How to Prepare Your Home for Interior Painters

Hiring professional interior painters should make your project easier, not give you a long list of painting prep work to complete yourself.

You generally do not need to patch every hole, sand the walls, tape off trim, cover the floors, or prime surfaces before your painters arrive. Those steps are often part of the professional preparation process, depending on the scope of your project.

What homeowners can do is make the space easier to access, remove personal belongings, finalize important decisions, and let the painting crew know about anything that may affect the project.

Here is how to prepare your home before your interior painters arrive.

Need Help Choosing Paint Colors?

Qualifying MGM Painting Co. projects include a free professional color consultation through our partnership with Guiry’s Color Source. Our customers can meet one-on-one with a professional designer who can help coordinate colors for walls, trim, cabinets, exteriors, and other painted surfaces.

This can make the color-selection process much easier, especially when you are painting several rooms or updating the overall color palette of your home.

What Should You Do Before Painters Arrive?

Most homeowners only need to take care of a few basic things before painting begins:

Remove wall decorations and personal belongings
Move small or fragile furniture out of the work area
Clear countertops, shelves, and other surfaces
Make sure painters can easily access the rooms being painted
Finalize paint colors and finishes
Identify any areas of concern you want the painters to inspect
Make arrangements for pets and children
Confirm which surfaces are included in the project

Your painting contractor should explain anything additional that needs to be done before the scheduled start date.

Confirm What Is Being Painted

Before the project begins, make sure you understand exactly what is included in your painting estimate. An interior painting project can include much more than walls. Depending on the project, painters may also be working on:

Ceilings
Baseboards
Crown molding
Window trim
Doors and door frames
Closets
Built-in shelving
Cabinets
Accent walls
Stairways
Railings

Knowing the scope ahead of time makes it easier to determine what needs to be cleared. For example, you probably do not need to empty a closet if only the bedroom walls are being painted. If the inside of the closet is included, however, clothing and stored items will need to be removed.

Finalize Your Paint Colors

Try to finalize your paint colors and finishes before your painters arrive. Waiting until the project has started to make color decisions can slow down the schedule and make it more difficult to order the correct products. Consider factors such as:

Natural light
Artificial lighting
Existing flooring
Cabinets and countertops
Furniture
Trim colors
Adjoining rooms

MGM Painting has put together serveral articles to help you choose the right color for different rooms of your home. We have covered kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, offices, and many more in our blog.

MGM Painting also offers a complimentary color consultation service through our partnership with Guiry’s Color Source. For more information on this, visit our Color Consultation page.

Remove Wall Decorations

Take removable decorations off the walls before painting day. Place these items somewhere outside the painting area so they are protected while the work is being completed. This may include:

Framed pictures
Artwork
Mirrors
Clocks
Shelves
Decorative signs
Hanging plants
Wall-mounted accessories

Nails and Picture Hooks

Take removable decorations off the walls before painting day. Place these items somewhere outside the painting area so they are protected while the work is being completed. This may include:

Framed pictures
Artwork
Mirrors
Clocks
Shelves
Decorative signs
Hanging plants
Wall-mounted accessories

Small Furniture and Fragile Items

Small furniture is usually easiest to move completely out of the room.

Consider removing:
Side tables
Lamps
Floor decorations
Small chairs
Plant stands
Electronics
Decorative objects
Breakable items

Removing these items gives painters more room to work and reduces the chance of something being accidentally damaged. You should also remove valuables, important documents, medications, jewelry, and other personal items from the work area.

What About Large Furniture?

You usually do not need to completely empty every room. Large furniture can often remain in the room as long as there is enough space for painters to safely access the walls and ceilings.

Depending on the project, larger pieces may be:

Moved toward the center of the room
Shifted to another area
Covered and protected during painting

Do not assume you need to move heavy furniture yourself. Before painting day, ask your contractor what they would like you to move and what the painting crew can handle

Countertops, Shelves, and Surfaces

Painters need clear working space around the surfaces being painted.

Remove items from:

Kitchen countertops
Bathroom counters
Open shelving
Mantels
Window sills
Built-in shelves
Desks positioned against painted walls

This is particularly important when painters are working around trim, cabinets, windows, or built-ins. You do not need to completely reorganize your home. The goal is simply to give the painters enough room to work without having to move personal belongings.

Should You Remove Curtains or Blinds?

That depends on what is being painted and how the window treatments are installed.

Curtains are usually simple to remove and may be worth taking down before painting begins.
Blinds, shades, and more complicated window treatments may be handled differently.

If painters need access to the window trim, ask your contractor whether you should remove the window coverings or whether the crew will take care of them. Avoid removing complicated hardware unless you know it needs to come down.

Do You Need to Empty Closets?

