“How to Paint Your Room” by Erica Schauble is an eye-opening reflection about the seemingly mundane task of repainting one’s room. Erica describes the emotional changes a person goes through when changing the color of their “sanctuary.” She describes the necessary steps that need to be performed. Although most steps may seem obvious and unnecessary, they help develop a personality for the person changing the room. Throughout the piece, Erica sprinkles details from her own life, such as the “gray blotches…where you scribbled your crush's name over and over in pencil…” that were present in her own room. At the end of the piece, Erica shows how the person has changed and is content with the actions they took.

“How to Paint Your Room” is a very moving piece that I enjoyed reading. The sensory details, such as the light purple of the walls, that are present in the writing helps readers connect with the person painting their room. I empathized with some of the sensory details. For example, I laughed at the detail about the stenciled flowers, since my sister has had this experience.

I also enjoyed the symbolism throughout the piece. For example, she described filling holes a person had punched in their walls with putty, and then describing it as lumpy and in need of sanding. This symbolizes the mistakes and regrets a person had made and their attempts to correct them in the future. These corrections are unfortunately messy, but can be perfected over time.

Erica Schauble crafted this beautiful article to provide the inspiration for readers to change their bedroom and their life. With details both specific enough to craft a unique personality and general enough to let readers connect to the piece, “How to Paint Your Room” blends a perfect combination of words and symbols, like mixing paint for the perfect color.