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Taking on a DIY project can be an intimidating task, regardless of its size. There's always the lingering worry that you might make a blunder during the process, which could leave you with unwanted paint marks or needing to call out an electrician due to accidentally drilling into your home's wiring.

Luckily, in today's internet-savvy world, there are countless tips, tricks, and tutorials available online to assist you with virtually any task you can imagine. One woman who single-handedly painted her entire house has shared some painting hacks she wishes she'd known before embarking on her colossal project.

Molly Miller frequently shares home hacks and other DIY tips on her Instagram account, and recently revealed four hacks she would recommend to anyone painting their home's walls - including one paint roller trick that she claimed "saved" her walls from appearing patchy.

1. Achieve clean edges with a file folder

Molly confessed she would do "just about anything to avoid taping", so she discovered inventive ways to achieve clean edges around her skirting boards and doorframes without using copious amounts of painter's tape.

The simplest solution she discovered was to carry an A4 file folder with her. The folder caught the excess paint that would otherwise have splattered on her floor while painting her skirting boards, saving her the time-consuming task of laying down and later removing tape.

2. Utilise an edging tool for corners

An edging tool, also known as an edge trimmer, is a square device ideal for painting perfectly straight lines that rollers often find challenging. They can be used anywhere two right angles meet, such as where your wall meets a window or door frame.

Molly shared that she found the edging tool particularly useful at the top of her walls where they met the ceiling. Her home lacks coving, so the wall ended in a sharp right angle that a roller could have spoiled.

3. Pass your roller over a strip of painter's tape

The trick that saved Molly's walls involved running her paint roller over a strip of painter's tape before dipping it into any paint. This step is crucial if you're using a new paint roller, as the tape acts like a lint roller, catching any loose fibres from the roller that might otherwise get stuck to your walls under a layer of paint.

Molly advised: "This will prevent lint from getting on your wall and ruining your paint job."

4. Infuse your paint with essential oils

One of the most unpleasant aspects of painting a house is the dreadful smell of paint that fills every room. While it's difficult to completely eliminate this, Molly suggests adding a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the paint tin to help mask the smell somewhat.

However, caution is advised when adding oil to water-based paint as it could potentially reduce the paint's adhesive qualities, resulting in it not sticking to your walls properly. If you want your paint to have a more pleasant aroma, there are specially formulated fragrances available for purchase.

However, simply wearing a mask and opening a window should suffice in dealing with the fumes.

Viewers of Molly's video expressed gratitude for her advice. Many stated they were planning to redecorate their own homes soon and would utilise some of her tips to assist them on their DIY journey.

One individual commented: "Best tip was the tape on the wall to remove fibres from a new roller! When the fibres ended up on my walls, my painters thought it was no problem, until they had to redo the walls."

Another chimed in: "Love the loose fibre remover!"

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