We’re back with our weekly basement update, and since we’re inching closer to the best word ever — finished — this week’s project is quick and satisfying. It’s a simple storage refresh for that built-in cabinet to the right of the Ikea workstation that we painted white last week. The cabinet was functional but bare, and we promised a storage idea — here it is.
You might notice matching paint cans on the shelf. Yes, we own our nerdiness. For a while we’d been meaning to move our paint from the garage into the basement. The basement’s temperature is more stable thanks to its underground location — cooler in summer, warmer in winter — which helps prevent paint from freezing, drying out, or otherwise degrading. We used to keep cans inside the house until we learned that paint can off-gas and affect indoor air quality, so moving paint to a less-used part of the home made more sense.
Instead of bringing a collection of mismatched, crusty cans down and calling it a day, we wanted the organized look to match our freshly spruced basement. New, uniform cans make the open shelving look intentional and tidy. They also provide a better seal, which helps preserve the paint and reduces the chances of losing expensive gallons to dried-out lids. For a modest price, fresh containers are insurance for keeping high-quality paint ready to use for touch-ups and future projects.
We picked up empty paint cans in gallon and quart sizes to unify our storage and protect the paint for years to come. Transferring the paint was an opportunity to sort through the stash: we recycled or donated colors we no longer need, like the green we used in the living room years ago or the yellow that once brightened the front door. Decluttering paint is a practical way to pare down while giving unwanted supplies a second life. Important note: never discard leftover paint in the regular trash. Instead, take it to your local recycling center’s paint collection or donate to a community building reuse program.
Before swapping containers we counted how many gallons and quarts we’d need and bought a few extras for future use. Then we printed labels to keep track of each can’s color name, brand, finish, and paint formula. It might sound obsessive, but that 15-minute task made everything much easier to manage and eliminated guesswork the next time we need to reorder a specific shade. Accurate labeling saves time and prevents costly mistakes when matching paint for touch-ups.
To be extra careful, we added a small thumbprint of each color directly on the label — a simple visual cue to confirm the shade at a glance. The finished shelf looks clean and deliberate: matching cans, crisp labels, and a tidy display that complements the rest of the basement. More importantly, the fresh lids seal tightly and keep paint usable so we won’t be forced to replace an entire can because it dried out between uses.
If you want to take maintenance a step further, consider a latch-on pour spout for gallons and quarts. This accessory attaches to the lip of the can and helps pour paint without spilling or gumming up the rim, which keeps lids sealing tightly and cans looking neat. It’s a small investment that preserves the longevity of your paint and keeps your storage looking pristine.
So what’s next for the basement? We still need to address privacy for some windows and build a DIY screen to conceal the water heater. Those projects will wrap up the basement makeover in what we expect to be the final chapter. After that, we’ll shift focus to a major bathroom renovation — a project that already has us lying awake debating tile options and layouts. Are you tackling a big project before the holidays? Whether you’re preparing for guests or planning to be away, many people take on renovations during this season because schedules and expectations make it easier to live with temporary disruption.
Update: A helpful reader recommended a latch-on pour spout to keep cans clean and sealed, which we plan to pick up. It’s a great tip to maintain new cans so they stay fresh and attractive for years. Stay tuned for the basement finale next week.
Psst — want to follow along with the basement makeover from the start? Check back through the earlier posts in this series for the full progress story and ideas you can reuse in your own space.