What a "Simple" Paint Project Taught Me About Non-Toxic Living
My daughter is heading back to college soon, and all summer she'd been asking to paint her bedroom white. We figured it would be an easy afternoon project. So she chose a white paint, we picked up supplies, and got to work.
If you've ever chosen white paint for your house, you likely know: it is not as easy as it sounds. We painted the entire room before realizing the shade was all wrong. 😬
The next day, I went back to the paint store. They assured me the color I'd picked — a popular, neutral shade — would work. We painted one wall. Wrong again.
By then we'd spent hours painting, money on paint we couldn't use, and my daughter was headed out of town — which meant the rest of the project was on me.
So I finally did what I should've done to begin with. I texted a friend with an interior design background who's helped me choose paint colors before. She gave me suggestions, I grabbed samples, tested them on the wall, texted my daughter pictures, and then bought the paint we decided on (we used Harmony® Interior Acrylic Latex from Sherwin-Williams in Snowbound — it's zero-VOC and GREENGUARD Gold Certified).
I ended up painting the room by myself. And what should've been an afternoon project turned into three days. 🤪
Lesson Learned
Ask an expert first, and get samples before you commit. And that lesson doesn't just apply to paint.
I've made the same mistake with non-toxic living — buying products marketed as "safer," only to find out later they were greenwashed with no real substance behind the claims. Other times, a genuinely non-toxic option just didn't perform well enough, so I'd try the next best non-toxic choice until I found one that actually worked.
That trial and error costs time and money. It's exactly why I do this work — so you don't have to learn it the hard way.
A Few Things I'd Tell Someone Starting to Make Healthier Choices at Home
Ask first. Work with someone who's already done the research — what's genuinely safer, what's just clever marketing, and what actually performs. It saves you time, money, and a lot of trial and error.
Try before you commit. Sample size before the gallon. One pot before the full set. Test before you overhaul.
Don't go it alone. You don't need to become an expert in ingredient lists or paint chemistry. That's what I'm here for.
If you're trying to figure out where to start — a room, beauty and personal care products, or a full home refresh — let's talk before you buy anything. It's a lot easier, and cheaper, to get it right the first time. Trust me!
Don't see a time that works for you? Reach out here and let's find a time.
