Gatorade/Powerade bottles will last many many months(like year plus) with fuel in them.
Being disposable. You can usually find one or more in a trash can(in a pinch) at a gas station or use the bottle what you drink when you need it.
On a trip, being available & disposable means you only have to carry the spare fuel for the leg/s of the trip you suspect you might need it. Fill it, stash it, use it(when needed or to make room), throw it out. No fuel bottle taking up space 100% of the time.
Fuel bottles are easily found under $20 on Amazon.
I have a couple of these that I have been given & I've given some of them away. They've been used, just don't really ever leave the garage.
Whoops. Maybe get a reserve bottle?
Yup, cardboard will totally work.
If you open the tank, and it's not splashing around (when upright) in the 'overspill area', you can get an empty (and dry) water bottle filled with fuel and top it off.
Better still, just get one of these and do the same thing: https://www.amazon.ca/Primus-Fuel-Bottle-Childproof-Cap/dp/B01E7CZ1R8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3LSISB8KPSHIX&dchild=1&keywords=motorcycle+fuel+bottle&qid=1612974936&sprefix=motorcycle+fuel%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-4
Always good to have these floating around for any long trips anyway.