We’re back with our weekly basement update and since we’re edging closer towards the best word ever (finished!) this week’s project is quick and easy. It actually has to do with that built-in cabinet (to the right of the Ikea workstation) that we painted white last week. Remember it was bare but we promised we had a storage idea in the queue for you guys? Well, here it is…
Yup, those are matching paint cans. And yes, we’re ok with you calling us nerds. We’ve actually been meaning to move our paint from the garage to the basement for a while. It’s a lot more temperate thanks to its underground location (it stays cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter) and because paint can freeze, dry out, and otherwise “spoil” when it gets too hot or cold, the basement is definitely a smarter place for it. Before moving it to the garage, we used to store our paint in the house until we read an article about how paint cans can off-gas and pollute your indoor air (so a lesser used basement or garage is a better choice).
And although we could easily have brought all of our old mismatched and gunked-up cans straight into the basement and called it a day, we just love the organized look of our “new” basement so much that we suddenly even hold paint storage to a higher standard and yearned for a more cohesive and effective solution. Not only do new cans look good, they create a tighter seal on our paint to help it last longer (which is always better than “casualty cans” sadly lost each year due to dried out paint- what a waste!). And for a few bucks a pop, new cans would be great “insurance” to keep all of our $25+ paint in ready-to-use condition.
Lucky for us, True Value sells these awesome empty paint cans (in both gallon and quart sizes) that we decided would be prefect for unifying everything for that newly spruced open shelf in the basement and keeping our paint nice and fresh for years to come. Remember how awesome True Value has been to us by giving us a spot on their DIY Blog Squad and offering us a generous gift card? Yeah, we kind of love them.
But seriously, how cool are those empty paint cans? Industrial-chic at it’s finest, no? Plus the act of transferring our paint allowed us to go through all of our old gallons and quarts to eliminate colors that we no longer need (like the old green color that we first used in the living room or the yellow paint that was on our front door) and you know we love to pare down, organize, and donate things that we’re no longer using (giving paint a second life is like two makeovers for the price of one!). Note: never toss old paint out with your regular garbage, either bring it to your local recycling center and drop it in the paint section or donate it to places like The Habitat For Humanity ReStore.
Of course before we grabbed our empty gallons and quarts we counted how many of each we’d need (and snagged a few extras for future additions). Then John’s inner “account guy” came out and he suggested that we head over to Office Max and buy some printable labels so we could transfer the name, brand, finish, and paint formula to each of the new cans (so we’d never have to worry about getting more whipped up if our supply ever dwindles). Sure it seemed a little obsessive (ok, a lot obsessive) but printing the labels only took about 15 minutes and they seriously make my little organization-loving heart skip a beat whenever I see them. Even John’s man heart swells with pride over his paint label making skillz.
Plus John even took a cue from the paint pros and left a little thumb print of each color on each label (you can never be too careful when it comes to guarding those paint formulas). The result: mouth-wateringly delicious open storage that keeps up with the rest of our basement while keeping our paint fresher thanks to a tighter seal that isn’t all gunked up with years of paint between the lip of the can and the lid. Gotta love a little “paint maintenance” to keep from having to trek out and rebuy paint all the time (nothing’s more annoying than needing a tiny bit of paint for a touch up and finding the entire can dried out which calls for the purchase of an entirely new one).
So what’s next on the basement agenda? Well, we still have to obscure our no-privacy windows and build a DIY screen to cover that eyesore of a water heater. Stay tuned for those details next week (in what will be the final chapter of our basement makeover!). Then it’s on to a big bathroom reno that has us laying awake in bed talking about tile options (and subsequently dreaming about said tile options). Do any of you have a big project that you’ll be taking on before the holidays? Maybe because people will be coming over and you want to spruce up the place or even because you know you’ll be traveling so leaving refinished floors to dry or going kitchenless for a bit while your new cabinets are ordered won’t be so bad? Do tell.
Update: One of our lovely readers chimed in with a solution to keep our new cans looking new and sealing securely for years to come. We plan to pick up a “latch on pour spout” which attaches to the lip of a gallon or quart and helps you pour paint without getting any around the lip of the can for a pristine look and a tight seal every time. Amazing!
