Paint Before and After Moving In

Moving into a new home is exciting! It can also be a stressful and busy time. You’re likely packing up your possessions, cleaning, organizing, changing your address, and more. One of the easiest and most cost-efficient ways to personalize your new home is to paint it. The question is: should you paint your new house before or after you move in? For some, it might be tempting to take advantage of the empty space. However, others might find it daunting to add more to their seemingly endless to-do list. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each option.

Pros and Cons of Painting Before Moving In

Eager to paint before the big move?

Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of painting before you settle in.

Pros:

• Less Prep – Easily, the biggest advantage to painting before you move into a new home is less prep time. With no furniture to move or cover, painting an empty room is much less work. The less prep you have to do, the more time you’ll save.
• Saves Money – Many people choose to hire a professional painter when they move. This way, you can save yourself time and ensure the best possible results for your new home. Painting an empty house will be faster and easier for your contractor, saving you money on labor costs.
• Personalize your Space – Sometimes, when you move into a new home, it might not feel like your own yet. Depending on your situation, you may even have mixed feelings about the move. Moving into a personalized space with colours that you love can make moving day a more pleasant, enjoyable experience.
• Get it Done – Checking a big task like an interior painting off your list right away can be a huge relief. If you wait, you might find you’re too busy with other things, tired after moving, or unmotivated to get started. Your project might get pushed back longer than you’d like.  

Cons:

• You May Not Like the Colour – The main disadvantage to painting your new house before you move in is choosing a colour. You’ll want to choose a paint colour that complements your current furniture and decor and this can be hard to do when you’re looking at an empty space. Don’t underestimate the power of lighting! Even if you choose a colour similar to your current home, it may look different with different lighting in your new space. If your paint colour clashes or you decide you don’t like it, you’ll need to redo the whole project, negating any advantages that might have come with painting before you moved in.

• Budget – Moving comes with a financial burden, whether it be a mortgage, rent, or moving costs. If you’re on a tight budget, your exterior painting project might have to wait.

Pros and Cons of Painting After Moving In

Think you should wait?

Here are some pros and cons of painting after you move in.

Pros:

• Gives You Time – By waiting to paint until after you move into a new home, you’ll have more time to consider your options. You’ll get to know your new space, which areas are high-traffic and low-traffic, where you get the most natural lighting, and how the light changes throughout the day. You may find yourself rearranging your furniture or choosing new furniture to suit your home. You’ll have time to try out different paint samples and see how they look next to your decor. Having time to carefully consider your options is less stressful than rushing to get the job done, and you may be more satisfied with the final results when painting commercially.
• You Can Check the Conditions of your Walls -It’s not uncommon for walls to get nicked or damaged during a move. By waiting to paint until after moving in, you’ll have plenty of time to repair any damage, dents, or scuffs on your walls rather than having to redo the work you’ve already done. This careful approach is especially important for homes with specialized surfaces like stucco, where experienced stucco painters are needed to ensure quality results.

Cons:

• Less Accessible – If you decide to wait until after you move in, you won’t get the benefit of painting an empty room. You’ll need to move or protect your furniture and work around it. You might risk getting paint splatters on your furniture and decor. Prep time and painting will take longer if you decide to wait.
• Adds to your List – After moving into a new home, you might find that your to-do list is longer than you think. Unpacking boxes, decluttering, and finding the best spot for your things can be exhausting. It’s easy to procrastinate on painting your walls and you might wish you’d completed the project before you moved in.

So what’s the final answer? Is it better to paint before or after you move into a new home? In the end, there’s no right or wrong answer, and the best decision for you depends on your specific situation. Don’t forget, you can do both! You can always paint a few rooms before the move but wait on others. For example, try painting a neutral bathroom or living room before the big move, but hold off on painting an accent wall or a colourful kitchen.

If you’re in the middle of moving, save yourself some time by calling a professional! Contact us at Perry Wellington Painting for a free estimate.