I know very few folk who decorate their own homes these days.  It was always Dad’s job, with Mum running around helping with the wall papering and the rest of us just trying not to get in the way wilst offering our best decorating tips to them!   I do well remember there would be a discussion around the meal table some time in January – the annual and never changing season to put right all the wrong in the house by the end of summer.   Of course the paints and colours were all different then, what seems a garish display of over used colours was essentially bright and cheery after so many dullyears of war time and all the rationing that entailed.  I wellremember that once the colour choices had been submitted, we would watch as the process unfolded.  Fiurstly the spring cleaning, absolutely essential if a good job was to be done.  everywhere was vacuumed and then scrubbed with warm soapy water and stubborn marks were got rid of more drastically with brillow pads or scrubbing brushes.  Then once the cleaning & drying of each area had finished, the decorating gear came out and the woodwork was rubbed down and washed down again.  Then any ceilings would be done before taking to the walls.  Systematic if nothing else!