Spray paint is the absolute worst but it's so alluring—it promises easy use (good!) but is super terrible for the environment (bad!). So, when faced with fixing-up a few little holiday pieces we found at a rummage sale, I was less than enthusiastic about getting started—one of the pieces was a little intricate and both items would need several coats of paint. Read on for how I turned this laborious task into a quick and easy one.

Before I go on, you may wonder why I didn't consider eco-friendly spray paint. First, it's difficult to find and I've also read (TreeHugger article) that it's still not the best option for something that can be painted with a brush.

Back to topic...

While shopping for a few unrelated supplies, I found a little tool that made my upcoming project so much easier. It's so obvious and I've used larger versions before but I never thought of it for this use: a 4" roller brush can do wonders on small intricate projects. Available at most paint stores, I purchased our 4" roller (with high capacity knit) from Home Depot for $4.97.

It was a win win situation: I was able to use eco-friendly Benjamin Moore paint, not chase down low-VOC spray paint, and save time.

I hope this little tip can help you save time on your next project!

(Image: Landis Carey)