Mixing different paint leftovers in one container - crazy idea?

[ursawaterson]

So I've got about a dozen half-empty paint tins sitting in my garage from various renovation projects over the last couple of years, and they're taking up way too much space. I was thinking of consolidating all the water-based emulsions into one larger container to free up room, but I'm not sure if mixing different brands and shades is a terrible idea or if it'll just turn into some weird murky grey that's completely unusable. I'm also a bit concerned about whether the mixed paint will still adhere properly or if the different formulations might react badly with each other over time. I figured I'd need something sturdy with a proper lid to store the combined mixture, and I was looking at those heavy-duty 50 litre plastic drums which seem like the right size for my needs, but I wanted to check if anyone has actually done this before and how it turned out. Did the paint separate after a few weeks? Did it still work for a base coat or undercoat? Or should I just accept the clutter and keep everything separate despite the space problem? Really curious to hear from anyone who's tried this kind of consolidation experiment.