You may think that packing your stuff is the hardest bit, but the most difficult part of moving often comes once your things have arrived to their destination. If not labelled properly, the boxes are guaranteed to give you a lot of headache.
The good news is that you can easily label the moving boxes so that later you would have no problems finding the items you’re looking for. And we’re now going to show you how. But, before you start labelling your boxes, it’s time to do some shopping!
Your Shopping List
In order to properly label moving boxes, you will need to buy some stuff. Buying moving boxes goes without question, but you will also need to get some high-quality markers, box labels, and maybe even an eraser marker, for just in case.
- Markers – The chances are that you have some markers at home, but our advice still is to buy new ones. You need high-quality waterproof markers which will leave marks that are going to last. Otherwise, you’re risking that the labeling might get ruined during the transport. Another reason why we advise you to buy more markers is that you need more than just one color. We say buy a red, a yellow, a blue, and a green marker in addition to a standard black marker.
- Labels – Depending on what kind of boxes you’re using, maybe you don’t even need labels? If the box is made of plastic or cardboard, you will have no problems writing directly on it. However, if the marker can’t leave clear marks on the box, then you have no other option but to get ahold of some box labels.
- Erase Marker – If you’re using old boxes for packing, there might be some marks on them already. And if you write labels over it, you may get confused later on. That’s why we suggest concealing the old marks or removing them using an erase marker.
Color-Coded System for Labelling
Now that you’ve bought all the things you need, you can start with box labeling. And the best way to do it is by following the steps bellow!
- FIRST STEP. The first step is to pack your stuff in boxes, making sure not to mix up the items. Instead of putting glassware and lamps in one box, we advise separating them in categories. For example, put kitchen stuff together in one box, living room items in other, and so on.
- SECOND STEP. Pick one color for each of the rooms in your new home. But, don’t do it on random; the trick is to choose the right color for the right room. For instance, you can use the color BLUE for the bathroom, because blue will always remind you of water. The color GREEN can be suitable for kitchen. After all, you eat your green veggies there… Of course, these are just our ideas, you need to make the selection so that it makes sense to you.
- THIRD STEP. Now it’s time to take the markers and label the boxes according to their destination. Use the blue marker for the boxes in which your bathroom items are; use the green one for your kitchenware.
- FOURTH STEP. If you would like to know what’s in the box at all times, you can write a list of all the items on the label. But, you should know that this is something that can take too much of your time. A much more sensible solution is simply to write the general category of the items that are in the box. For example, to mark a box with glasses, plates, and cutlery, our advice is to simply write ‘tableware’.
- FIFTH STEP. Take use of symbols! If the items inside the box are fragile, label them with a large exclamation mark. This can help the movers know to handle the box extra-carefully. You can also use emojis for this purpose. A smiley face can be for the items that have a high emotional value to you.
- SIXTH STEP. Use numbers to designate which items have priority when it comes to unpacking. If you’re going to move a lot of boxes, you won’t be able to unbox all of them in one go. Some stuff can stay in the boxes for a long time; other can’t. And those that can’t need to have the number 1 written on the box, so that you will know to unpack them first.
There you have it – our step-by-steep guide on how to properly label moving boxes. Now that you know how to do it, we’re sure you’re not going to have any problems moving your things to their new destination!