Psst- Want to look back on our big basement makeover from start to almost-finished? Here’s the first post, the second post, the third post, the forth post, the fifth post and the sixth post. Ah memories.
Amelia says
wow – you two certainly out-did yourselves this time! super organized – i love it! Those paint cans are awesome and have multiple uses – so those extras that you have could be used to store anything like elastic bands, pencils/pens, paint brushes! Gotta say i love the font you used too on the labels. Can’t wait to see the finished project next week….and the beginning of the bathroom project in the up-coming weeks!!
Joshua says
I totally love the paint can idea, I think we will bring that organization into our garage once things are settled with the kitchen remod and finishing painting the entire house. Over the holidays or prior to we will be pulling up our laminate kitchen and bathroom flooring and installing 12×12 marble tile….so that will be abit of a task and more of a mess.
Jason says
Wow – looks great, I better move my paint out of the cold garage! Project before the holidays? Finish the place:) Going to hope to have the hardword floors curing while I’m home for Christmas yes!
A question about your upcoming bathroom – it made me happy to see you had the basket weeve floor and wall tiles I’m trying to save (except mine are a less attractive yellow and black but hey it’s the 50s and i’ll make it work with bringing in neutrals probably off white and black throughout the rest of the room) you’re going to get rid of it:(?? Everytime you mention it I think oh no not the tiles! I guess I probably know the answer, but I know it will be fab if you do!
Delaware – J
Chelsea says
I love the matching paint cans, I am all for consistency! Can’t wait to see how the bathroom reno pans out. Are you tearing out the shower and/or working on it? And if so, where will you shower while doing so? These are things I worry about.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Chelsea and Jason,
After years of trying to restore/save the once-gorgeous 50 year old tile in our bathroom (on the floor, the walls, and in the shower) unfortunately after half of a decade it’s cracked and damaged in far too many places to salvage anymore. Trust us when we say that we’re too cheap to replace anything that doesn’t need replacing and we’re extremely fond of working what we have. Unfortunately it’s just time to redo the busted up bathroom. We’ll be sharing some detail shots of the tile in both the shower and the floor which clearly show that it’s beyond salvageable so stay tuned for those. And don’t worry, we still plan to pick classic tile choices to keep the bathroom from looking oddly futuristic in our 50’s house. As for where we’ll shower, John has a gym membership so he plans to shower there before work and on evenings (I’m an evening shower-er) I plan to borrow John’s sister’s shower (she lives extremely close so it’ll be semi annoying but still totally doable and worthwhile for a whole new bathroom in the end). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jacci says
Ah, sooooooo nice. I know it’s hard to tell with my current life circumstances (ha), but I really do love a good hyper-organized shelf or two as well :) As Sherry would say, those paint cans and labels are “the bees knees”. Back in the day (about ten years ago) Martha Stewart had me labeling everything that wasn’t moving. I think I had computer printout labels for our first child’s socks, shoes, and baby clothes, too. There was about a 6 year lapse in the organization department (we had 4 children in 6 years), but I think we’re starting to make gains again. It is sooooooo rewarding to have things “just so”, even if for just a little bit ;)
XO,
Jacci
Lauren says
Sherry-
Sorry if you’ve already answered this, but did you get your lamp shade for your basement light at Target? I have an Ikea shade on my light in our den, but it’s too long and I’d like to replace it at some point.
Jennifer S. says
I saw these paint cans at Home Depot over the weekend and thought they would be good storage for various items. Question…what did you do with your old paint cans? Are they recyclable?
YoungHouseLove says
Lauren- Yup, the basement lamp shade hails from Target and is just a regular lamp shade inverted to hang from the ceiling bulb.
Jennifer S- As we mentioned in the post you should never toss old paint or cans out with your regular garbage. Either bringing them to your local recycling center and dropping ’em in the paint section or donating a usable amount to places like The Habitat For Humanity ReStore are two great options. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
sally says
I love organization. Love it. And that you went the over the top step with new cans and custom labels? It makes me feel less alone in this oft organization lacking world. I will be sad to see this series end (but happy for you two that is it done.) Best. Series. Ever.
