One of the easiest DIY projects that you can do around your house is painting. To paint like a pro, check out these tips that will keep your project rolling on smoothly.

• Prime before you paint. Although it may be tempting to skip over the primer, it helps provide a good surface for your paint, and will make sure your paint stays true to the color swatch you picked out.
• Use an edge pad. This will help you maintain clean lines around door frames, edges of the ceiling, and in the corners.
• Rule of thumb: 1 gallon of paint for every 400 square feet. This can vary if the wall is textured or the surface is unprimed.
• Wash those walls. Wiping down your walls before you paint will help the paint stick better to a clean surface.
• Lastly, use a drop cloth. Unless you plan on painting the floor, a drop cloth is cheap and will save you time picking out the paint drops that fell onto the carpet.