Guide · 19 March 2026 · 4 min read
How to prepare your home the day before painters arrive
A one-evening checklist that shortens the job, protects your things, and prevents the two arguments that come up on almost every site.
Good crews bring their own sheeting and do their own moving. Your job the night before is smaller than you think, but it matters.
The evening-before checklist
- Take down photo frames, mirrors, curtains and curtain rods. Wall plugs can stay.
- Empty the tops of wardrobes and bookshelves — that is where dust settles worst.
- Bag anything fragile or sentimental and move it to one room that will be painted last.
- Clear a 2ft walkway from the main door to the balcony for material movement.
- Decide where the crew can fill water and wash tools, and tell them on day one.
The two arguments worth pre-empting
Switchboards and fittings. Agree in advance whether switch plates come off (cleaner line, slight risk to old fittings) or get masked. Say it out loud before the first roller is loaded.
Ceiling fans and AC units. These need to be covered or dropped. Confirm who is doing it and whether an electrician is needed, so nobody is standing around on day two.
What to expect during the work
Putty sanding is the dusty stage — expect a fine layer everywhere for a day, even with sheeting. It cleans up completely. The paint smell from a low-VOC emulsion clears in about six hours with the windows open.
Before you make the final payment
Walk every room with the supervisor and a torch, held flat against the wall. Raking light shows roller marks and missed patches that a straight look never will. Note them all in one list — a good crew fixes the whole punch-list the same day.