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Has the outdated look of your closet doors started to affect the entire room’s appearance? Whether the door is for a living room coat closet that guests see when they enter your home or a bedroom closet that’s stuck in a style from decades ago, buying new doors and hardware can be a pricey project. Instead of having to dish out for an entirely new closet door system, why not try a DIY spray paint hack to breathe new life into the existing hardware? All you have to do is cover each doorknob with the cardboard box to simplify the spray painting process and eliminate the hassle of taking the knobs off each closet door.

This time-saving spray paint hack is not only convenient, but it’s also beginner-friendly since it does not require any special materials to complete the project. The only things you’ll need to have are your choice of spray paint, painter’s tape, and a tool to cut through the cardboard box. A pair of scissors would work, but Exacto knives would be the best option. You can get the Amazon Basics Folding Utility Knife to make precise cuts. If you’re a prolific DIYer, you might have all of these handy tools in your craft drawer already, making this the perfect project to jump right into when creativity hits.

The first step to this quirky closet door handle DIY hack is to grab your cardboard box and utility knife, which you’ll use to cut a precise opening. The key to making this project mess-free is making sure the opening is just slightly larger than the closet door knob. You want to be able to slide it directly over the hardware so that it’s completely enclosed in the box without too much opening on the sides. Next, take painter’s tape and cover the entire section around the knob to prevent spray overflow from staining that area. Place the box back over the knob and apply a complete coat of spray paint to cover the existing color.

Use a second coat of spray paint if necessary, and once dried, remove the painter’s tape to reveal a clean finish. However, if you prefer to remove the knobs all together for painting, whether to clean them beforehand or to make repairs, you can still use this hack with a little tweaking. Instead of cutting a hole in the cardboard box, simply place your closet door knobs into the box itself before spraying to help minimize overspray. Remember to spray paint outdoors, and if not possible, make sure there is plenty of ventilation in the area.

Unique closet door ideas that use a convenient item like spray paint always make styling easy. There are countless varieties of paint available, which allows you to truly customize the final look of your refreshed closet doors. For example, you can choose paint like the Rust-Oleum Metallic Spray Paint in a chrome finish to give the knobs a shiny metal-like appearance without having to pay the price for new door knobs. A single Copper Creek Brass Door Knob costs about $12.15, while the spray paint costs $6.98. This may not seem like a big difference, but if you’re replacing several knobs at once, the project can get quite costly with the more materials you buy.

When you consider spray paint, this method also eliminates the stress of taking off and replacing the knob(s) and reduces the overall time for the project. It takes around 10 to 20 minutes to change the average door knob, but just a few minutes to tape and spritz each one with paint. Additionally, replacing door knobs entails finding the right variety for your door, and in some cases, placing an order and waiting for delivery if they aren’t available locally. That’s a delay you could avoid with this hack.