Beth says
You two have inspired us soo much! Even though my hubby and I are in a rental. We’ve renewed our lease for another year and are refusing to live with only ceiling white walls! Instead of spending money on moving, a new security deposit, new pet fee, etc. We are using our moving money to “refresh” our place! We are painting a few accent walls, converting the second bedroom from an office (yay being done with grad school!) to a more friendly guest room (with a computer station) and cleaning the carpets!! I know it’s all little stuff but is making our place so much more homey!!
Beth
Kerry says
Love it! I’m always a fan of anything that looks uniform and organized. We’re in the middle of redoing our kitchen – the cabinets have been painted and we’re just waiting for the countertop to come in so it can be completed. I can’t wait to send you the before and after pictures for your Reader Redesign segment!
Rebekah says
Wow! This is indeed the most nerdy (slightly unnecessary) organization project from you guys to date… ;p
But it sure does look nice and consistent! :)
heather s. says
I had a feeling you would use it for paint since that’s what I’d do! I store all of my paint in the basement for the reasons you listed above. I may use your idea to replace the old cans since a couple of mine have definitely seen better days!
Sarah says
Great job! Little projects go a long way, and tiddying up helps so much! I do have a December project I am working on. We have a hideous sconce above our dining room table. It was left from the previous owners of our home. It’s hideous and it is not even centered with our new beautiful dinner table. So I am taking my sister’s old brass chandelier and I plan to paint it and add cute lamp shades so I have a “new to us” chandelier above our dinner table when we entertain our family for Christmas Day dinner! Wish me luck! I plan to use the tips from of your blog post to help me paint brass. I’ll send you before and after shots soon! If I survive!
Madelaine says
Just a little trick I have used for keeping track of those paint formulas:
When buying, ask the paint counter person to print you an extra label or two. They have never refused me and it allows me to keep the labels in my “design” book for future reference. So even if there isn’t any paint left, I have all the information needed. I also record the date whatever was painted and how many coats. I’m a bit nerdy too!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Madelaine,
Loooove it! What a great tip. We’ll definitely be keeping it in mind next time we saddle up to the counter to get paint. I actually have a binder with a page full of paint chips from each room/project in our house (I figure as a worst-case scenario I can use them to color match new paint if the formula somehow was lost). Gotta love those backup plans!
xo,
s
Bethie says
It looks amazing! I can’t believe the transformation!!
(FYI: Typo alert in your fifth paragraph. “Too careful” should have two “o”s and not one.) :)
Carly says
Our bathroom is painted Lyndhurst Timber! Our bedroom is one shade darker with Milk Chocolate. I lvoe them both!!! Our next redo is painting our kitchen cabinets and working on the master bathroom. We want to replace the plastic around the tub with tile and wood. Also, we want to remove the one large mirror and have two separate mirrors. New faucets as well!
Kim says
It seems so unnecessary in some way–and yet, I love it.
Danielle@Newlyweds Paradise says
Ok, now this is organized! lol!! LOVE IT! It just looks so fresh and clean.
Jessaca says
Love the paint cans! You’re so more likely to use the leftover paint and want to keep it around. So clean!
So I have to ask: When do we get to know plans for the nursery?! I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jessica,
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes pregnancy, then comes a bathroom remodel, then comes the nursery (probably around January), and then comes the baby! We’re so excited to tackle that project after the bathroom gut-job. We have a huuuge folder of inspiration and paint chips up on the wall so stay tuned…
xo,
s
vicki says
ahh to be young again and actually think you are really going to use that paint ever again. After living in my home for 20 plus years I have learned that unless you plan to cut a hole in the drywall you will never use that paint you saved.
1)No one touches up because it just won’t match
2) You feel its time to repaint??? seriously after 5 years you will choose a new shade or color. No one repaints with the same color time after time.
