10 Amateur plastering tips

I am not a plasterer but I have been having a go.
Here, in no particular order, are my top plastering tips.

1. Keep everything clean. Plaster turns from a soggy gloop to a rock in 10 seconds if you don't.
2. Make everything wet. Yes, everything.
3. Use a mixer bit in an electric drill to mix the plaster. Shovel the plaster into the water in the bucket with one hand and power mix with the other.
4. One jam jar of water does half a square meter of finishing plaster and half an hour of panic. That's enough in one go.
5. Wet and smooth. Wet and smooth. Repeat. Repeat.
6. Use 600 grade wet and dry on the trowel before you start so it's smooth and shiny.
7. Get tools into the sink in water as soon as you've finished with them. Clean them asap.
8. Fill dips with a bit more plaster from the bucket, then smooth with the trowel.
9. Work fast and expect to make a mess. Prepare by covering valuables like the carpet.
10. Get a big picture to cover the wall afterwards.