An organized home starts with the little things - like cans of leftover paint! Learn how to sort through your stash of half-empty, paint encrusted cans, decanting what is good into fresh new cans, and disposing of the unwanted paint to save time, space and frustration for future DIY projects.
CLEAN + ORGANIZE | Published March 7, 2025
It is a post-renovation dilemma most homeowners suffer from.....
Gallon cans of wall paint sitting half empty, drying out and taking up space. Unless you choose to never repaint your walls or you stick to the same color for every room again and again, there are likely countless paint encrusted cans sitting in your basement or garage. And most of those cans likely are not even what is on your walls right now.
Properly organizing your leftover paint supply not only saves space, but it makes future touch-ups a breeze and prevents unnecessary waste.
In this post, you’ll read about sorting through your paint collection, identifying what is still useable and how to dispose of what isn’t. There are also tips about transferring the good paint into fresh containers with free printable labels to keep track of what’s inside.
By the end, you’ll have a neat and accessible paint storage system to keep your favorite colors in perfect condition while clearing out the chaos.
Let’s get started!
Importance of Organizing Leftover Paint
After a fresh coat of paint to transform a room, the leftover cans usually get tucked away for future touch-ups or use in another space. But over time, they pile up, turning into a cluttered stash of mystery colors in drippy cans with half sealed lids.
When the times comes to refresh a wall or fix a scuff, the paint has normally dried out, become too thick, or developed an unpleasant smell. Instead of being a useful supply, poorly stored paint becomes wasted space and wasted money.
By regularly sorting through your paint collection, you can keep an accurate inventory or what you have, prevent accidental repurchases, and ensure the paint you keep is in good condition when you need it. Plus, properly storing and labeling your paint makes touch-ups and future projects easier, saving time and frustration.
How to Organize Your Paint Supply
- Gather all of your paints together, tossing anything that is obviously no longer useable as you find it. This may include cans are noticeably dried out, nearly empty, or rusty.
- From the good paints, set aside colors currently used in your house and that you plan to use again.
- Sort through what remains to determine whether it is worth keeping for future DIY or redecorating projects or if it would be better off donated to an organization that could use it. Be realistic about what you'll actually use so you aren't taking up space with paint you're storing just in case.
- When you’ve settled on what to keep, open each can to inspect for odor, lumps or livering (the rubbery coating that forms on top). Stir the paint well with a stir stick to ensure separation has not occurred and that it isn’t too thick or thin.
- Decant the paint you’re saving into fresh paint cans if the old one is hard to seal properly, encrusted in paint, or much too large.
READ NEXT: Paint Like a Pro with These Must Have Tools
Decanting Paint into New Cans
It may seem like a waste, but pouring leftover paint into a new can is actually quite important.
Not only does it save space, but it is easier to carry around for touch ups. The smaller can lowers the paint to air ratio inside the container and you can get a tighter seal on the clean can, both of which help the paint to last longer.
SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED TO DECANT PAINT
- Empty Paint Cans: These come in a variety of sizes in both metal and plastic. They can be purchased at the hardware store or online. You can also use clear tightly sealed containers or large mouth mason jars but never reuse food containers.
- Paint Can Opener
- Paint Stir Stick: The paint needs to be thoroughly mixed before transfer.
- Paper Towels or Rags: For cleaning up spills or drops. You may want to set the can inside a cardboard box to contain any messes.
- Ladle: Useful for transferring the paint from one container to the other. Pick up a cheap or thrifted version that you can keep just for this job.
- Silicone Spatula: To fully scrape all the paint out of the original can. Again, you’ll want to find a spatula you can store just with your painting supplies.
- Rubber Mallet: Best for tapping the can's lid closed. A hammer can dent, deform or warp the lid ruining the airtight seal. If you don’t have a mallet, place a piece of wood over the lid before using a hammer to seal it shut.
- Labels: Click here for a free printable option I've created for you or make your own.
