Short answer
Keep small, clearly labeled quantities of materials you’re likely to need for touch-ups and repairs (for example: one quart of wall paint per room, a few extra tiles, a box of matching flooring planks, spare shingles, common fasteners). Dispose or recycle anything past its shelf life, compromised by moisture/heat/freezing, or that you can’t realistically use within the next 2–3 years. Hazardous items (oil-based paints, solvents, adhesives, aerosols, stains) should go to a household hazardous waste drop-off.
How long to keep and what to keep
Use this quick guide as your baseline and adjust for your climate and storage conditions (cool, dry, off the floor, 60–80°F is ideal).
Keep on hand (repair reserves)
- Interior/exterior paint: ~1 quart per color/room (until next repaint, typically 3–7 years)
- Flooring (LVP/laminate/engineered): 1 unopened box or 5–10% overage
- Tile: 10–15% overage (stone/handmade on the high side)
- Shingles: 1 bundle or 8–12 pieces
- Siding: 2–4 full pieces of each profile/color
Typical shelf life (unopened | opened, if well sealed)
- Latex/acrylic paint: 7–10 yrs | 1–2 yrs (if not frozen; no odor; no lumps)
- Oil/alkyd paint & stains: 5–10 yrs | 1–2 yrs (HHW disposal if discarding)
- [Caulk](/tools/paint/caulk-sealants/caulk) (latex/silicone/polyurethane): 12–24 months from manufacture
- [Construction adhesive](/tools/paint/glues-adhesives-tapes/construction-adhesive): ~12 months; epoxy adhesives: 12–24 months
- Spray foam: 12–18 months
- Premix joint compound: 9 months | 1–3 months after opening
- Powder joint compound: years if dry; discard if clumpy
- [Grout/thinset/mortar](/tools/building-supplies/concrete-cement-masonry/concrete-cement-stucco-mix)/concrete (bagged): 6–12 months; discard if hardened/clumpy
- Roofing cement/asphalt patch: 12–24 months
If something is past date codes or shows failure signs (clumps, skin, separation that won’t remix, sour or ammonia odor, strings in caulk/adhesive), it’s time to dispose or recycle.
Step-by-step: audit, store, or dispose
1) Gather and sort
- Group by type: paints/stains, adhesives/caulks, cementitious (grout/thinset), wood/drywall, flooring/tile/shingles, fasteners/hardware, electrical/plumbing parts, solvents/aerosols.
- Tools that help: permanent marker, painter’s tape, utility knife, bin labels, contractor trash bags, nitrile gloves, safety glasses, N95 respirator, sealable bins with gasket lids, silica gel packs, paint can opener, rubber mallet.
2) Inspect and decide
- Check dates and condition.
- Keep only what you can use in 2–3 years and what is specific to your home (matching paint, tile, siding).
- Unopened, climate-stored materials have the longest life. Opened items must be in airtight containers with intact liners.
3) Label and store correctly
- Write project, room, color code, sheen, and date on every container. For tiles/flooring, note lot/dye number.
- Reseal paint: place plastic wrap over the rim, tap lid with a rubber mallet, store can upside down for a quick seal check (then right-side up). Don’t store in freezing garages.
- Caulk/adhesive: cap nozzles; wrap in plastic with a rubber band.
- Bagged powders: place the whole bag in a contractor bag with desiccant; keep off concrete floors on a pallet or 2x4s.
4) Dispose or recycle safely
- Latex paint (water-based): Dry it out (commercial paint hardener $5–$8, or mix in kitty litter/sawdust). Once fully solid, most areas allow curbside trash; leave lid off so the driver can see it’s dry.
- Oil-based paint, stains, varnish, solvents, adhesives, aerosols: Household hazardous waste (HHW) drop-off only. Many municipalities host free quarterly events.
- Empty aerosol cans: If fully empty and your area accepts them, recycle with metals; otherwise HHW.
- Cementitious (hardened): Fully cured chunks can go to C&D waste; small amounts can be used as fill.
- Clean lumber, trim, and drywall: Offer on local reuse groups; some centers take clean drywall for gypsum recycling. Never burn treated wood.
- Metals (fasteners, hinges, copper/brass fittings): Recycle as scrap.
- Bulbs/batteries: CFLs and many batteries go to HHW or retail take-back; LEDs often accepted at e‑waste.
Safety guardrails
- Ventilation: Open windows or use a box fan when handling chemicals.
- PPE: Gloves, eye protection, and respiratory protection (N95 for dust; organic vapor respirator for strong solvent odors).
- Fire risk: Oily rags (stain/varnish) can self-ignite. Place in a metal can with water and a tight lid until HHW disposal.
- Chemical mixing: Don’t mix different paints/solvents hoping to “use them up.”
- Children/pets: Store chemicals high and locked; use gasket-lid bins.
Practical examples
- You repainted a bedroom: Keep one quart labeled with color code and sheen until the next repaint (likely 3–5 years). Dry out the last inch in old cans and trash the solids.
- You tiled a bathroom: Keep 10% of the tile and a small bag of matching grout (powder, kept dry). If your thinset bag hardened, landfill as solid waste.
- You replaced a roof: Keep a half-bundle of shingles and leftover drip edge screws; HHW any roofing cements past date.
Tips for best results
- Maintain a simple inventory (photo + note in your phone) with storage location.
- Rotate stock: use older tubes and cans first.
- Avoid garages that freeze or exceed 90°F. A basement shelf is better.
- For rare colors, pour a pint into a new screw-top paint can to reduce air space and extend life.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Saving every offcut “just in case”—it clutters and warps. Keep only full pieces and a small repair assortment.
- Storing paint where it can freeze; freezing ruins most latex paint.
- Using expired adhesives/caulks, leading to bond failure or cracking.
- Tossing liquid paint in the trash or pouring it down drains.
When to call a pro
- Suspected asbestos (old floor tiles, mastic, insulation), lead paint chips, or unknown chemicals—contact an environmental pro or your local waste authority.
- Large volumes from a renovation (multiple pallets/barrels). A disposal contractor or roll-off service can handle transport and compliance.
Rough time and cost
- Home audit and sorting: 2–4 hours for a typical garage.
- Paint hardener and supplies: $10–$25.
- HHW drop-off: Often free for residents; check your municipality.
With a short annual audit and clear labels, you’ll keep what’s useful, avoid failures from expired products, and dispose or recycle the rest safely and legally.