Labeled boxes overlay
Posted in How-to, Moving Preparation on January 9, 2023
Julie Grace

Originally from The Golden City, Julie has explored the ins and outs of moving and has written all the tips down.

Why Do You Need Moving Labels When Relocating and How to Create Them

When relocating, there are so many things to pay attention to and remember to do that it’s no wonder that many people forget one of the most important details – moving labels! These are an essential part of any move. They can help you stay organized and ensure all your items arrive safely at your new home. Read on to learn why you need moving labels when relocating and how to create them.

When relocating, it is important to have the right system for labeling boxes and other items. Moving labels help you stay organized and make sure everything ends up in the right place at your new home or office. They also reduce confusion, save time, and can help prevent damage due to improper handling. You can use the printable colored stickers for moving, download online templates or make some on your own if you plan to move to another city and have some free time for a small DIY project.

Are Moving Labels Essential for Having a Successful Move?

When you’re about to move to a new home, there are usually many different people involved in the process, from professional long-distance movers to family members who come over to help out. It can easily get crowded, and keeping track of what goes where will become mission impossible.

That’s where moving box labels come in. By labeling each box with a unique identifier, you can easily keep track of which containers belong to which rooms or areas in your new home. This will save you time and energy when unpacking everything since you won’t have to constantly search for missing items or struggle to remember what was in which box.

Why Do Many People Put Their Names and Phones on Boxes?

Want to move safely? Labels also serve as an extra layer of protection for your belongings during the move itself. If something happens during transport, such as a box getting lost or damaged, having a label with your name and contact information will give you a better chance of being able to trace the item and get it back safely. It also simplifies any insurance claims that may need to be made if something goes wrong during transit.

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How Can Labeling Boxes Help You Stay Organized During the Relocation?

Even though you have all the moving-out lists and booked a professional packing service, you need to consider all aspects of the long-distance move. The thing is that planning a relocation will require all the hacks in order to make it successful. Labeling boxes can help you stay organized during your relocation in a variety of ways (even if it’s a last-minute move).

By labeling each box with its contents and the room it will be placed in, you can quickly unpack at your new location and put things away without having to search through multiple boxes to find what you need. Additionally, when packing, it’s important to remember to label the boxes on the sides and not just the top. This way, when they are loaded into a truck, you can still see where each box is going without having to dig through them.

Will Labeled Boxes Help White Glove Movers?

If you hire a mover with efficient long-distance moving services, it surely doesn’t mean you can throw away your to-do list and do nothing. On the contrary, there are some things you have to do in order to help professionals. Labeled boxes can help professionals in several ways.

First, they make it easier for them to organize and transport goods efficiently by allowing them to clearly identify what is inside each box. This reduces the risk of items being misplaced or forgotten during the move. Second, labeled packages enable movers to quickly locate specific items. Third, it can help protect fragile items by clearly identifying them and separating them from others. This ensures that those items are handled with extra care to prevent damage.

Stacked labeled boxes before the long-distance moving company loads them in a truck
Labeling will assist you and the professional movers during the move

What Materials and Supplies Are Needed for Making Labels?

When preparing for packing breakables, large items, and furniture, you should do so with the appropriate wrapping materials. Stretch wrap, bubble wrap, cardboard boxes, and other supplies are a must. However, labels and permanent markers should also be at the top of your list of relocation necessities. Everything you need for this task can usually be found at any local hardware store, department store, or supermarket.

Free stuff is abundant on websites such as Craigslist. However, be careful when picking those free stickers and different color permanent markers. You wouldn’t want to waste money on a brand that would leave a smudge on the box’s exterior or something that’s not functional.

Ensure You Have Permanent and Waterproof Markers

You shouldn’t skimp on quality by selecting inexpensive markers for labeling. If you’re relocating during the cold season, there’s a chance all the hard work you put in will be in vain – the containers can get all wet from snow or rain. So, it’s better to invest in a top-notch waterproof marker. Keeping your cardboard boxes protected from the elements is a good idea. You should pick a darker shade, as these will stand out more.

