Home Home Improvement Painting 5 Clever Painting Tricks and Time-Savers And each step is just two words long! By Jen L'Italien Jen L'Italien Website Jen L'Italien worked as an in-house editor and writer for nearly a decade at Real Simple and Redbook magazines, where she focused on the home market. Her niche included features and articles about simple solutions for the home, finding the right product in a home category, organizing at home, best methods for cleaning and improving your home, and decorating and party planning with ease. Highlights 15+ years experience as a home writer and editor Former home editor for Real Simple and former lifestyle editor for Redbook Former senior content producer for Dana Holmes Media Contributor to Houzz and HGTV.com Copy editor at Dispatch magazine and columnist for Oh So Beautiful Paper Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 3, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Getty Images It's a common situation anyone who's ever painted a room is likely familiar with: You just brushed on a coat of paint and need to wait an hour for the next, or you want to take a break for dinner and finish painting later. What do you do with your paintbrush and roller? Instead of spending the time to wash the roller thoroughly between each coat, placing the roller cover in a resealable plastic bag can save the day (and 10 minutes of your time). This painting trick and the others below can help save time, energy, and paint when you tackle your next home project. Here are five clever painting hacks you'll wish you knew sooner. 5 Quick Painting Tips Everyone Should Know 01 of 05 Dip It Wendell T. Webber Don't submerge a brush more than a third of the way into the paint. Excess paint won't speed the process, but it will clog the base of the bristles, making cleanup more difficult and shortening the life of the brush. 02 of 05 Clean It Wendell T. Webber Wipe the rim of the paint can with a screwdriver wrapped in a rag. If you have paint in the groove, you won't be able to seal the top tightly. 03 of 05 Label It Wendell T. Webber Cover the open can with plastic wrap to create a clean seal, then pound on the lid with a hammer. Dab a little paint on the lid with a rag to remind you of the color. Write the paint's name and number on the lid with a permanent marker so you can reorder if necessary. 04 of 05 Store It Wendell T. Webber Keep cans upside down to create a tight seal around the lid. Be sure to stash latex paints where they won't freeze, since they are water-based. 05 of 05 Bag It Wendell T. Webber No time to clean? Place your roller cover in resealable zip-top bag and store it in the refrigerator or a cool spot during painting breaks (or overnight). Be sure there's no excess air in the bag. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit