Thanksgiving touch-up checklist: get your home guest-ready in one afternoon

Guests are coming. The turkey is ordered. And now you're noticing every scuff in the hallway. You don't need to repaint before the holidays. Most of what guests actually see can be fixed in one afternoon, one small spot at a time.

Here's a room-by-room touch-up checklist, starting with the places people notice first.

Before you start: three quick rules

• Clean first. Wipe the mark with a damp cloth. Many scuffs are just rubber or dirt and come right off.
• Match color and sheen. A shiny patch on a flat wall shows even if the color is right. Leftover paint from the original can is the best match.
• Keep it small and thin. Paint only the damaged spot and feather the edges. Two thin coats look better than one thick one.

1. Front door and entryway (10 minutes)

This is the first thing every guest sees. Look for kick marks at the bottom of the door, worn paint around the knob, and chips on the door frame.

Use a small brush for edges and frames. The White Cabinet & Trim Enamel is a semi-gloss white made for doors and trim, with the brush built into the bottle.

2. Hallway walls (10 minutes)

Hallways collect furniture rubs, shoulder marks and suitcase bumps. For the flat part of a wall, a roller blends in better than a brush, because the texture matches the rest of the wall.

The Touch-Up Paint with Built-In Roller lets you squeeze, roll and cap it. No tray to wash. If you have your original wall paint, pour it into an empty refillable roller bottle for an exact color and sheen match.

3. Nail holes from last year's decorations (15 minutes plus drying)

Took down pictures to make room for holiday decor? Fill the old holes before guests arrive. Press in a little spackle, let it dry, sand it smooth, then paint.

The Nail Hole & Wall Repair Kit puts the spackle, spatula, sanding sponge and touch-up roller together in one bottle. Give the filler time to dry fully before painting. That's the step most people rush.

4. Baseboards and trim (10 minutes)

Vacuum bumps and shoe scuffs show up at eye level when guests sit down. Wipe the baseboard, then brush a thin coat of semi-gloss over the chipped spots. No tape needed for small repairs.

The Touch-Up Paint with Built-In Brush is made for narrow edges like these.

5. Kitchen cabinets (10 minutes)

Everyone ends up in the kitchen. Check the cabinet edges near the sink, the trash pull-out and the toe-kick. Clean off any grease first so the paint sticks, then touch up the chips with a thin coat.

6. Dining table and chairs (5 minutes)

Scratched table legs and chair rails get noticed when everyone sits down to eat. Wood Stain + Poly Touch-Up colors and seals the scratch in one step, in Espresso or Golden Oak.

7. Crayon or marker on the walls (5 minutes)

Have kids in the house? Regular paint won't hide Sharpie or crayon. It bleeds back through. Cover it first with the Stain Blocker, then paint over it. Here's the full guide: how to cover Sharpie and crayon on walls.

Don't know your wall color?

Lost the paint can? Snap a photo with our free Color Match app. We'll name the color and fill a Custom Color-Match bottle in your shade. Order early, because custom colors are mixed to order. Always test a hidden spot first.

Your holiday touch-up timeline

• 2 weeks out: Walk the house with a guest's eyes and make a list. Order what you need.
• 1 week out: Fill nail holes and cover any stains, so the filler and primer have time to dry.
• A few days out: Paint the touch-ups and check them in daylight.
• The day before: Relax. The house is ready.

Free shipping on orders of $25 or more

Everything above ships free on US orders of $25 or more. If you're in the Raleigh, NC area, you can also choose free local pickup at checkout.

Ready to get guest-ready? Shop Quick Home Fixes & Holiday Touch-Ups.

Mr. Brushable™ was invented in Raleigh, North Carolina by David Sparks. The bottle is the brush. Patent pending.