Nice organizaton job… but really unnecessary!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Vicki,
To each his own! We actually touch up our walls all the time (newer flat paint formulas make touch ups seamless and it matches perfectly) for example, when we repaint a ceiling or the trim and get a bit of white paint on the walls we just whip out the wall color and touch things up on the spot). We also love having the extra paint on hand for other projects (for example, we paint furniture with the same white semi-gloss paint that we keep around for the trim (which we also touch up all the time). We also like to keep our home’s color scheme cohesive so we never hesitate to use the same color in a few rooms (our kitchen is the same color as our bedroom and our living room is the same color as our guest bedroom) so our paint definitely gets a lot of mileage and comes out quite frequently to crisp things up like corners that get rubbed down. I guess it’s really something that varies person to person, but paint is definitely something that we’re constantly reopening and using! And when we visited my mom a few weeks ago she was touching up her kitchen walls when we got there so I think it runs in the family. Haha. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jessie (Vegan-minded) says
Wow, I love the paint organization idea! Cute labels too. I can’t wait to see your bathroom makeover eventually. :)
Amanda Herzberger (Orchard Cove) says
I am a total Type A and definitely LOVE the paint storage solution….so much more organized and clean and just lovely!! Awesome!
Kate says
While I absolutely agree with you on taking unwanted oil-based paints to the recycling center, you want to check your individual location in regards to disposing of latex paints. Neither my current town in NH or my previous county in NY would accept latex paint at their hazardous household recycling (which is where I’ve gotten rid of the oil-based stuff previous homeowners left). Both said to let the paint dry out completely (kitty litter helps if there’s more than 1/2″ left in the can) and then to throw out with your regular garbage. No recycling allowed, unfortunately.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kate,
Good point! It can definitely vary by location! Our recycling center has a latex section for paint and an oil-based/stain-based area for more hazardous materials so we just assumed it was that way for everyone. Our very favorite way to repurpose extra paint is definitely to drop it off at The Habitat For Humanity Restore (or freecycle it) so it gets a second life on someone’s walls! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Jaimie says
The benefits of having a local paint store: they have a computer record of all our past purchases! Really came in handy when we stopped in for some more trim paint and couldn’t remember the finish we used last time. They also custom-mixed a wall shade for our baby’s nursery (to match an accent wall of wallpaper) and they have the formula on file for us as “Jaimie’s Baby Room.”
Your basement reno series has been great and has inspired me to really consider attractive storage for our ongoing basement reno.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jaimie,
Wow that’s amazing that they keep a record for you. Amazing!
xo,
s
Yvette says
NERD ALERT!!! WOW, let me tell you how jealous I am of the time you have to do this!!! With FT jobs and two kids I’d never have this as a priority, but might just have to add this to our to-do list…someday. I’ll just live vicariously through the two of you ;-)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Yvette,
If it makes you feel any better we did it on Monday night at about 10pm in the rain (well in the garage so we were technically out of the rain, but boy was it gloomy and dark). We usually tackle all of our projects on nights and weekends since John works all day and I’m manning the blog from 8-7 or so, so that forces us to squeeze in a lot of projects at some of the weirdest times ever (and under the weirdest conditions- rain, snow, birthdays, vacations- any day is a good day for DIY!). Good luck with your paint project… someday!
xo,
s
srabee says
i really do like the transformation but what a waste of money. i would be really upset if i were true value and gave you money for FREE so you can organize paint?!? i think you are really reaching here and do not believe that if you were using your own money you would use it this way.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Srabee,
Well we’re happy to report that we send all of our posts to True Value and they’re nothing but sweet and supportive about our project choices and DIY undertakings. In fact that’s why they chose us for their DIY Squad, because they like the quirky and obsessive ways that we lovingly spruce up every inch of our house. As for if we’d use our own money to do it, we definitely would since spending our gift card on this project meant that it wasn’t being spent on something else that we could have received on the house (like new tiling supplies, nursery accessories, and other items that we’ll definitely be buying out of pocket any day now). Plus we purchased the labels with our own money at Office Max so I guess it’s safe to say that we’re just THAT NERDY and we love spending money to keep things organized, easy to use, and most of all functional (our paint will last longer now that it’s sealed up in non-nasty cans that aren’t all junked up with paint so they’re more tightly sealed). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Katrina says
Paint Perfection! I love what you chose to store you paint in very clever…and much easyier to read the labels and see the color…my paint cans always look so messy after we paint.
