Organize Your Paint Cans And Keep Records

Organize your paint cans and keep track of what color you use in different rooms. I know I have been very guilty of not doing over the years.

How many of you have paint cans lying around half used? This page is simple ideas on how to take care of your paint cans and to keep records of the colors you use.

As a designer one of the things I find myself doing is spontaneous projects, and that goes for painting as well. I get in a creative mood and will decide to paint something, whether it be one wall, an entire room, a couple of picture frames, or may be just some touch up work.

I'll go out to the garage only to find a can of paint I want to use all dried up. Here are some easy tips for you on how to organize your paint cans as well as keep records of what room you painted what color.

1. Always label your paint cans with the color name, code, and also the date you purchased the paint.


2. If you are going to keep the paint for touch up later on, periodically open the paint and mix well.


3. Always make sure the lid of the can is on tight.


4. When opening a can of paint, try not to damage the lip of the lid. This can cause the lid not to go back on tightly.


5. Plan how much paint you need for your interior project so you won't have a lot let over to dry out.


6. Some communities have laws and restrictions on throwing away bad paint. One tip is to take inexpensive cat litter and pour into dry paint. This will work so the paint can be thrown out.


7. Consider buying a very small sample can of paint of the colors you use. Label these small cans, as this will help you organize your paint cans wherever you store them.

You can organize the colors in a notebook. This is a great way to identify the name and code of each paint you use in rooms. I like to take a paint sample either from the store or I make one by putting a little of the paint on an index card. I will write the name, color, and code on the card along with the purchase date as well as the date I did the project. This is a great way to organize your interior paint ideas.

I know some of you use your quantity of paint wisely. Still organize your colors with labels and put in a notebook. Another little tip for you to save a little money. If you have a foundation color and you want to accent the room in the same color but a little bit lighter tone, buy a small can of white paint. You can add a few drops of white to make the foundation color light.

This is a great decorating idea if you want to accent one wall in a light shade, or maybe paint the woodwork in a lighter tone. You are using one foundation color, just a variation using the white paint with it. Once again, label your paint cans and store the light tone foundation color in a sealed container.

Simple and easy decorating tips to organize your paint cans and identify paint colors and date of purchase with index cards or a notebook. Hum, sounds like a great goal for the next interior painting project. If you have a decorating tip or have a question, feel free to share or ask below. We all would be happy to hear your tip or question.