Granting artistic license for the play on words in the title (some inspiration just can't be contained), there actually are basic steps to take before painting the surfaces in your home. Preparatory procedures are somewhat time-consuming and may seem more trouble than they're worth, but rest assured: Your extra time is well spent.

Properly primed and painted walls should still look great in 10 years, increasing the value of your home. In contrast, unprimed, poorly painted walls can chip and peel within a couple months or years, prompting more repairs at added expense to you. So take the extra time and do it right the first time. Here are a few tips how:

PREPARE THE ROOM

1. Turn off the electricity and take everything down from the walls and ceilings, including all electrical faceplates and fixtures. Wrap the exposed, disconnected wires and turn the electricity back on.
   
   
2. Remove as many objects from the room as possible; group the rest in the center of the room, covering entirely with a drop cloth. Cover the entire floor with a drop cloth.
   
   
3. Take down any trim pieces (i.e. chair rails) with a pry bar and wooden shims so you don't damage the wall or the trim.
   
   
4. Repair any damages to the walls. (Tips on fixing cracks in plaster walls below.): a. Widen the crack to 1/8-inch with a chisel; blow out the loose plaster. b. Fill the space by wiping the area with surfacing compound and pressing it into the crack. c. Seal the patch with primer and allow it to dry to prevent the patch from bleeding through new paint.
   
   
5. Clean the walls thoroughly to remove any dirt, grease, and loose paint. You can use mix up a solution at home with three parts water, one part bleach, and 1/2-cup laundry detergent, or use a chemical solution called tri-sodium phosphate (TSP). Apply either solution with a large sponge and rubber gloves. Move from bottom to top to prevent drips that could leave permanent streaks.
   
   

PREPARE THE WALLS

1. Tape off the windows, doors, and ceiling seams. You may also want to cover the windows themselves with newspaper.
   
   
2. Prime, prime, prime! This is the crucial element in a successful paintjob. Oil-based is recommended regardless of what type was originally used. Read the primer label and give it the full amount of drying time it requires. A little patience now means not having to redo the whole process in a couple years - unless you really want to, of course.
   
   

PREPARE TO PAINT

You've been a good do-it-yourself painter so far, and it's about time for all your work to pay off. But first, you need to have done a few things for the paint itself. Presumably, you've chosen the color you want, but it's not uncommon to get the paint home and be horrified at the hue once it's on the walls. A couple words of wisdom:

Ask for a small amount of the desired paint (a pint or quart), take it home, and check the actual color on a small, inconspicuous section of wall. Even when you're buying a small can, have it machine-shaken - the larger can will be, and you want the test to be as close to the actual as possible. If you end up really hating the color, take it back and have the store mix a custom shade for you. Remember that wet paint does not reflect the actual shade. Most paint needs about an hour to dry to the real color - oil-based paints can take as long as 24 hours to dry to the true color.

Having done the appropriate prep work and carefully selected the perfect shade of paint, it's time to start painting! The result in your beautifully painted room will transform the look of your home and, hopefully, make you glad you gave the extra effort.