How to label your boxes properly

Moving house comes with a lot of different obligations and assignments. You probably have a long list of things you need to do before you successfully move into your new home. Surely, the list seems endless and one of the bigger tasks is packing. Because you are packing all of your belongings and basically your entire life, this is probably a dreadful process. If you have too many things for your new place, you can, for example, look into storage facilities in suburbs, but that isn’t the end of your issues. You need to pack all the furniture, decorations and clothes either way. That’s why organizing your things will be very important. Here is how to label your boxes properly and make unpacking easier. 

Categorize your things before you label your boxes

An illustration of moving boxes and supplies
Categorize your things into different boxes and make sure everything has its own place.

Before you even think about labeling your boxes, you need to figure out what goes into which box. Try separating your things into categories. You can categorize your stuff based on different things.

  • You can group your items based on which room of the new house they are supposed to go in.
  • Try categorizing things by use.
  • You can put things made from the same material into the same box.
  • Separate your things from your family members’ things.

What categorizing does is it helps both the packing and unpacking go smoother. If you know exactly where you need to put certain items, you will pack up your belongings much quicker and easier. Apart from that, you will also know where to put which box in the new house and you will be able to unpack without a lot of thinking. When all the items have their place, everything is much easier to handle.

Make the labels clear

Labels should be understandable

When you separate your items into different categories, you already have a good idea of what to write onto your boxes. However, it is important to remember that you’re not the only one who will benefit from having the boxes labeled. If you’re hiring a moving company, the labels will also help the movers and if your friends are helping you move, they should also be able to read the labels. That’s why you should make sure that the labels are understandable to everyone. Don’t use abbreviations that only you can understand. Write a clean and simple description of the content that’s in the box. Another thing to avoid is writing full sentences as there is no need for it.

Make the labels visible

One more tip is writing labels more than once. Don’t write the label just on the top of the box or only on one of the sides. Writing the label on all sides of the boxes won’t take a lot of your time, but it will make it easier for you to see it from all angles. Also, try to write in big letters so that they’re easy to read. If you have boxes which hold fragile items, make that clear by writing ”fragile” on the boxes. You want to do whatever you can to protect and secure your items.

Use a permanent marker to label your boxes

A blue marker on a black background
Using a permanent marker is a way to make sure your labels won’t go anywhere.

Once you have categorized all of your items into appropriate boxes, it is time to start labeling. What you want to do is describe the content of the boxes. You don’t need to get a lot of equipment for marking your boxes, just a permanent marker is enough. Simply write a short description of the items that lie in the boxes. The reason you should use a permanent, waterproof marker is so that the label doesn’t disappear somehow. For example, if you’re moving on a rainy day or if the boxes are exposed to some kind of liquid, there’s a chance that a non-permanent marker will smudge.

Print the labels

If you’d prefer to get ready-to-go labels and not to fuss with writing them yourself, there’s a solution for you You can find pre-made labels for moving boxes online, download them and print them. Then, just stick them on your boxes and fill them out. On these labels, you’ll see the names of different rooms and all you need to do is write down the content of the boxes. You can also purchase labels from a moving company or an office supply store if that is something you would prefer. If you are a creative person and you want to make this process more enjoyable and fun, you could make the labels yourself.

Use colors when you label your boxes

A blue, pink and yellow marker. You can color code when you label your boxes.
Using different colors on different boxes is a good way to make the labels clearer.

If you like using a color coding system, you can even apply it when you’re categorizing your moving boxes. You can get different colors of tape and organize your boxes by color. For example, you can use red for the boxes that hold kitchen items and green for the ones that are going into the living room. Something else you could use is colorful markers. You don’t have to use the same black marker for all of your boxes. You can even match the marker color to the color of the tape. This system will make the labels stand out even more and the purpose and the content of the boxes will be clearer. If you prefer to use numbers, you can use them instead of colors. Find a system that works for you.

After you label your boxes

When your belongings are neatly packed and after you label your boxes properly, it’s time to call the movers and get to your new home. Marking your boxes is a good way to have a more organized move, but another thing you should do is research the moving companies that can help you transport the boxes. Whether you’re looking for a Nomad moving company or a different one, you will surely be able to find a reliable one that’s right for you.

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