Nicole says
My little, organized obsessed heart swooned a little bit when I saw the paint cans and their labels!
Jason says
Thanks for the response!! I know what you mean – I guess I overlook those hairline under the surface??(how does that happen) cracks in my tile that are here and there. I’ll be interested to see what yours look like in the upcoming pictures compared to mine!! I could go on about that tile, had to get a smaller window in the bathroom so I could make sure I had room for the trim because the tile is there, it’s so thick you need a sledge hammer if you have take it out, etc. BUT THE BIG ISSUE: you know what I really need is a black tooth and tumbler(toothbrush and cup holder tile above the sink – mine is missing about half of it) do you have any ideas? OMG can I buy yours!!!
Also – if you have a drain in your basement or anywhere in athe floor – you and John could make out pretty good using a camping shower during your remodel – it’s a big plastic bladder with a shower head you hang from wherever you can hang it! I use to camp before I bought this house lol:)
Delaware – J
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jason,
Oh you just wait for the pics! They’re more than hairline cracks, that’s for sure. Haha. As for our tooth and tumbler, it’s white, but places like The Habitat For Humanity ReStore might have a black one for you. They have every color under the sun (pink, yellow, etc) so here’s hoping you can find one!
xo,
s
Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker says
Wow — I didn’t even know you could buy empty paint cans! I can think of 1,000,000 uses for them, though. Most obvious: We have a ton of paint sitting around in the deep recesses of our basement . . . which, in no way looks as posh and pretty as yours! But I’m thinking screws, nails, and other stuff like that in the smaller ones.
Oh, geez. I wish I had time to make our basement such an organized haven. Right now, it’s simply a dumping ground for everything we need to hide when company comes over. How embarrassing! <3
Courtney says
We’re trying to finish up a bathroom remodel, complete with paint on walls, paint on tiles, new tile floor, new toilet, lighting, mirror and pedestal sink. Oh, and did I mention our house was built in 1942 so this is our ONLY bathroom? Ha. Trying to get that done so we can add a fireplace and built-ins for the living room before Santa comes–he has to have somewhere to stuff our stockings!
April says
Thank you for mentioning Habitat for Humanities ReStores! People often don’t realize how many different ways they are helping their community just by donating their unused items.
I did want to mention though that many ReStore’s, including the two I work for, will not accept paint donations. It all depends on the recycling program of the county the store is located in. If paint is donated that is not usable, in our area, we have to pay for disposal. However, in the next county over they have a fantastic paint section. It is worth calling the store ahead of time to find out what they will/will not accept.
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip April- it’s definitely worth calling ahead! The one in Richmond accepts paint for any locals out there reading this! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Lynnie says
Now THAT is organised, you guys!
Although I do think that it looks shiny and awesome and the room is coming together really well (very different to the “before”!), I am kind of wondering how green it is to decant paint into shiny new containers to be able to display it in the basement…? Seems kind of needless to me, unless the original containers were really kaput.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lynnie,
Good question! We actually thought it was a pretty green choice since the new cans would provide a much better seal on the paint to help it last longer so we wouldn’t be throwing out countless dried cans of spoiled paint over the years (which we’ve sadly had to do in the past since we didn’t have cans that were in great shape). Not only does it save the paint we have but it keeps us from having to replace it all the time which adds up to a lot more cans in landfills over time. We considered it to be some nice “paint maintenance” and we all know that taking care of the things we have helps them last longer. We also donated a lot of the paint that we weren’t going to use anymore to the ReStore (hooray for paint recycling!) and brought all of the old cans (which really were past their prime) to the recycling center’s paint area to be as eco-conscious as possible. Hope that explains why we did what we did!
xo,
s
Marah says
Hey Guys,
Love the organization! All this talk about paint has raised a question. Got any tips for cleaning those paint brushes and rollers after you’re done? I spend lots of time trying to get all the paint out but it seems each use leaves some on the brush. I bought pretty good brushes last year when we bought our first house and I feel like I need new ones already!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Marah,
Our tips is to wash them right away. Don’t even wait ten minutes because it seems as if pant magically bonds to the brushes in that time and it’s almost impossible to get them back to their former glory. When it comes to latex paint, warm water and a bit of mild soap gets our brushes super clean (you’re right to go for high quality ones that last) and then we just lay them out to air dry on paper towels. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Laura C. says
I love the paint can idea! (I know a gal who put her paint into pretty glass containers recently).
