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Hello! I'm a little embarrassed asking this, but after years of base coating with a brush I tried using a spray can and I had some questions about spray can safety.

I have a filter mask and gloves, but I live in an apartment and only have a small balcony for spraying outdoors, with the balcony door connecting to my kitchen. I don't have a yard, and it's winter most of the year here with temperatures well below freezing. I used to bring painted models inside but the paint smell was unbearable and I was worried about fume poisoning. I started leaving them outside for a few hours, but the strong smell didn't go away and I'm worried if it could pose some kind of health hazard.

How long should I leave sprayed models outside before it's safe to bring them inside? Should I change my clothes after spraying?

Sure breathing the piant and thinner fumes is never going to be benefitial to your health But if you stepped out onto the balcony, sprayed one model and then step back inside and place him down somewhere to dry. Theres hardly any paint in the air (as that went outside) and youl get a slight odour from the solvent coming off the paint as it dries. Hardly life threatening.
Throwing a big baggy old tshirt over the top of whatever your wearing would be a good way to keep clothes free of overspray.

I assume you have a bathroom - does it have a vented fan or a window? Spray paint/varnish will continue to off-gas for a while after it becomes dry to the touch, but the volume of solvent leaving is minimal, even if the smell doesn't suggest it. I generally try to spray outside, give the models a few minutes to lose the wet shine, then pop them in the bathroom with the door closed and the fan running to contain the smell (again, it vents to the outside - if you're bathroom is sealed, it would likely linger even longer than... certain other smells you're likely to encounter there).

If I spray outside, I usually don't have to worry about the solvent smell lingering on my clothes, let alone actual overspray - I just place myself upwind of the models before I let loose with the can. With a slight breeze, I don't even smell the solvent. If space is too limited to allow you that freedom, a cheap apron, smock, overshirt, etc. will catch all the smell and mess and can simply be left outside until the smell dissipates. The filter mask will take care of any health risks, although I wouldn't consider them particularly high if only occasionally spraying outdoors, even with still air.

No harm in a bit of precaution, but I wouldn't worry, overmuch. You're already being more cautious than most and model painters aren't dropping like flies.

Breathing filter do not filter out the harmful parts of spray paint. Only a sealed unit with hose fed from a compressor is safe. I contacted my mask supplier about it, I use carbon filter masks when casting resin. The organic filters do not filter out the chemicals that do harm. Cloth filters are totally useless. Worse than this, filters catch and condense the harmful chemicals, making it EVEN WORSE for you. Spray painting is safer with no mask (I know, sounds counter intuitive but it true, based on advice from suppliers of masks!)