Why You Should Always Keep a Roll of Painter's Tape Around
I am a planner. I like to think about things, and visualize them, and plan. I’d rather spend eight months looking for the perfect coffee table than get one at Ikea I knew I didn’t’ want long term (that really happened, btw).
Because I like to plan, and because I’m not super good at visualizing measurements, I block things out with painter’s tape. A LOT. I use painter’s tape so much that I keep a roll in my kitchen drawer. You know, the one that has a flashlight and a lighter and Post-Its and rubber bands? The stuff you use often. And I’m here to tell you, if you don’t already have a roll of painter’s tape within easy reach, you need to change that!
When I moved into this house, I had to leave the vast majority of my furniture behind, so I spent a lot of my first few months here planning what furniture I’d eventually get. I also planned out things like artwork on the walls, where to mount my TV, and what size rugs to buy. I used painter’s tape for all of these.
Sure, you could do the whole, “Well I’m 5’8”, so 6 feet is about, uh, here?” or you could just tape it out! Then you can stand back, see it from multiple angles, or, as I did recently with a kitchen rug plan, tape out multiple sizes and then leave the room, walk back in and see which feels right. Remember my spin bike accessory shelf that I hung on the wall? You know I taped that out first so I could see how big it would be and at what level I wanted to hang it. Just recently I used painter’s tape to help me choose what size yoga mat to buy:
And what size rug to get for my kitchen:
Yes, it is impossible to take a photo of potential decor items (or mirror selfies of you trying on your recent clothing haul) without Hero photobombing you.
The great things about painter’s tape:
It’s inexpensive and easy to find. Grab a roll on your next Target run. \
It won’t damage your paint, walls, floors, rugs, glass…. whatever you want to put it on. It removes easily and doesn’t leave any weird tape residue.
It’s sticky but not too sticky. it’s like masking tape but superior.
Because it’s blue, it’s prettier than masking tape for like, labeling your leftovers or whatever other mystery food stuffs you have in your kitchen. It’s also easier to remove and replace, and won’t leave your containers with ghostly tape residue (I’m not the only one who thinks painter’s tape is a kitchen essential)
You can use it for non-decor related planning too. I’ve seen people use it to make indoor hopscotch, or a racetrack, or all kinds of other things
Here’s a bonus, where you can’t actually see the tape because I rolled it to stick these paint samples (these paintable, removable decals I used don’t exist anymore but I loved them) to the wall so that the blue wouldn’t interfere with my paint color visualization:
Do you use painter’s tape once a week like I do? Do you also have trouble visualizing things in space and like to have a concrete representation of them to better plan? Or have you often found yourself purchasing something you’re sure will work and then get it in your space and realize you expected something different? Either way, you need painter’s tape in your life. It is a game changer.
