The Best Way to Label Your Moving Boxes

If you are like most people, the thought of having to load everything you own into a series of boxes, bags, and bins, then load them into a storage unit is enough to convince you not to move! We’ve all heard horror stories of people’s belongings somehow getting lost and/or broken when they thought things were safely packed. Let’s face it—moving is not only hard on us physically, but mentally and emotionally, as well.

Don't forget to label your contents to make is easier to find the things you're looking for later.

When the time finally comes to move your entire household into boxes, most of us wonder where on Earth did all this stuff come from, and how am I going to keep it all organized? A truck full of identical, unmarked boxes is a nightmare on the other end, so take the time to label your moving boxes well. That way, your professional movers will know where things go, and you get to keep at least some of your sanity intact!

It is generally a good idea to label all sides of your boxes. During the actual move, as well as during the unpacking at your new home, you and your movers will want to know which boxes go where without having to turn each one over multiple times. If you take an extra minute to label each side, you can save yourself and your movers a lot of time and hassle when unpacking. Label each box right after you have packed it, closed its flaps, and sealed it.

Some people like using waterproof markers to label each box. Be sure to label the boxes on multiple sides. Mark them with indications of where it will go when unpacked, or whether it needs to be handled with extreme care like items that could break easily. Maybe there is something inside that you will need access to before the move is complete—mark it! You can then make lists of the contents of each box, which is extremely helpful if you are moving a large household. Just be sure that the labels are clear, and try to make sure that some unexpected precipitation won’t leave your labels runny and hard to read.

One idea for organizing your boxes is to develop a color-coding system. You can get fancy with different colors of packing tape, or you can get more creative with markers. Color-coding your boxes by room is an easily visible way to keep things organized. Another idea is to use stickers that identify each box’s destination. Do your kids have some old stickers that they no longer want, or would you prefer to print label stickers to keep things looking professional? Stickers are definitely a quick and easy way to label your boxes. Just make sure the adhesive is good!

Finally, consider creating a numbering system. If you’re the kind of person who is really organized, you can label each box with its final destination as well as a number corresponding to your inventory. Then you will know how many boxes are supposed to be delivered to each room, where to find your bedsheets, and if you share your system with your movers, it will help them stay organized, too.

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Catherine Cattarello is a writer, editor, and small business owner.

#storage #organizingstorage #labelingboxes