Honestly, I used to be super meticulous—like, taping off every edge and making sure even the inside of the closet looked perfect. But after painting a few rooms, I realized there’s a point where “good enough” is just... enough. Behind the fridge, under the washer? If it’s covered 99% of the time, I’m not sweating it. I’d rather spend that energy getting the trim just right or fixing those spots you see every day. Still, sometimes I get carried away and start touching up spots no one will ever notice. Old habits die hard, I guess.
Totally get where you’re coming from. I used to obsess over every inch too—spent way too long behind appliances and inside closets, only to realize nobody’s ever going to see it. These days, I focus on the stuff that actually matters, like the trim and the spots that catch the light. If I’m honest, I still catch myself fussing over a spot behind the door or something, but I try to remind myself: it’s a house, not an art gallery.
Funny thing is, the first time I painted my own place, I spent an hour making sure the inside of a linen closet was perfect... then filled it with towels and never saw the walls again. Lesson learned. Now I just aim for “looks good from five feet away.” If it passes that test, I’m moving on.
I get what you’re saying about obsessing over every detail, but honestly, I think people waste way too much time on spots no one will ever notice. I’ve flipped enough houses to know buyers care about the first impression—front door, main living spaces, maybe the kitchen cabinets if they’re picky. The inside of a closet? Never once had someone comment on that.
“Now I just aim for ‘looks good from five feet away.’ If it passes that test, I’m moving on.”
That’s exactly it. I call it the “open house test”—if it looks solid when you walk through at a normal pace, you’re golden. Spending hours behind appliances or inside closets is just burning daylight and budget. I’d rather get the job done efficiently and move on to the next project. Time is money, especially if you’re juggling multiple properties.
Not saying you should cut corners where it counts—trim and edges still matter—but perfectionism in hidden spots is just not worth it in my book.