- Pen or permanent marker
LOVE THIS ORGANIZING PROJECT?
Be sure to join the anderson + grant mailing list to get all the tips, projects, and recipes for making your house feel more like home delivered right to your inbox.
Please click on the image below to share it to Pinterest. Not only can you easily refer back to it, you'll help me spread the word so that others will benefit from the post as well!
Tips for Storing Leftover Paint
How Long is Paint Good For?
If it has been sealed and stored properly, latex paint can last for 5 to 10 years and oil-based up to 15 years. Paint separation can occur at any time, though.
It is wise to use up leftover paint within two years for best results.
Where to Store Paint
Paint should be stored in a cool, dry location like a basement or utility closet with a consistent temperature.
- Avoid an unheated garage or storage shed. Even just one freeze thaw cycle will make the latex paint unusable.
- Keep the paint away from a furnace or hot water heater as excessive heat can dry out paint leaving a thick skin across the top.
- Concrete and extreme dampness cause metal paint cans to rust, so keep them off of the floor and out of high moisture spaces. Many cans are now made of plastic, though, so this may not be an issue.
- If you’ve decanted the paint in mason jars, store them in a dark area because light can affect the color over time.
Labeling Leftover Paint
Labels are crucial, even if you aren’t decanting your paint into new containers. You must know where the paint was used, what color and sheen it is, and where it was purchased.
- When paint colors are similar or you’ve used the same shade in two different sheens for walls and trim, it is important that you can tell the cans apart.
- Many times the printed label from the store gets covered in paint and becomes unreadable after your painting project is done.
- My free printable labels offer you a space to record the paint color name, paint sheen, brand of paint and where you bought it, where the paint was used, and the date the can was opened. There is also a circle at the top of the label that you can fill in with a small painted sample.
- Keep some extra labels printed out and stored in a Zip-loc baggie with a permanent marker on a shelf next to your paint so that you can label any new cans before they are put away.
Disposing of Unwanted Paint Supplies
One reason why many people hold on to leftover paint is that they don’t know how to dispose of it properly. There are three options:
DONATE
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore
- Local Schools: May want to use it for art projects or theater productions.
- Scout Leaders
- Friends and Family who like to redecorate or DIY
- Facebook Marketplace
RECYCLE:
- Make your own custom color by mixing the paint you aren’t going to use.
- Do an online search for paint recycling companies in your area.
- Organizations like Paint Care
- A Colorado company called Green Sheen reprocesses the paint into new colors that are resold.
- Some paint stores or hardware stores like Ace Hardware, Lowes, or Home Depot will accept leftover paint to be disposed of properly.
DRY IT OUT
In many locations, it is fine to dispose of leftover paint in the trash as long as it has been dried out. Be sure to check with your town to be sure that you are following city ordinances. Some locations require it be taken to a household hazardous waste site. Search Earth911.com to find a drop-off facility near you.
To dry out small amounts of paint (1/2 inch or less), take the lid off and let it sit in the sun or in a well-ventilated area. Add kitty litter, newspaper, sawdust, or paint hardener powder/crystals in an equal amount as your paint to speed up the drying process. Stir until paint has an oatmeal like consistency and then let sit. Throw away the can when the paint is solid.
For larger amounts of paint, pour what remains into a cardboard box filled with kitty litter or shredded paper. Throw the box away when the paint hardens.
You'll be amazed at how easy future paint touch-ups are when you've taken the time to sort through your stash of half-empty cans, getting rid of what is no longer useable or wanted, and storing what remains in clean cans with stylish labels.
More Household Organizing Posts You Might Enjoy
Decor Hanging Kit - Learn about putting together a picture hanging kit filled with hooks, screws, wire, and tools necessary to hang all of your art, picture, mirrors and decor with ease.
Where Clutter Comes From - And why it is so hard to get rid of.
Printable Paint Can Labels - Download free black and white labels to simplfy your inventory of wall paints.
