As some of you may know I have been focusing on how to reuse more and throw away less at home and in the Kelly Sherman Design world. Sometimes this is easier said than done of course, especially when there are so many convenient, disposable things out there to use. But I have kind of made it a challenge to myself to see just how clever I am and come up with ways to do it.
So today I will share some of the ideas I come up with in the shop. My main focus for the design business is to sell healthier, more eco-friendly sustainable products but the process is important too. If the paints are better but I throw away so much unnecessary waste am I really doing much good after all?
Here is a pic of some of the tools I use with this in mind.
So starting at the left on the top row-
1. Art paint brushes – I got these for a dollar or two in the clearance section of Michael’s. They are great for touch ups and fixing the places where there is supposed to be a straight line but because of your (my) inability to use blue painters tape there isn’t. Something like these. The main thing is the bristles are stiff to give you better control.
2. Foam brushes – These are usually thought of as disposable but they shouldn’t be. They hold up to numerous washing and can be reused over and over. I label mine with what I used it for with marker on the handle. That way I can reuse it to apply clear finish without having to worry there is still a bit of paint I didn’t wash out still in there.
3. & 4. Foam rollers and roller handle – I know these aren’t biodegradable etc but they hold up well to washing and reusing. If they would make something I could use and compost I would be all in, but they don’t. So I use what I can reuse. These are great for getting a very smooth coat of paint and they come in a bunch of sizes for all different projects. I label mine on the edge in marker so I know what I used it for. I use a lot of white paint so there is no reason to use a new one each time.
5. Sanding sponge – This looks slightly like a scrubby pad you would wash dishes with but it’s actually like sandpaper. These come in different grits and I use the fine grit in between coats of finish to get the rough stuff smooth. These are also great to use when paint stripping and can be squished into little corners. And when cleaning up and some paint has dried and it’s hard to get up, use this. The best part is you can wash and reuse and they last a long time. I usually have at least two in rotation – one marked “poly” and the other “paint”. I try to keep things separate so I don’t get paint flakes in my clear finish.
6. An old spoon – This is a spoon that has lost the rest of it’s set. I use this daily. Paint stores love to give you handfuls of paint stirrers that you use once and throw away. Use this instead (or a bigger serving spoon for gallons of paint) then wash. It’s very handy for scooping out small amounts of paint into a small roller tray without having to pick up a whole gallon and worry about spilling. It doesn’t soak up a lot of paint and is easy to wipe off so you waste less paint. And it’s easy to clean. (p.s. – That is not paint stuck to the spoon. That is the reflection of the ugliest neon yellow fleece you will ever see that I paint in)
7. 5-in-1 tool – There are way more than 5 uses for this thing. Mostly I use it to open paint cans and strip paint. But it did help me gently scrape off a glob of dried paint off a drawer and loosen a screw the other day. This is also very washable.
8. Metal bristle brush – This brush will save you lots of money. Really, you say? Yes, I say. When you have paint that has dried on your paint brush bristles take this and comb the bristles while you rinse the paint out. When you have dried paint on your spoon, roller handles trays, anything really you can use this to scrub it off. It will keep all of your tools in good shape and clean of paint which means you don’t throw it out and have to buy a new one.
Other tools that I didn’t take a picture of:
9. Good paint brushes – If you buy good quality paint brushes, clean them when you are done (or taking a break) with the help of your metal brush, you will have them for a long time.
10. Jars with lids – Currently the half a gallon of primer I have is divided into 2 glass pickle jars I had saved. After opening the paint lid 400 times it was dented and useless. I put the primer in the jars so it won’t go to waste. (I used a sheet of plastic between the jar and lid to get a tighter seal). Once I use the primer I can reuse the jars in the shop. Jars are also great at holding lots of stuff while letting you see it making it easier to find.
11. Rags – I use rags for cleanup, for wiping off stain, for lots of things. Any kind of fabric will work and may give new purpose to those stained shirts. I highly recommend using shirts from old boyfriends. Cutting them up and wiping up paint is cathartic.
12. Shower curtains – if yours has seen better days use it as a drop cloth. Mine has stood up to my stripping furniture on it and is easily wiped off.
I could go on and one but these are some basics. Many of these come about because I didn’t have the things I wanted to use (paint stirrer) and looked around for something that would work instead (spoon). Many times I find I like the new fangled contraption better and keep using it. Or maybe I’m just cheap. I am Scottish as TB likes to remind me.
