Paint color and number written on back of light switch.
Paint color and number written on back of light switch.

To keep a record of the name and number of different wall paints in your home:

  • Write the information on a piece of masking tape, and stick it on the back of a light switch cover plate in the room.
  • Have the paint store print out an extra paint label, and keep the labels organized in a folder.

Watch this video to find out more.


Further Information

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Joe Truini: How do you like this paint color? It’s called Rustic Rouge, or Beige Foundation, maybe it’s Baloney Brown. I’ve no idea what it is. I painted it a few months ago, and I didn’t retain the paint color and number.

But that’s okay. Because with this trick, you don’t need to remember the paint name or color. You just record it on a strip of tape and put it on the back of a switch plate. That’s what I did here. Spiced Nutmeg.

So there’s the name of the paint and the number. So if you take this to the paint store, with this bit of information, they can get you another can of paint, exactly the same color.

Now, if you’ve been to the paint store recently, you may have noticed that they also put a sticker on the top of the can that looks like this. And this also has the paint number and the name on it. So when you’re at the store, have them print out a second sticker and you can put it in a notebook.

So if you don’t want to put tape on the back of a switch plate, you can record the sticker in a notebook with the name and the room on it. And then, you don’t have to worry about remembering the name of the paint, just where you recorded it.

Editorial Contributors
Joe Truini

Joe Truini

Radio Show Co-Host

Joe Truini is a contractor, author, and the host of “Simple Solutions” on Today’s Homeowner TV and the weekly Today’s Homeowner radio show. He has worked on both large commercial projects and residential remodeling, and has written for national publications such as This Old House and Popular Mechanics. He has also written eight books, including three best-selling shed-building books. Joe lives in Connecticut with his family and enjoys hiking, traveling, and baseball in his spare time.

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