Only if painters need access to the inside of the closet. If closet interiors are included in the project, remove:

Clothing
Shoes
Boxes
Items stored on shelves
Hanging organizers
Other personal belongings

If the closet is not being painted, you may be able to leave everything where it is. Confirm this with your painting contractor before unnecessarily emptying multiple closets.

Do You Need to Clean Your Walls Before Professional Painters Arrive?

Usually, you do not need to wash every wall in the house before painters arrive. Professional surface preparation should address the conditions of each wall before paint is applied.

However, let your painting crew know about unusual contamination or problem areas such as:

Kitchen grease
Heavy dirt or grime
Smoke residue
Water stains
Mildew
Food splatter
Heavy fingerprints or buildup
Residue around fireplaces

These areas may require additional cleaning or specialized preparation before painting. If your contractor wants you to clean anything beforehand, they should be able to tell you exactly what needs attention.

What Prep Work Should Painters Handle?

One of the biggest misconceptions about hiring interior painters is that the homeowner needs to prepare the walls before the professionals arrive. In many cases, surface preparation is one of the most important parts of the professional painting process. Depending on the condition of the home and the project scope, professional prep may include:

Filling nail holes
Repairing minor wall damage
Patching drywall
Sanding repaired areas
Caulking gaps
Scraping loose material
Cleaning surfaces when necessary
Protecting floors
Covering furniture
Masking surrounding surfaces
Removing switch and outlet covers
Spot priming repaired areas
Applying primer when needed

Do Not Do Extra Prep Without Asking Your Painter

Before sanding, patching, caulking, or priming walls yourself, talk with your painting contractor. Using the wrong patching material, primer, caulk, or surface-preparation method can sometimes create additional work. If you have already repaired an area yourself, simply let the painters know so they can inspect it before coating.

Create Clear Paths

Interior painters may be moving ladders, drop cloths, tools, paint, and other equipment between different parts of the house. Make sure there is a reasonably clear path from the entrance to the rooms being painted.

Pay attention to:

Hallways
Stairs
Entryways
Landings
Doorways

Remove toys, boxes, shoes, pet supplies, and other items that could create obstacles. You do not need to completely clear unrelated rooms. Focus on the areas painters will regularly travel through.

Make a Plan for Pets

Painting projects involve open doors, unfamiliar people, equipment, and rooms that pets should not enter while work is underway.

Consider keeping pets:

In a room outside the work area
With a friend or family member
At daycare
In another secure area of the home

Let the crew know if there are pets in the house, particularly if an exterior door needs to remain closed or a pet has special requirements.

Keeping pets away from active work areas also prevents fur, dust, or curious paws from ending up on freshly painted surfaces.

Plan Around Children and Activities

For larger interior projects, think about how the work will affect your normal routine.

A few questions to consider include:

Which rooms will be unavailable?
Will bedrooms be painted?
Will you be able to use the kitchen?
Will a home office be accessible?
Will painters need access during work or school hours?
Where will children play while work is underway?

For whole-home interior painting, your contractor may divide the project into stages so you continue to have usable areas of the house.

Discuss the project sequence before work begins if there are rooms you need access to at specific times.

Homes Built Before 1978

Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint.

If your home falls into this category, let your painting contractor know before any sanding, scraping, demolition, or other work that could disturb older painted surfaces.

Do not aggressively sand or scrape old coatings immediately before the painters arrive.

Projects involving older coatings may require specific lead-safe work practices depending on the home and the work being performed.

Tell Your Painters About Damage

Before painting begins, point out anything unusual you have noticed.

This could include:

Cracks
Water stains
Peeling paint
Nail pops
Damaged drywall
Loose trim
Previous repairs
Areas where paint has failed
Stains that repeatedly bleed through paint

Not every surface problem is simply cosmetic. For example, an active water leak should be corrected before the affected surface is repaired and painted.

Professional painters can help identify coating and surface-preparation issues, but underlying plumbing, roofing, structural, or moisture problems may require another contractor first.

Do You Need to Leave the House?

Not necessarily. Many homeowners remain in their homes during interior painting projects.

Whether that makes sense depends on:

The number of rooms being painted
Where the rooms are located
The products being used
Ventilation
The project schedule
Children or pets in the home
Your sensitivity to paint odors

For larger projects, painters may work through the home in sections so you still have access to other rooms. Ask your painting contractor what to expect before the project begins.

Ventilation During & After

Ventilation can help move fresh air through painted rooms while coatings dry. Depending on conditions, this may involve:

Opening windows
Opening doors
Using ventilation fans
Adjusting airflow through the home

However, opening every window is not always the best approach. Temperature, wind, dust, humidity, and outdoor conditions can all affect the painting environment.