You should stay away from bright colors like yellow, orange, or light blue. Although it works well for highlighting text in books, these shades are too muted to be seen clearly on a shipping box. Use a clear, large-letter handwriting style. It is also suggested that you label each of the box’s sides with the appropriate room name or object classification. That way, you won’t lose energy and time on finding the side with the label.

There Are Additional Materials You Can Get

The boxing-up procedure calls for a specialized tape that comes in a wide variety of colors and shades. Getting colored tape might be the right move if you’re more interested in color-coded moving labels. Instead of labeling the outside of cardboard boxes, you’d have to use color to distinguish between uses.

An additional choice is to use a sticker that can be easily removed. Labeling furniture and appliances is a breeze with these adhesive labels. There’s a misconception that a removable sticker isn’t needed when packing your belongings in boxes. If you have more than one table, armchair, or sofa, the movers will be able to unload all of the items at once by simply looking at the sticker. Time spent unloading and relocating will be greatly reduced as a result of this.

Prepared tape, scissors, and bubble wrap for the packing process
Try labeling with color tape

What Are the Best Labels to Use?

You’ll have to use a manual labeler and barcodes to identify packages rather than relying on the modern technology used by a white glove moving service. The idea is to clearly label the contents of the box or other storage container on all sides. Don’t be shy about using a variety of font sizes and pen colors. Every single box needs to be clearly labeled – don’t just focus on the ones with fragile items.

This is crucial if you plan to pack everything yourself but end up having professional movers transport your belongings. Because they have no idea what’s in each package, you must give them detailed guidelines and explanations. Unpacking will go much more smoothly as well since the movers will already know where to put things.

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Are Printable Labels a Good Solution?

Everyone hopes that their relocation goes off without a hitch and is practically flawless. It’s the little things, like online printables, that can trip you up if you’re doing it yourself. Although it’s not a particularly difficult task, it’s best not to blindly print the first option you find but rather to compare and contrast several.

Read some reviews and product descriptions to find the best labels to help you keep everything in order. However, if you’re not in a hurry, then you can use your creativity in one DIY project. Why not make your stickers and have some fun with them?

A woman painting after cross-country movers moved her stuff
You can make your own stickers

How to Label Correctly?

Creating labels is surprisingly easy, especially when you’ve already booked white glove moving services and have some time to spare. All you need is some basic supplies like blank address labels or large shipping tags, colored markers or pens for writing, and scissors for cutting out shapes if desired. However, you still need to pick the most suitable labeling system, so let’s check them out.

Color-coding system

To keep track of your belongings when relocating, you can use a color-coding system to label your boxes. Start by using colored labels or markers on each box and then assign each color a corresponding room in your new home. For example, blue can be the living room, green the kitchen, and red the bedroom.

Label by items and rooms

Start by labeling the outside of each box with room names or categories (bedroom, kitchen, and other items). Then, for each box, list the contents on the outside. Be sure to include a description of any fragile items inside so that you and the movers know how to handle them with care.

Use numbers

Labeling your boxes by numbers is an effective way to organize and track the contents of a shipment. It also aids in efficient packing and unpacking when moving or storing items. To label boxes by numbers, begin by numbering each box consecutively – 1, 2, 3, etc. Once all of the boxes are numbered, use a marker or labeler to note the number on all sides of each box clearly. Create a map showing which numbers belong to which room, so you know how to unpack.

Some Mistakes You Should Avoid Making

Most people don’t think to check the condition of the boxes they’ll be using before they start packing. In fact, this could be one of the biggest relocation mistakes. Some older cartons may still bear remnants of previous markings or inscriptions. In such cases, it is best to simply apply your labels on top of the existing ones to avoid any confusion.

On the other hand, you could forget to cross off some items on your new apartment checklist that the movers won’t move. Don’t invite trouble by forgetting to inform the movers that a certain box shouldn’t be loaded into the truck – clearly labeling it will prevent the need for extra time and effort.

Check out some other relocation tips in the following video and avoid other potential mistakes and red flags when it comes to relocating.

YouTube video

Be Completely Ready for the Big Move and Have All of Your Containers Organized

All the hard work will pay off when the big day finally arrives. As you start packing up your items for storage or transportation, be sure to label each box with its contents and the room where it should be placed. Leave the rest for white glove moving company and enjoy all the new opportunities this move will bring.

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