I'm facing the same thing and was told by the paint lady at the Benjamin Moore store - not a problem. Wrap your brushes/rollers in tinfoil and put them in a plastic bag to keep them from going dry between times.

I'll be doing a wall at a time in my den - for the very reason of not having disposed of the existing furniture, etc. I'll tape and prime and let that cure, then do the wall and trim. Then go on to the next wall - kind of whenever I get organized enough. Each individual wall is a good stopping/starting point (as opposed to somewhere in the middle).

And - Leonardo didn't paint the Mona Lisa all at once.

duluth, thanks so much. I was hoping you'd say that. ;)

I recently did just that - I got started painting my bedroom but realized the furniture was heavier than I thought so I painted the areas I could get to, then went back and did the rest after someone helped me move everything. It was not a problem - I usually never can finish a paint project in one day, so I always wrap my rollers in foil or a plastic bag, works great.

Just be careful when you move the furniture back against the freshly painted wall, because it's easy to ding new paint. It's enough to make you scream to work hard at painting a wall and then promptly scrape it!

I've never wrapped rollers or brushes in foil, have just used a plastic bag with all the air pressed out and it worked very nicely.

BTW, those furniture sliders that look like six-inch-wide flying saucers with foam rubber on top are real miracles for moving furniture on carpeting. You may have seen them on TV under the name "Moving Men" but I bought a set on Walmart. I am not physically strong at all and yet with those I can move most furniture pieces easily - I was able to push a huge armoire across a room with these! Scraps of carpet turned upside-down and slipped under furniture legs work equally well when going over tile or hardwood.

Somewhere I read to use BLACK trashbags - keeps the light out also. I wrap tightly in hvy duty aluminum foil, then put everything in a black trashbag, squeeze out the air and tie in a knot. It works!

I always heard to wrap them in foil and put in the freezer. That does work (just did it last month), but you gotta allow time for them to thaw out - LOL! Ask me know I know ....

I have wrapped my rollers and brushes in a black trash bag taking out the air and put it in my FRIDGE and that worked good. I never used foil and never had to defrost them either. take them out and they are ready to go! If you prime it is recommended you paint that wall within 3-4 hours after priming (it takes one hour for the primer to dry). One wall at a time is okay, just make sure your paint is mixed good each time. I usually take it back for another shaking if I wait too long. the pigment has a way of settling in the bottom of the can and of course you don't discover that until it is too late.
jonmari...i have a ultra heavy bed that I can not budge and I brought some of those furniture sliders and you are absolutely right. you can move anything with them. i have moved lots of furniture with them and never tried to move anything with them that was not a breeze. I recommend everyone to have a set of them on hand. I brought mines from biglots and they were even cheaper than walmart. they are kind of pricey in home depot. I have about 4 sets of them all sizes. be warned though... you buy these and you get so used to moving furniture so easily that you might find yourself rearranging furniture often just because you can, LOL!

I've painted around stuff piecemeal tons of times. I feather out the last edge of wherever I quit -- often mid-wall -- and just shove my brushes and rollers into a grocery store plastic sack overnight on the kitchen counter, then get back to it the next day. No problem.

The biggest problem I've found with painting little bits often is if you don't clean the can lid area well, you'll wear out the can top prematurely. Those foam brushes are super for cleaning out the little trough where the lid fits on.

MsJay, I have furniture sliders on some things that just get left in place (they were so hard to put there) but my super ultra-heavy bed also has huge feet. Did you find huge ones at BigLots? I'm going to have to look there. That's a great store. I still have doubts about being able to move my bed, though. They ought to make those sliders dark brown, not white.

I have done this lots of times. No problem.

Also, if you dent or clog a paint can top and it doesn't close properly, you can buy an empty paint can at Lowes or Home Depot and pour your paint into it.

Although you will feel silly buying an empty paint can, LOL....

oceanna I kept the sliders under my bed in the old house too and yes they come in a size like a chinawear saucers although I later figured out that the large size was not necessary. The pack I brought in Big Lots had different sizes in it. I had to get 3 sets because like you I left them under certain pieces.

mcclarke I was in Sherwin Williams and they gave me 2 empty small size pant cans for free because I was complaining about keeping the left over paint for touch up and when I went to touch up a year later the paint had dried up in the can. They suggested storing the leftover paint in small cans to stop that from happening.

Just last night I noticed HD sells them and they charge $5 for the empty can! I love HD but sometimes they make me sick! LOL

Thanks so much for all your very helpful advice. I knew I could count on you.

I got half-pint and pint-size paint cans for something like $2 apiece at either Lowes or HD. Quarts were $4-something, IIRC. I like to decant partially finished cans into the little can when the project is done just to make it easier to store as well as keep it from getting all gunky. I used a Sharpie marker to write the brand, type, sheen, color name and color code, and date on the can, and put a splotch of the paint on the lid. Lay a piece of plastic wrap right on the surface of the paint just like you would to keep pudding from getting a skin, then hammer the lid on so it's tightly closed and store the can upside down on the shelf. They don't break like the baby food and jam jars a lot of people use, so I don't feel the least bit silly buying empty paint cans. Besides, there are a lot of uses for empty paint cans besides paint, so for all anyone else can tell, you might be buying them to put homemade cookies in for gifts! :-)

I wrap my brushes and rollers whenever I don't finish a project. I find the paint glides on easier with a saturated roller. I usually use the wrapping the roller cover came in and use a bag tie to close it or saran wrap. I use disposable paint trays inside my metal tray. I do the same thing with the paint trays. I cover them with saran wrap and refrigerate.

I also store my left over paint in smallers cans as Johnmari suggests. It takes up less room.

I have stored paint for years and resued it for touch up. Works find.

Johnmarie, Thanks for the great idea about the best way to store leftover paint. I will use this for all those cans that are taking up room.

Thanks everyone also for letting me know paint brushes and rollers that are going to be used again the next day should be wrapped in saran wrap and refrigerated. I wish I knew all of this when I was painting samples last year.

This site is so wonderful with such knowledgeable members.