Here’s another use for empty paint cans: You can take any decorative paper, and wrap it around the outside of the paint cans, just cut out the round areas for where the handles go, and center the paper inside the upper and bottom lips. Fill the can with great little Christmas gifts. Put your gift label on the lid and tie bunches of curly ribbon around the handles. I made several of these a couple of years ago for a gift exchange, and not only were they huge hits, but they look adorable under the Christmas tree!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laura C,
Super cute idea! We love it.
xo,
s
Megan says
Here’s my question:
How do you plan to keep your nice, new, shiny paint cans clean? You mentioned that the old ones were all gunked up and hard to get a good seal on. That’s how all of mine end up! No matter how hard I try, I can’t get the paint out of the ridges…
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Megan,
That’s a great question! We’re big believers in taking the time to organize something because it magically makes you care more for the items that were formerly jumbled and messy. So we’re hoping the new cans will encourage us to wipe things down before sealing them up to keep them cleaner so we’re not storing them with a bunch of paint in the lip (running a flat head screwdriver around the can to “empty” the paint out of that lip is a great way to keep that seal gunk-free and tight). Then following that with a wet rag or paper towel should get even more excess paint out of the lip for a nice tight seal. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Update: scroll down to read about a tool recommended by The Tiny Homestead to keep our paint cans totally clean and easy to seal through years of use (she commented and pretty much changed our life with her tip).
Erica says
Love this, what a clever idea! Do you happen to remember about how much the paint cans cost? I’d like to steal your idea but I probably have double the amount of paint to transfer – we always seem to buy too much!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erica,
Good question! The quarts were around $2.50 and the gallons were around $4… definitely cheap “insurance” to keep our $25+ paint fresher for the long-term. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
hjc says
I believe Jennifer S. was asking about the paint cans you emptied when you transferred your paint to the new cans…as in, can “empty” paint cans be recycled or thrown away.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey HJC & Jennifer S,
It really seems to depend on your county’s rules. We have heard that as long as the empty cans are dried completely they can be tossed with your trash but we always prefer to bring ours to our local recycling center in the hopes that they’ll get a second life (our center accepts both full and empty latex paint cans and oil-based cans although you might want to call to check if the ones near you have the same policy). Our old cans really were pretty beat up and gunky so the new ones will protect our paint and keep it usable for much longer, and we’re all about protecting it so we’re not back at the store buying up more all the time. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Wow, this may be your most “controversial” post to date! Haha. It’s fun reading everyone’s comments and seeing how some love it, and some think it’s unnecessary. But this is why you’re such good bloggers- you do what you want and makes you happy, even if it is a little obsessive. Would I spend the money and time on this project? No! But this is the kind of thing that sets you guys apart. Keep at it.
Here’s a paintbrush tip: If you get interrupted while painting and don’t want to wash your brush right away because you’ll be returning to it within the next day or so, you can wrap the wet brush (tightly!) with plastic. As long as the paint doesn’t start to dry on the brush, it will be fine. But never leave a painty brush out to dry, and don’t leave it in water either. Leave it in wet paint if you must.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amanda,
Thanks so much for the paintbrush tip! We’ve definitely relied on plastic wrap if it’ll be a while between coats or we have to zip out to run an errand. Great reminder!
xo,
s
Emily says
We have an authentic 1930s fixture in our living room that frankly looks like a bare bulb hanging from the middle of the ceiling (i.e. the fancy stuff is on the ceiling and a bulb hangs down from it). We don’t want to mess with a “real” antique, but are hating the harsh light in our coziest room. I went to target to pick up a regular shade to follow your lightbulb cover idea, but got nervous that when sitting on the couch “under” the bulb, it will still look naked from below. Can you let me know if it looks normal from underneath (the pics from the side look great), or if there are other specially designed shades for this problem? it’s our most often used space, so we are willing to pay a bit more.
