For 24 years I've been a painter and decorator and I still am. I'm a good decorator as my clients over the years will agree to. Many of them have been with me for years and I consider their homes a part of me as there is a big part of me in them, blood, sweat and tears, literally sometimes...................although never visible in the finished product!

I intend to give some tips and ideas about decorating to those who are interested. The world of DIY is a big market and it's great for people to get on and have a go. Somethings are just too big for a DIYer or something that you might just not have the knack to do. That's when you'd call in some one who does it day in day out, a professional.

There are plenty of things that you can do yourself. But one thing that drives me nuts is them not being done properly. That's mostly down to the fact that you just don't know what to do. Of course the finishing touch is always the best bit, the fun bit. However, if you don't do the preparation properly and use good products and tools you will always get a rotten job. Even "professionals" who skip on the prep or use cheaper, inferior products will get rough results. You've all seen the TV shows about bad builders. Or even worse, in my opinion, the makeover shows that decorate a whole house in a weekend!!! NO, decorating takes time, takes care, takes preparation. Job satisfaction is multiplied a million times if you take the time to do the job properly and prepare.

This is your home, your safe space, your refuge that we are talking about. The love and the care you put into the decorating will manifest in the good energy surrounding when you've done and your sat admiring your handy work.

So there you go, this blog is about decorating and taking time to prepare before you start. Do your homework, ask questions, find the best tools, best products and allow yourself sufficient time to do a good job.

**TOP TIP**

Go to a TRADE supplier for your materials. This is the same stuff professionals use, it may be a bit more expensive that the stuff in DIY shops, but it is WAY better quality. Trust me, I'm a decorator!

I'm also an Essential Space Clearer, A Soul Coach and Reiki Drummer to name a few. I'll be writing more about hows these all fit together in future blogs.

Happy sunshine spring day

Barb