This article is sponsored by Allway. All opinions are my own!
Unpopular Opinion
Painting is tedious. So many people I speak to say that it’s almost meditative for them. And I love that for them! But for me, it’s a tedious task. Maybe it’s because I don’t like doing the same thing twice, and painting usually requires two coats. So you’ve gone through the whole room, and now have to start from the beginning and do it all over again, leading to annoyance, which leads to cutting corners to get it done quicker.
I have a solution!
The Right Tools
See for me, part of the issue is that I have to bend over constantly to re-load my brush with paint. Since I don’t have fingers on my left hand, most handheld buckets don’t work because I can’t grasp the handle. As a busy mom of 3, my back already hurts, so I don’t need to add to that!
When I chose the Allway 12 piece Paint Project Kit I really wanted it because it’s still handy to have a smaller bucket when painting. That way I can lug that around with me while John keeps the larger paint can to refill his tray for the roller. See, I do the cutting, he does the rolling!
I’ll be honest, the product arrived and I tucked it away with my paint supplies, knowing I’d use it the next time I painted but not particularly excited for it. It was just a bucket and a few supplies, you know?
Well, the time came to paint this week when it was a rainy day. Since I couldn’t continue outside on our deck build I decided to finally finish up the bathroom details. That included painting the door. So I went and pulled out the new Paint Project Kit and started to open it up!
I cannot tell you ow excited I was when I finally tried it out. The handle is rubber which gives it more grip, and it’s close to the bucket, which means I could slide my left hand in there and it would stay put! I finally have a small bucket that I can hold with my left hand and save my back from the constant bending.
It’s All In The Details
The handle is great and I would have been happy if that’s where the features ended. To my surprise there was a couple more hidden gems to this bucket. The latch that holds the liners in (the liners being a great feature themselves!) has a few small magnets on it. What’s so great about magnets? It holds the paint brush vertically for you, so when you’re not using it the excess paint can drip back into the bucket and not into the brush itself. This eliminates so much mess and crusty brushes from paint drying up inside of them!
The sanding block being included is such an intuitive idea. Most paint kits on the market have a brush and roller, and something to hold the paint. But what about the prep? Sanding away any high spots and blemishes on the wall or door is essential to getting a great finish. Allway knows this, and brilliantly included that one little extra supply in this kit. Making it a truly complete paint kit for any job, big or small.
Let’s Talk Cleanup
Don’t lie. You know you’ve thrown away WAY TOO MANY brushes and rollers because you forgot to or just didn’t feel like washing them right away. Or, if you’re like me, one painting project leads to another and you leave the brush and roller for the first project just sitting out while you move on to the first coat of the second project. Yuck, so much crust on the brushes.
What if your brushes and rollers had their own coats? Ones that were washable and reusable, reducing wast of foil, ziplock bags, or whatever else you’re using to wrap up your paint supplies.
Tell me you’ve seen a cuter idea in your life, I dare you! These paint brush and roller ponchos are so cute and work so well! I was able to switch between coats on two different paint projects and there was no crusty brushes or rollers in sight. My favourite part is that they’re reusable and easy to clean. As I went along with painting the door and hallway trim I simply put the brush or roller I was done with into it’s own poncho and closed it up, then stacked them all beside the sink. Then when I was done painting it took only a few minutes to thoroughly wash every supply, including the ponchos, and they all fit nicely back into the bucket so they’re all there and crust free for the next time I need to paint. It usually takes at least twice the time because things have started to dry and are harder to wash away.
I Almost Forgot!
Let’s jump back for one second and talk about the paint itself. Have you ever mixed your paint with the stir stick from the store, or grabbed the can and shook it as hard as you could, but still ended up with uneven coverage of colour on your wall? I have.
The stir stick isn’t agitating your paint well enough, especially if it’s an older can that’s been sitting in the closet for months or years. And shake as you might, you’re still not the same as the machines they use in the paint department to mix your can.
Now that I’ve used this handy little mixer I won’t go back to the manual way. Almost everyone has a drill at home, right? So this mixer just attached right to the drill and gives your paint and good thorough mix. Then you just rinse it and all the paint residue washes away, leaving it fresh and ready for the next time you need it. You can also get it for larger 5 gallon tubs of paint if you have bigger projects in the works.
Paint alone has the ability to fully transform a room. Now that you know about these products that make the job even easier (and more fun!), you’re one step closer to a home that really reflects you, all while staying on a budget!
Until next time,
Oli
