Any surface you are going to paint on has got to be flat. It literally cannot be flat enough. The slightest ripple or texture can cause an annoying seam that will nag at you for years to come. When you think you've sanded enough, sand it once more, seriously. Then completely inspect it, make sure all dust is removed, apply a coat, wait and inspect before proceeding.

A dirty work area is never a good thing unless you are a pig farmer. When it comes to painting, a clean, organized work area is mandatory. Spilled drinks or smudges can destroy all of your hard work, loose garbage can blow into a wall, and the last thing that you want is to get moisture or dirt between the wall and the paint you just spent all of that time sanding.

While we have a formula for painting a room, we do this professionally and we keep large stocks, paint color mixtures on record, and distributors that can make almost any paint. As you are doing this yourself and don't likely do it too often, buy enough to allow for mistakes, AND to allow for touch ups down the road. A new coat of paint can peel or chip, and you might not find that mixture you chose at a later date if the hardware store doesn't carry or make it anymore.

And it can save you from making annoying, time consuming, and even costly mistakes. Tape all corners and seems, sills, anything where you want a crisp even line, that way when your brush goes out of bounds, you don't get a smudge, when you remove the tape, your line will be perfect. Be careful