Why It Is Wise to Hold On To Leftover Paint

If you’re the type of person who hates clutter, you might be tempted to dispose of the leftovers from your latest painting project.  But if you’re wise, you’ll resist the temptation. 

Experienced do-it-yourselfers and professional painters know that there’s always a need for some leftover paint, even if it’s just to touch up a spot here or there.  Every room suffers wear and tear, whether caused by the kids, the pet, or a careless act that bangs up a wall.  When the inevitable occurs, having the touch-up paint in your garage will save you a trip to the paint store, and spare you the expense of buying more paint.

But touchups aren’t the only reason to hold onto leftover paint.

For one thing, it’s not at all unusual to notice an area you failed to paint -- days, months, or even years later. It might be a spot near the edge of a door, behind an appliance, or somewhere else.  But we all miss spots, and it’s nice to have the leftover paint nearby for a five-minute fix-up.

Down the line, you might also decide that your special color of paint would look good on an item of furniture in the room.  Repeating a wall or trim color on your furnishings or accent pieces is a proven way to pull together a room’s décor.

Of course, even if you hold onto your leftover paint, you might still run out of it at some point in time.  To make repurchasing easier, think ahead.  Even before you open the can, jot down on a strip of masking tape the brand, manufacturer’s code, color, gloss level, and type of paint (latex or oil-based) you are using.  Set it aside.  Then place the tape on the side of the can after you finish painting, since paint drippings will likely have concealed a lot of the information on the label.

So, resist the urge to dispose of your leftover paint.  A day will come when you’ll be glad that you did!