a shelf, do your research, gather your materials, and set aside uninterrupted time to complete your project. Clean as you go for your own sanity!
   
   
   
3. Document your progress. When I’m in the throes of a project, I often feel restless and annoyed at its unfinished-ness. I forget or am too lazy to document the progress because I’m eager to get it over with. Taking pictures helps me to appreciate the process and I always love going back to see what the space used to look like after a transformation because I inevitably forget! (See Point 1: It always takes longer than you expect)
   
   

This last weekend, we finally began to cover some walls with photographs and artwork, which feels like we’re moving closer to the finish line!

I hope you’ve enjoyed having a peek into the process and have been inspired to tackle some home projects of your own.