Thanks, E
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Emily,
Good question. The bulb will definitely still be visible from below, but we don’t really mind it (we also used this lam-shade-conversion technique on the fan in our den and the bulb is clearly visible from below when you sit on the sofa but it doesn’t really bother us. Why not try it and see how you like it? You can always return the shade if you’re unhappy with the way it turns out. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erica says
Thanks so much Sherry! Thats totally budget friendly, even if I only do a few cans at a time!
susan says
Those are awesome!!! I am thinking about using them to corral our various crayons, markers, pencils, and whatnot. I love this idea. How cute would they be for giving away Christmas baked goods, too? (with a parchment liner or something, of course, and some pretty ribbon and tags)
P.S. Your ugly wall shelf is looking so awesome now. I was thinking you might put up one of those cheapo curtain rods and hide whatever you were planning to put inside with a small green curtain or something like that, but you’ve come up with something great and surprising with this, and I think you are good to go now with your matching paint cans :O)
Bethany says
Great idea! I wish the previous owners of our home had been that organized. Then we would actually know what paint was used in the living room and dining room when we need touchups! We need to do this too – we have so many colors that are no longer in the house now – it would be great to get rid of all those old paint cans sitting around.
Katherine says
Love the paint can idea. When I need to do a touch-up, I always have a hard time finding the paint color I’m looking for among a bunch of dusty, dirty old paint cans. Now I’m inspired to at least dispose of the unneeded cans and clean up the rest (w/ some nice new labels)!
Katie says
I LOVE this!! Looks great and I know I always feel a little more satisfied when everything’s neat and in its place. Do you have a strategy for keeping these paint cans from getting all gummy though? It seems like it’ll just happen again…
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Katie,
That’s a great question! We’re big believers in taking the time to organize something because it magically makes you care more for the items that were formerly jumbled and messy. So we’re hoping the new cans will encourage us to wipe things down before sealing them up to keep them cleaner so we’re not storing them with a bunch of paint in the lip (running a flat head screwdriver around the can to “empty” the paint out of that lip is a great way to keep that seal gunk-free and tight). Then following that with a wet rag or paper towel should get even more excess paint out of the lip for a nice tight seal. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Update: scroll down to read about a tool recommended by The Tiny Homestead to keep our paint cans totally clean and easy to seal through years of use (she commented and pretty much changed our life with her tip).
micah says
Wow, you guys really outdid yourselves here! I love all the shiny new paint cans and clean, easy-to-read labels (with color swatches!). Makes me want to clean up our paint collection too.
Karrie says
I love this idea and plan on stealing it sometime in the near future. We purchased a 5 gallon bucket of paint and only have about a gallon of it left. What a pain it is taking out that 5 gallon bucket everytime I need to touch up a wall. Not to mention the mess that it makes when I pour out the paint from a big bucket into a small pail. And the paint on the sides of the bucket are gummy, so I have to be really careful not to get any of that gummy paint mixed in with the good paint. Ughh!
Stacy Vejar says
I love your new paint organization center! The labels are awesome! Definitely something my nerdy OCD heart gets happy about!
natasha says
Congrats on getting mentioned on Apartmenttherapy! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Natasha,
Thanks so much for the heads up! We didn’t even know! Off to check it out…
xo,
s
karah says
Love this tip, it looks so nice and clean compared to mismatched cans of old paint.
Also wanted to let you know that I really appreciate how polite you handle all of your reader comments. I’m sometimes surprised what people will spend the time to criticize. I read your site every day, in part because I really like your positive approach.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Karah,
Aw shucks. Thanks! We do our best to keep things light, fun and drama free around these parts and we really appreciate the kind words.
xo,
s
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tiny Homestead,
You may have just changed our life! Thanks so much for the tip! Now our paint cans can stay so fresh and so clean for years to come. And that excites us to no end (we’re weird, we know).
xo,
s