Advice on How To Label Your Moving Boxes

Moving to a new house is no easy feat and it is something that many of us are familiar with. Organisation is key during a chaotic time, such as when you’re Moving home. So one important way to make your moving process more efficient with minimal stress is to label, label and label.

Here are some tips and tricks we recommend you follow to label your boxes and furniture:

What to do before labeling moving boxes

You’ll be glad to learn that the job of labeling moving boxes is relatively easy and straightforward, so you won’t have to do anything too special to complete it. Thus said, you still need to be familiar with its specifics to be able to get it done the right way.

Here are the top 3 things you should do before labeling your moving boxes:

1. Purchase good-quality packing boxes label

You’re going to need a set of color markers to label your boxes once you’ve packed them.

High quality. Now, while using any marker pens you happen to find in your home could work out okay, you’re still recommended to buy one set of good-quality markers. Instead of trying to save a few dollars by using the cheapest felt tip pens available, opt for a brand of markers you know and trust, even though they will cost a bit more.

Good selection of colors. The use of only one color to label your moving boxes (usually black) will decrease greatly the efficiency of the entire box labeling task. Make things easier for yourself by securing at least 5 different colors of markers prior to labeling moving boxes.

Water-proof permanent markers. Most markers of good quality will have vivid colors that will be easier to read. Make sure the felt tip pens you purchase are also permanent and waterproof, so that the writings on the boxes won’t get smudged or washed away by moisture or possible rain on Moving day.

2. Get moving packing boxes labels

PACK — SEAL — LABEL

When it comes to moving labels for boxes, you have a number of good options to choose from.

Use the pre-printed labels found on some cardboard boxes. This way, you will save precious time.

Purchase moving box labels from an office supply store or from a local moving company.

Download and print packing labels. Many websites offer printable moving box labels for free, so all you need to do is a simple Google search and you’ll find good packing box labels in no time.

Create moving labels for boxes. Well, if you do happen to have enough time and you know how to do it, you can even design your own moving box labels from scratch. What a better way to add some fun to the boring home moving process, right?

3. Inspect second-hand boxes

If you’re using a lot of second-hand boxes in an effort to cut moving costs (using free moving boxes is regarded as one of the best ways to lower your packing expenses), then you have to inspect those cardboard boxes for previous inscriptions or markings of any sort. As you can imagine, pre-existing labels can easily lead to confusion, both for you or your movers.

The solution is easy enough – just attach your own labels directly over the old ones to hide them, or use pieces of (colored) paper or cardboard to mask them.

1. USE MOVING BOX LABELS

You can purchase packing boxes labels, design some yourself or find some free designs online. Pinterest`s moving home have some great printable options that can used to make your packing and unpacking easier.

2. LABEL MULTIPLE AREAS

People always remember to packing boxes labels the top of the box but often forget to label the sides of the box too. If you stack your boxes on top of each other then it is a good idea to have the sides of the box labelled as well. That way you can still identify the box without having to move them around just to read the top label.

3. GOOD QUALITY MARKERS

It may be tempting to purchase cheap markers for your moving box labelling, but you don’t want to be faced with a marker that has run out of ink on the night before your move day. Investing in good quality markers with good, solid colours can really pay off.

4. COLOUR CODING

Colour coding is the secret to good and efficient moving and packing. It is a very simple technique that is very effective. It is done by using a specific colour for designated rooms in the house and sticking with the same colour throughout whole the moving procces. For example; you may choose the colour red for the kitchen so all the boxes containing kitchen contents you would mark them in red with a marker, tape, paper or label. It is important to also let your movers know which colour is associated with which room so we recommend to stick coloured paper on the doors of each room that the colour belongs to.

5. COLOURED MARKERS

If you decide to colour code your boxes with markers, then buy colours that can be easily read on a cardboard box. Do not purchase a yellow or a light-coloured marker as most moving boxes are often brown or a dark colour. You want to make sure the boxes can be easily read by both yourselves and our Metromover removalists especially if you want them to put your boxes in the correct room.

6. COLOURED TAPE

Although this might be considered a bit extra, another way to colour code your boxes is to use coloured tape. This will allow you to easily identify which boxes are to go to which room without having to look for your handwriting on the box.

7. COLOURED PAPER

An easy and cost-effective way to colour code is to use coloured paper. You can print your printable labels on the coloured paper and stick them to the sides and tops of your box, so they can be easily seen from afar. You can also use the same colour to stick on the doors at the new home to let the movers know which box belongs to which room.

8. LABEL THE INSIDE CONTENTS

It is important to label your boxes with which rooms they are allocated to, but it is also a good idea to write down what each box contains inside. This will make it easier for unpacking as you can see what items are in which box, so you can prioritise your unpack accordingly.

9. NUMBER THE BOXES ON THE LABELS

Another good system to use for packing is the numbering system. This involves putting large numbers on 3 sides of the box and having a master inventory list where the contents of each box will be written down in more detail. The numbers are then easier to see and faster to read. And having a master inventory list also makes it neat and concise with having everything written down in one location. But don’t lose the list: take multiple photocopies or consider writing the list in your phone so you know you won’t lose it.

10. FRAGILE BOX LABELS

It is important to label which boxes have fragile and breakable items inside them so you and your removalists know which boxes to be extra careful with. Use fragile tapeand clearly label the boxes with ‘fragile’ and ‘handle with care’ so anyone handling your boxes is aware of what it contains.