Updated October 2026
The short version
Before interior painters arrive, clear small items, valuables and wall art, and decide where pets will be. Before exterior work, trim shrubs back from the walls, move patio furniture and grills, turn off sprinklers and leave gates and outdoor outlets accessible. Confirm the color list, start time and rooms in use the day before.
Inside: the week before
- Confirm the colors and sheens for every room in writing, so there are no decisions to make on day one.
- Plan where daily life moves while each room is being painted.
- Book the job around anything fixed, such as guests, deliveries or a listing photo date.
- Ask how furniture moving works: what the crew moves and what they would like you to handle.
Inside: the day before
- Clear small items, decor, books and anything fragile from the rooms and from shelves near the walls.
- Take down wall art, mirrors and curtains, or ask the crew to.
- Put valuables and medications somewhere outside the work rooms.
- Clear a path to each room and a spot for the crew's tools.
- Set aside a bathroom for the crew, if you can.
Large furniture can usually stay; painters move it to the middle of the room and cover it. Outlet covers, switch plates and hardware are removed and replaced as part of the job.
Outside: before an exterior job
- Trim shrubs and branches back from the walls so ladders and brushes can reach.
- Move patio furniture, grills, planters and hoses away from the house.
- Turn off sprinklers for the duration, so fresh paint stays dry.
- Leave gates unlocked, and outdoor outlets and water spigots accessible.
- Park cars away from the house and driveway edges during spraying or washing.
Pets and family
Paint smells, open doors and ladders are a bad mix for curious pets. Plan to keep them in a closed room away from the work, or out of the house on the busiest days. In homes built before 1978, keep children and pregnant family members away from any scraping or sanding until cleanup is finished.
What the crew takes care of
- Moving and covering large furniture, and putting it back afterward.
- Protecting floors, counters and fixtures with drop cloths and masking.
- Removing outlet covers, switch plates and hardware, and reinstalling them.
- Patching small holes and caulking gaps that are part of the quoted prep.
- Daily cleanup, so the house is usable each evening.
- Leaving labeled touch-up paint for each color.
If any of these are not in your quote, ask before the start date rather than on the first morning.
The day before: confirm the details
- Start time and how long each day runs.
- Which rooms or sides of the house are first.
- The full color list, with names and numbers.
- How you will get in touch with the crew lead during the job.
- What the crew will leave behind: labeled touch-up paint is worth asking for.
After the paint goes on
Give fresh paint its full dry time before hanging art or pushing furniture back against the walls, and keep windows cracked for airflow if the weather allows. Walk the rooms with the crew lead at the end and point out anything you want touched up while the paint and the crew are still there.
Written by Gloria Fenwick, Painting Guides Editor at Call Tip Top. Figures in this guide come from the published sources listed below and are checked when those sources update.
Sources used in this guide: