How is this looking for a first-time insulation attempt in an attic?

You can't relly overdo the stapling on those sloped rafters. Gravity is going to be pulling on that fiberglass for the next thirty years, and even if it feels tight now, it can settle or bow once the drywall weight is pressing against it. I always staple the flanges to the face of the studs on sloped sections to keep everything dead flush. If you leave it to just a **friction fit**, you risk creating an air gap at the top wich ruins your thermal envelope.

For the outlet boxes, stop trying to cut a hole and start splitting the batt. Pull the thickness of the insulation apart like a piece of string cheese and tuck half of it behind the box and the other half around the front. It keeps the R-value consistent and prevents that annoying bulge that makes the drywallers hate you. If you just cut a square out, you're leaving a massive uninsulated cold spot right where the air likes to leak trough the electrical box anyway. The real trick to making batts work as well as spray foam is the **air sealing** you do before the insulation goes in. If you haven't allready, grab some cans of expanding foam and hit every wire penetration and top plate gap. Fiberglass is basially a giant air filter; it doesn't stop air movement at all. If wind is whistling through your framing, that R-15 or R-21 you're installing might as well be R-5. Around those window frames and subfloor gaps, don't be tempted to shove big chunks in. Compression is the enemy of fiberglass. When you crush it down to fit a small space, you're losing the air pockets that actually do the insulating. Use a sharp utility knife—change the blade way more often than you think you need to—and cut pieces about a half-inch wider than the gap so they stay snug without being smashed. If it looks like a puffy pillow, you did it right. If it's packed hard like a brick, pull it out and start over.

The string cheese trick for outlets is a total game changer. I was literally about to cut chunks out and hope for the best. One thing I'm struggling with is when the rafter bays are slightly wider than the standard 16 inches. Is there a trick to holding those up while trying to staple them? I feel like I need three hands to keep it from hitting me in the face. Also, are you guys doing a seperate poly vapor barrier over the paper face, or is the kraft paper enought to keep the moisture out?

To handle those wide bays, pick up a box of insulation hangers—the wire rods often called "tiger teeth." You just wedge them across the framing and they’ll hold the weight while you’re fumbling with the stapler. It’s a total lifesaver on sloped ceilings where gravity is fighting you.

Also, since you started asking about a separate layer, check your local code on vapor retarders. If you’re using kraft-faced batts, you generaly don't want to add a poly sheet over them. Doubling up can trap moisture against the wood and lead to mold issues down the road. Stick to one layer and keep it consistent.

If you find the batts are still fighting you on the slope, try using a scrap piece of 1x4 or a long straightedge to hold the whole section flush while you staple. It helps get that flat surface so the drywall sits perfectly later on. Also, don't forget the PPE for those overhead sections. Fiberglass falling in your eyes is a nightmare. I usally wear a cheap pair of clear safety glasses and a neck gaiter pulled up over my nose when I'm working above my head. It makes the job way less miserable than trying to scrub that itch out of your skin at the end of the day.