How could this have been prevented? There’s a rather simple solution to be positive that will not occur again. You need a Fabric And Paint Chip Notebook.

A Fabric And Paint Chip Notebook is easy and fairly quick to make, then keep updated. It holds samples of the colors throughout your home, such as walls and ceilings, curtains and drapes, linens, etc.

There’s more than one way to make one of these, and it doesn’t have to be in a notebook. You can change it to fit your particular likes and needs.

What To Do

First, you will need a small purse or pocket size spiral notebook, small blank 3 x 5 index cards cut in half or heavier stock paper, cut in small squares, a small paint brush, and something such as newspaper to paint on.

When you paint a room, before beginning the room, take a half of the 3 x 5 index card or square of stock paper, and paint one side of it with the paint you are about to use for the room. Make sure your surface is covered with the newspaper to prevent an accident. Allow this to dry. The reason I like to paint the sample first is that if I wait until after painting the room, I might run out of paint, or forget to make the sample.

Do this for each room or part of a room that you paint, each time, unless it is the exact same color. Once the sample is dry, tape or glue it into the notebook, and on the same page, write the paint color name, type of paint, such as latex or oil based, and the room or room area it was used on.

Fabrics can be done in the same manner. When you buy new drapes, for example, it is often hard to match colors. It doesn’t have to be difficult. Curtains and drapes usually have huge hems. You can carefully use sharp scissors, turn the curtain over to expose the hem area, and cut a small spot to place in your notebook. It is important not to cut through, of course. This also works well for some bed linens, but not always. If there is not enough of a hem to take a sample without it being obvious, I opt for no sample rather than ruining the piece.

While this might bother some, cutting a small area of their drapes and linens, it’s a nice idea when it comes to shopping for those matching colors, plus it saves many repeated and unnecessary trips back to the store for returns.

Wall paper samples are the easiest and most convenient to place in the notebook. Simply cut a small sample of the wall paper, place it in the notebook, and make a note of the name of it, perhaps even the place of purchase, and the room or room areas it’s located in.

Perhaps you’d like to buy color coordinated items to match wall decor. Some items, such as a painting, cannot have a sample taken from it to place in your Fabric And Paint Chip Notebook. One idea is to take a photo of the object with a digital camera, in good lighting, so that the finished photo’s colors match that of the actual object. You might print this off on good photo paper and add to your notebook, or keep with it.

Decorating the home can cause frustration to take the place of what should be a fun and exciting time. Don’t let mismatched colors bring you to the point of gloom and despair. Try making your own Fabric and Paint Chip Notebook.

Learn more about this author, BlondieWrites.

The purpose of this guide is to help you eliminate the learning curve. Painting a wall is not difficult. The effort is in the preparation. Though it may take extra time up front, it will save you from having to clean up your mistakes afterwards, which can cost considerably more of your valuable time. Good preparation also assures you of a clean, professional looking paint job.

To start, you’ll need to choose the color. It sounds simple, but be aware that the lighting and shadows in the store where you select the color are different from those at home. Buy a small sample bottle, paint a large poster board with the color and place it around the room on the walls you want to paint. Looks good? The family likes it? Let’s get started.

When selecting interior house paint, look for latex paint. As opposed to oil-based paints, it washes easily out of your brushes with soapy, warm water and those inevitable drips and spills can be wiped away without panicking. You’ll also need paint primer as your first coat. It saves you from having to put on multiple layers of wall paint to cover the color beneath. There are also textured paints and wall paint designs that you can apply to your room, but to begin, let’s address the basics.

Before you start, you’ll need the following supplies: drop cloths, paint rags, paint trays, paint rollers, an angled paint brush for corners, an edging tool with rollers for painting along the ceiling and masking tape or blue painter’s tape, which lightly sticks to surfaces without pulling off the paint when removed. You will also need a step ladder for the upper areas of the wall.

First off, move your furniture away from the walls. Put your drop cloths on the floor and cover any furniture that is still within splattering distance. This step will save you a lot of cussing later on. Next, remove the wall plates from the outlets and light switches. Mask the crown and base molding, door frames or any other immovable objects along the wall that you don’t want painted.

Using the angle brush, paint down the corners of the walls, around the outlets and light switches and in any small areas where the roller won’t fit. Use the edging tool to paint along the border of the wall and ceiling. It will also work if your walls are bordered with crown and base molding. The rollers on the outer edge of this tool keep your paint from getting on the ceiling or molding and glide the paint across the wall in a nice, clean line.

Now, you’re ready to roll! Though it looks like you have a lot of surface left to paint, this step goes the quickest. You’ve actually done all the detail work, so just dip your roller in the paint tray and enjoy the feeling of instant gratification! The roller covers so much surface with each application, that it’s surprising how quickly you’ll be able to step back and congratulate yourself for a job well done!

Just one more thingDon’t forget to clean up!

Learn more about this author, Michele Preddy.