Decorating for the Hopeless.

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Eight months after moving into a council flat, I finally have time to start decorating. The flat needs it- the previous tenants graffitied the walls, and I just have sheets up for curtains. I also have a tenancy review coming up.

Now, I've been renting privately for 20 years, so have never done any decorating. I am clumsy, not in the least bit practical, and generally terrified of the whole thing. But we're expected to decorate. It seems to be assumed that all council tenants have natural DIY skills. Ask anyone about it and they say, "oh, it's not that hard once you get started."

Today I bought a masonry drill and attempted to put up curtain rails in the bedroom. All the steps looked managable, but the result was eight ragged holes in the wall, only two of which held the rawl plugs correctly. I don't know how to fill them back in. And I dread to think what I havoc I could wreak with all my new tins of paint....

At what point is it OK to throw my hands up and just blow a couple of months wages getting all this stuff done professionally?

Well, if its to much for you and you can afford to getting it done professionally then do it. Its fine, many people do that. For me its quite the opposite. I am practical enough, but i just lack the creativity for decorating. There are just metaphorical 1000 ways of doing it, so many decoration objects, so many styles, different placements, wich color to choose, how do things fit together, i dont understand it...

Peace
TK

You will need some spackle to fill in the holes. Here's a helpful guide for that: http://homefix.tips/how-to-spackle-holes-and-drywall-how-to-use-spackle/
Just note that you won't be able to re-drill into the filled in holes. There are dry wall repair kits for that sort of thing (and probably alternatives if you've drilled into brick or another material).

You may want to explore ways of hanging curtains without drilling holes into the wall. Alternatively, you should watch detailed videos on how to use the drill and if possible, practice on a similar material elsewhere. The next option would be to get some to help you hang them as a favor or for a small fee.

Painting the walls will be much easier. Make certain to do the necessary prep work:
-lining the skirting boards, door/window frames, and crown mouldings with painters tape
-thoroughly cover the floors with a secured sheet of plastic lining, old bed sheets, or newspaper.
*Make sure to squeeze out the paint roller or brush in the paint pallet prior to applying the roller/brush to the wall. Having too much paint on it can cause problems.
*Paint consistently in one direction (up and down is best) .
*You will need to apply at least 2 coats of paint to each wall

What other projects will you need to complete?

There is a reason why they say that...



First, there are billions of tutorial videos on youtube. Search and you'll find one that help you for whatever you need to know.

As mentioned earlier, use spackle and a fill in the hole.

1. Fill it out almost to the wall and wait 24 hours for it to settle (harden).
2. It may have crackelated over the day but that's not a big problem. Use sandpaper to level it if necessary.
3. Apply some more and use a pad to flatten it so it doesn't stick out of the wall. Drag with the pad over it a few times so it looks flat in relation to the wall. Wait another 24 hours.
4. Now, if it sticks out, use sandpaper once again.
5. Paint the walls or apply wallpaper.

You can use tape around the hole(s) to prevent too much spackle being applied to the wall. After you're done, remove the tape and whatever was behind is safe.

And unless you know how electricity works, stay away from wallsockets and call a professional. I could teach you, but it would take too long to explain here on the forums.

Just take it easy and plan ahead. Watch a few videos on youtube and learn. Learning how to do things builds confidence.

(getting fond memories of me and my father building a house back in the 80s...)

Why bother?
I've been in a council flat for a year now with what I call alexithymic chic. White walls and a mattress on the floor. A dude from the housing office once came to test my smoke alarm, looked around and said "did you just move in?"
I'd been living here six months. Unless you've got people to impress, why do it if it bothers you?

I didn't know council housing officers "expect" you to decorate; learn something new every day! If you're not that into it and don't care what the place looks like, I can't imagine anyone would complain if you just painted the walls to get rid of the graffiti, hired someone to install the fittings for curtains or blinds, did basic cleanup and left it at that.

There are people who can come and fit window treatments, some companies who even provide installation when you buy their blinds or curtains; you can go full professional like that, or go half-DIY by hiring the guy to drill the holes and fit the holding parts, then you put up your own store-boughts.

I wouldn't bother with wallpaper, go for a paint job, whether you hire a painter or do it yourself.

It's easy to paint a room -- I started doing it around my family home when I was a young girl. You just need to buy a small brush, a roller and pan set, plastic sheeting, masking tape, and enough paint for the size of the room, which you can find calculators for online or ask at the store. All this can be found cheaply at places like Wilco or even a pound store.

Tape off lines such as the skirting board and window frames. I often don't bother to tape and just use a steady hand with an inch-wide brush. Put down sheets to protect floors and furniture.
Edge-in first by taking a small brush and painting down and along all corners and all edges, around doors and windows. Then do the roller work to fill in the large areas left. It's fun and easy and the simplest way to transform a room. It's also the easiest thing to DIY. Everything else you can hire people for.

Thankyou for your feedback! I will learn to spackle, if only because it is an excellent word....

youtube has many videos on every topic, you could view them to see how its done and get inspired
also do you have anyone you can ask to help you with the works? might be good if someone showed you way

To paint baseboards or window trim, the tape idea is very good. I have another idea - I take a piece of thin cardboard - like the back of a writing pad - and slip the edge under the baseboard just in front of me as I follow along with the brush & paint. Makes a very clean line. Good luck!