getting my colors back

Why is it that everytime I save and close a file, the next time I open it, all my colors are gone?

I don't mean the model itself has become black and white - all the colors are still there - but I can't access them from the color control drop-down menu anymore (so I can't color any new objects the same customized colors that I used on already saved objects). When I highlight an object and open its properties and click on the color menu, I get all the standard colors but not my customized ones. If I click on 'select color', I get 'index color', 'true color', and 'color books', but no option for picking the color that the object actual is (or the color of any other object in the model).

It probably doesn't help that I have the object set to 'ByLayer', but I would think there should be a way of getting the color it actual is anyway. Can someone help me? Thanks.

Are these xrefs that you are modifying within a drawing?

Nope, they're all native.

Have you tried using Match Properties?

Hey, that's just what I need. I didn't know that tool existed. Thanks for enlightening me.

I know that's a quick fix, but is there a way to save custom colours?

(I'd be surprised if there wasn't)