Follow the recommendations of your painting crew regarding ventilation during and after the project.

Painting Preparation Checklist

Before your painters arrive, run through this simple checklist:

Confirm which surfaces are being painted
Finalize paint colors
Remove pictures and wall decorations
Remove small furniture when practical
Put away fragile and valuable belongings
Clear countertops and shelves near painted areas
Empty closets only if closet interiors are being painted
Ask about curtains and blinds
Clear paths through hallways and entrances
Secure pets
Plan around rooms that will temporarily be unavailable
Point out stains, cracks, repairs, or other areas of concern
Tell your contractor if the home was built before 1978

Confirm anything else the painting crew needs from you before starting. Most importantly, do not assume you need to complete professional wall preparation yourself. Ask what is included in your painting estimate before patching, sanding, priming, taping, or moving heavy furniture.

Professional Interior Painting in Northern Colorado

A professional interior paint job should provide smooth, consistent coverage, clean lines, and a durable finish that complements the rest of your home. MGM Painting Co. proudly serves Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Timnath, Greeley, Wellington, and Johnstown with professional interior painting services.

MGM Painting Co. provides professional painting services backed by detailed preparation, quality craftsmanship, clear communication, a 5-star Google rating, and A+ accreditation with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Qualifying projects also receive a complimentary professional color consultation to help coordinate wall, ceiling, trim, cabinet, and accent colors throughout your home.

Contact us today to schedule your estimate and give your home’s interior a clean, professionally painted finish.

FAQs on How to Prepare Your Home for Interior Painters

Do I need to move all my furniture before painters arrive?

Not necessarily. Small furniture and fragile items should usually be moved out of the work area, while larger furniture can often remain in the room and be moved toward the center. Ask your painting contractor what they would like you to move before the project begins.

Do I need to clean my walls before professional painters arrive?

Usually, you do not need to wash every wall before painters arrive. However, areas with heavy grease, grime, smoke residue, mildew, or other buildup may require additional cleaning before painting. Let your painters know about any problem areas so they can determine the proper preparation.

Should I remove pictures and wall decorations before painting?

Yes. Remove artwork, mirrors, clocks, shelves, and other wall decorations before painting begins. This protects your belongings and gives the painters full access to the walls.

Should I remove nails and picture hooks from the walls?

Only remove nails or hooks you no longer need. If you plan to hang artwork back in the same location, let your painters know before they begin patching the walls.

Do I need to patch holes before professional painters arrive?

Usually not. Patching nail holes, minor drywall damage, and other surface imperfections is often part of professional preparation, depending on the project scope. Confirm what prep work is included in your estimate before making repairs yourself.

Do painters move furniture?

It depends on the painting contractor and the size of the furniture. Professional painters may move or reposition some furniture, while homeowners may be asked to move smaller, fragile, valuable, or especially heavy items. Confirm furniture expectations before painting day.

Do I need to remove outlet and switch covers?

Usually not. Removing and reinstalling outlet and switch covers is commonly handled as part of the painting preparation process. Ask your contractor if they need anything removed before they arrive.

Should I remove curtains and blinds before interior painting?

Curtains are often easy to remove ahead of time. Blinds and more complicated window treatments may only need to come down if painters require access to the surrounding trim or walls. Ask your contractor before removing any complicated hardware.

Do I need to empty closets before painters arrive?

Only if the inside of the closet is being painted. If closet walls, ceilings, shelving, or trim are included in the project, remove clothing and stored belongings so painters can access the surfaces.

Can I stay home while interior painters are working?

In many cases, yes. Whether you stay home may depend on the number of rooms being painted, the project schedule, ventilation, pets, children, and your sensitivity to paint odors. Your painting contractor can explain which rooms will be unavailable during the project.

What should I do with pets while my house is being painted?

Keep pets away from active painting areas and frequently used entrances. A separate room, pet daycare, or another secure location can help keep them safe and prevent them from interfering with the work.

How far should furniture be moved away from the walls?

There is no universal distance that works for every project. The amount of space needed depends on the room, furniture, wall height, and surfaces being painted. Ask your painters how much clearance they need before moving heavy furniture.

What should I tell painters before they start?

Let your painters know about cracks, water stains, peeling paint, previous repairs, damaged drywall, problem areas, pets, access concerns, or anything else that could affect the project. You should also confirm the surfaces being painted and your final color selections.

What if my home was built before 1978?

Homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Tell your painting contractor the age of the home before sanding, scraping, or other preparation work begins so they can determine whether lead-safe work practices are required.

How long should I wait before using a freshly painted room?

Drying and curing times vary depending on the paint product, temperature, ventilation, humidity, and surface being painted. Your painting crew can tell you when it is safe to use the room normally, move furniture back, or hang items on freshly painted walls.