Neatly store extra paint

This post may include affiliate links.
If you make a purchase, I'll earn a small fee at no extra cost to you.

Store Extra Paint: BrownThumbMama.com

Raise your hand if your garage is a mess.

*Mama peeks out into internet land*

Yep, mine is too.

The shelves above the dryer are a “hot spot” for clutter, including extra paint. We bought our house in 1996, and have done lots of painting over the years. (The master bath was Pepto-Bismol pink when we moved in! Seriously!)

Of course, we keep the paint cans in case we need to do touch-ups–but there’s only a cup or two of paint in any of them. They’re taking up waaaay more space than they need to like this. There are 9 gallons of paint on the top shelf, and 3 pints on the lower shelf.

Store extra paint: BrownThumbMama.com

You might think, “Hey, I’ve got plenty of space! Why should I worry about storing my extra paint?” Well, paint isn’t cheap. And if your storage methods are anything like mine were, you’ll open a paint can to find this.

Store extra paint: BrownThumbMama.com

Not doing any touch-ups with that…sigh.

Because we save our spaghetti sauce jars for storing leftovers, I have lots of extra glass jars. These are perfect for storing paint! You can see exactly what color you have, and there’s a jar for just about every size you’d need. They seal easily and you don’t end up with dry, wasted paint.

Grab a couple of clean jars with lids and you’re ready to get started. Don’t use plastic! Pop open the paint can and give the paint a good stir. Then pour the paint into a jar (a spare canning funnel helps contain the mess). Wipe off the rim of the jar with a paper towel, put the lid on, and label the jar with the paint color details or the room it’s used in.

Not bad, huh? I never realized how monochrome our color scheme was until I saw these paints together. Might be time for a splash of color somewhere…

Store extra paint: BrownThumbMama.com

How do you store your extra paint? Share your tips in the comments!

Hi, Im Pam!

I created Brown Thumb Mama to share my natural living journey, and help you live a greener life. Thanks for being here!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

8 thoughts on -Neatly store extra paint-

  1. Coffee Containers (nice and thick) with a handle and lid (screw on if possible). Don’t like coffee? Well use the grounds in your garden Plastic wrap over the top of the paint on the interior. Once done Place in a Two Gallon Zip Lock Bag. Push out air and store.

  2. I find that even glass jars don’t seal up tight enough; so what I do is slip a sandwich bag over top and then screw my lid on. Also, because I have nightmares of the jars crashing to the floor at the worst possible moment, I place each jar in a zip lock bag that can no longer be rinsed & reused. I may be neurotic but if it does fall at least the mess will be greatly reduced.

  3. Nice idea, although I confess I’d worry about the jars breaking. Our paints are still in the can, but I put a layer of plastic wrap right over the paint surface to keep oxygen out so that the paint won’t oxidize as fast.