Even though painting your home is exciting, the mess it creates isn’t. Thankfully, there’s a paper towel trick that will eliminate the mess and lengthy clean-up.

This trick, posted to TikTok by @simplykatielynn, is as easy as ripping a paper towel off the roll, folding it in half, and lining the edge of your paint can.

Make sure to stick the folded edge of the paper towel into the can's rim and leave the rest hanging down the side of the can while you pour.

Once your paint is in the tray, you can pull the paper towel off. This will ensure there will be no paint on the rim of the can, and it won't be running down the side of the can.

If you know you'll need to use the same paint again shortly, you can simply fold the paper towel over the can while you work.

This will keep your paint fresh without having to reseal the lid and reopen it again when you need more.

This hack can also be made more environmentally friendly by using a small rag or any piece of cloth, instead of throwing away an armful of paper towels.