Gather a few materials and supplies before getting started.

• Wagner FLEXiO 4000 HVLP Paint Sprayer
• Benjamin Moore black paint
• Benjamin Moore white paint
• Ladder (optional)
• Power drill with drivers and drill bits
• Hose
• Cleaner and Degreaser
• Painter's tape
• Painter's plastic or masking paper
• Small paint brush
• Dust mask
• Gloves
• Cleaning towels

Reaching the top of your home to remove your shutters can be a daunting task if you don’t have a tall enough ladder or the confidence to climb. If necessary, hire a handyman to remove your shutters. You can do the painting; you just need the handyman to remove the shutters.

Shutters are filthy because of the beating they take day in and day out. Wash off the shutters with a hose to remove cobwebs. Follow the spraying with a cleaner and degreaser, or use a mixture of vinegar and water.

Let the shutters completely dry before painting. For this part of the project, the easiest way to paint your shutters is with a paint sprayer. I'm using the Wagner FLEXiO 4000 HVLP Paint Sprayer.

Painting shutters with louvered openings would be tortuous to do with a paint brush. When using a paint sprayer like the Wagner FLEXiO, you simply pour your quality exterior paint into the cup (you shouldn't have to thin the paint), twist the handle into place, plug in the blower, pick your spray pattern (they even provide a large paper practice spray pattern sheet before you start spraying on your "real" project), then start painting!

As you're working, if you need to adjust the paint sprayer, there are a couple dials on the handle, such as the adjustable pattern width and the material flow control. On the blower, you'll find the variable airflow control.

Add 1-2 coats of paint on your shutters. Because the FLEXiO applies paint well, you may only need one coat, but add an extra coat for better coverage.

Let the shutters completely dry before reattaching them to the house. Shutters attached to siding are easy to reattach with exterior screws. To attach shutters to brick, use a hammer drill and concrete screws if necessary.

Just like cleaning your shutters, you definitely need to clean your garage doors before painting them. You can use the cleaner and degreaser, but you can also use a mixture of vinegar and water.

To clean my garage doors, however, I used 30-Second Outdoor Cleaner. Mold and mildew gently removes the grime from your home and garage doors. Using a pressure washer on your siding is too intense and shouldn't be used on siding. However, there are several brands of ready-to-spray cleaner that simply attaches to a garden hose and once sprayed on, can be easily hosed off.

Trim around doors and windows often gets rotted. Used a rotted wood restorer first, followed by the wood filler to patch the rotted wood.

Let the wood filler dry for 2 hours, then sand as smooth as possible. Put painter's tape down underneath of the area you're patching to prevent dripping the wood filler onto your concrete or flooring.

Using painters plastic or masking paper with painter's tape to tape off around the garage to prevent overspray. You'll also need to remove any glass inserts in your garage doors. This step needs two people: one to hold the insert with glass, and the other to unscrew the insert from the inside.

The key to getting good results when using your FLEXiO is to spray about 6" to 10" from the surface. Keep the paint sprayer moving, while overlapping sections. Your paint should be “drips and spills free.” Adjust your spray pattern as necessary. Be sure to put paper behind your garage door windows before painting to prevent overspray from going inside the garage.

Exterior lamps aren’t something we think a lot about, but they can add a touch of charm and warmth to the exterior of your home. Take note that very old “vintage” lighting can have mounting hardware that may not be compatible with the new hardware of the replacement light. Hire an electrician, if necessary, to update your lighting. Look for exterior lights that cut on automatically at dusk and fits your home’s style.

Let's take another look at how homes can be neglected over time:

• Mismatched shutters
• Broken sconces
• Dirty siding
• Dingy garage doors

But with a couple cans of paint and a Wagner FLEXiO 4000 HVLP Paint Sprayer, you can completely transform your home into a lovely, updated home--something you can be proud of!

This sponsored post was created by Serena with Thrift Diving.