Hi "Bitter...",
You're showing very good promise by realizing that, in some cases, LOTSA P-I-T-A prep has to be done!

* Starting with a Shop-vac is very smart! Vacuum off EVERYTHING...ceiling, walls, trims, floors...
* This will obviously reduce dust getting back onto surfaces you're washing/rinsing.
* Next comes any ceiling & wall repairs. These usually require their own feather-sanding, but keep the shop-vac handy!
* TRIMS- This is where ya gotta get fussy! Slightly sand ALL glossy trims/doors with a 150-ish sanding-sponge or palm-sander. You don't need to "sand through" the exising paint, just give it a good, even scuffing SO PRIMER HAS A GOOD SURFACE TO CLING TO. This is prob'ly the most important step!
* PRIME EVERYTHING in your case! Poorly maintained homes need all the help they can get.

>>> Summarizing: 2 rounds of vacuuming...The initial cleanup; and "round 2" after wall/ceiling repairs, and trim-sanding.

>>> Finally!!! the priming phase...
* Premium Latexes are the best: C2-One, C2 WBP, Bullseye 123, Kilz 2, Kilz Premium, or the BM/SW top primers.
* You MAY need 2 FULL primecoats if your walls are real bad!! If the first coat seems to "disappear", use a 2nd coat.
* Pretend you're doing your last finish-coat when priming!
Your outer paintcoats are a reflection of what's underneath.
* Use top-notch roller-frames, roller-covers, and brushes. DON'T "cheap-out" on tools! I like the Purdy White-dove roller-covers.

Lastly...(no surprise!)...TWO FULL paintcoats!
Good Luck...and we expect pics!!

Faron

Bummer, I'm in Ohio, no C2 paint for me... Shoot, love the look of those colors. Is the Bullseye 123 the next best quality option for me? And lastly, is the primer I use on the wooden trim molding and the paneling, the same primer that I use on the drywall walls?

"Bitter",
Yes, you can use the same Latex primer throughout...just buy a good one!
* Also, yes, 123 is a good choice. Remember, 2 primecoats may be necessary if walls are in tough shape.
* And, I never really answered your first question! You can tint primers, but only necessary for real deep colors.
* On a similiar tack, don't leave primers "unpainted" for more than 2 or 3 weeks. They get too dried out & brittle to hold paint well if you wait too long.
* If you have any dark colors planned, a medium-gray primer would be called for.
* C2 does things a little different...some dark colors have colored primers that are even darker than the topcoat(s)!!
* There are a couple C2 dealers in Chicago...!
* If your trim is gonna be white or pastel-colored, Cabinet-Coat by Insl-x is a good choice too.

Faron