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Storing pots upside down does actually help, but only for long-term storage. It puts paint right up against any potential gaps in the seal, which causes them to start drying immediately - there's a little wastage, this way, but it effectively seals off the pot, preventing further thickening due to evaporation. If you're only storing for a few days, what you lose in crust is more significant than any thickening of the general contents, but when you're talking months, I'd say it's well worth it.
Personally, I just add a few drops of water (plain old tap water - unless you have very hard water and add a significant amount, it's not going to mess with your paints) every now and again, if the contents of a pot are thickening noticeably. This is simply to keep it from gelling, as I use a (wet) palette and thin to the task at hand while painting. Thinning an entire pot is very limiting, if not outright wasteful (should you muck things up) - best to leave it as an emergency measure, not a standard practice.
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