How to Organize a Paint Swap

One option for getting rid of leftover and unwanted paint is to organize a paint swap where you can trade paint you no longer want for paint you do want. The more people you get to participate in your paint swap, the more paint and success you'll have.

* Have a paint swap
* Find out about paint swaps
* Hold a paint swap in my neighborhood
* Paint swaps, how to host them
* Community paint swap meets

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paint can openers

1. Identify other people who want to participate in a paint swap by talking to neighbors or colleagues or posting to a community bulletin board, such as CraigsList.

2. Set a date, time and location for your paint swap.

3. Establish any rules about your paint swap including what types and the quantities of paints that are allowed. Make it clear that the paint must be usable and in its original container with the label intact.

4. Publicize the paint swap by word-of-mouth, flyers at hardware and paint shops, e-mail or by posting to a community bulletin board, such as CraigsList.

5. Review paint that people bring to the paint swap to ensure that it complies with the established rules.

6. Take all unclaimed paint to a local paint recycling center after the paint swap concludes.

Tips & Warnings

• Schedule your paint swap on the same day that your local waste-management agency is collecting hazardous materials, so they can collect all unclaimed paint at the end of the swap.
• Don't accept paint that has been frozen or otherwise contaminated.