Placing your belongings into a cardboard box is only half the battle. Labels, stickers and inventory lists provide another level of packing organization. It is important to communicate the contents of your boxes to your movers before you move. Additionally, knowing what items reside in every box and container can make your relocation efficient and more manageable.
This guide will have you labeling and creating moving lists like a professional, so your move is smooth and organized.
What do you need to label your boxes?
Labeling boxes is relatively easy and you dont need to do anything special to do it. You just need to make sure you have the right materials. The top materials you should get before you start are...
- High quality, waterproof, permanent markers in a good selection of colors, and
- Printable, sticky labels
- Colored tape
If you're spending money on markers anyway, it's best to purchase ones you'll be able to use afterwards. Different colors will help you color code the boxes by room, and permanent/waterproof markers will not smudge in rainy weather.
TIP: If you are using secondhand boxes, tape your label directly over the old labels to avoid confusion.
Effectively label boxes with the following information:
- A description of the box's contents
- A general indication of the box's weight
- "FRAGILE" written on a box that contains breakable or special items
- Arrows to indicate the direction the box should be held
- Where the box should be placed once it arrives at your new home
How do you label your boxes like a professional mover?
Many people place labels on various items, ranging from prescription bottles to plastic bags. The purpose is all the same -- to highlight important details about what is inside a container. Placing a label on a box or other container is important, but how you orient the label can be just as important.
The label should be affixed to the most visible part of the box from the mover's perspective. If your mover is lifting a box from a stack, then putting a label on the top of the box can make it easier to read. For boxes situated on the floor, a label might be most readable on the sides of your box.
TIP: Label more than one side of the box, so something is visible when boxes are stacked on top of each other.
What are the different label options?
- If you decide to print or write your labels on paper, using different colors and fonts can help you differentiate destination rooms. If you don't buy printable labels, print at least two copies on regular paper and tape to opposite sides of the box.
- Pre-made stickers will save you time while keeping the labels neat.
- Writing directly on a box is also an option, but it will be much harder to read.
How do you color code your moving boxes?
One of the best ways to organize your move is to color code your boxes to correspond to different rooms in your new home. By using varied colors to categorize your belongings, you can help make your job and the job of the movers that much easier.
- Assign a color to each room or region of your new home
- Choose a distinctly different color for each room -- stick to basics like red, green, blue or orange
- Use colored packing tape to seal the box
- Use the same color marker to write on the label or print a label with that color font
- Coordinate with your movers -- or the friends that are moving you -- so that everyone understands the system
- Make a color key for your movers or helpers to reference on moving day
TIP: Hang the color key in a highly visible place near your home's entrance and have one per floor of the home.
By color-coding your boxes, your movers will know exactly where each box belongs, allowing them to unload the truck quickly and efficiently. It will be much easier to unpack your belongings with every box in its appropriate room.