You probably already know that it's important to label your moving boxes with the room they belong in. But is just labeling the room enough? Anyone who has packed and moved recently will tell you "no".
3 useful packing labels for your moving boxes
To help ensure that your boxes go in the room they belong and that they are treated carefully and properly during loading and unloading, here are 3 additional labels you should use.
1. In the Kitchen: "Dishes", "Appliances", or "Glassware"
Our kitchens contain a wide variety of items, including durable things like cutlery and breakable fine china or glassware, as well as bulky or heavy appliances.
Adding the contents of the box on the label will help movers know where to place the box within the appropriate room so you can avoid having to move it again later. Knowing the contents of the box will also let them know whether it needs to be handled with care and if other boxes can be stacked on top.
2. In the Living Room: "Breakable" or "Non-breakable"
Living rooms typically contain things that are hard to damage, such as pillows and blankets. However, most living rooms contain some items are more fragile than others, such as glass frames, figurines or tchotckes, and antiques. If you have movers or friends helping you with your move, they should be cautious when handling boxes that include fragile or antique items that can easily break. By labeling the boxes that contain items that can be damaged or that are breakable, you will forewarn the movers or others helping you out that they should be more careful with these boxes. This will also save you money since you will not have to replace broken items.
3. For Clothing: Season and Owner
When packing clothing, you most likely just want everything done and out of the way. The problem is that if you pack clothing and simply label it "clothes", you may not remember whose clothing it is, or if it’s for summer, spring, fall or winter. By labeling the box with the person’s name and the season for the clothing, you’ll know what will need to go into storage and what should be unpacked sooner, as well as whose bedroom or closet to place the clothing boxes in.
6 more tips for labeling moving boxes
Make your move even easier for you, your friends, and your moving crew with these tips for labeling your boxes:
- Use high-quality tools. This is not the time to use up that dying Sharpie or ballpoint pen—use a fresh permanent marker that is waterproof so your labels won't run if it's rainy out. You should also use high-quality labels that won't lose their adhesive and fall off in transit. If you don't have ready-to-use moving labels, you can also use scrap paper—just be sure to attach it to your box using high-quality packing tape. Cover the entire scrap of paper so that your label won't tear or get wet.
- Color code. Choose one color for each room, and label each box using the correspodnding color. You can also use colored tape.
- Number your boxes. Assign each box a number, and mark the contents of each box on a separate sheet of paper or on your phone, tablet, or other device. Numbering your boxes makes it easier to create an inventory of all of your items so you can keep track of where everything is and quickly find something you unexpectedly need without digging through all your boxes.
- Label the top and two sides of each moving box so that labels are visible when boxes are stacked on top of each other.
- As soon as you seal a box, mark it with any special handling instructions, such as "FRAGILE" or "THIS SIDE UP" very clearly on multiple sides of the box.
- If you're using old or previously-used moving boxes, cover any existing labels to avoid confusion.
Conclusion
One of the worst things to discover once you’ve unloaded your moving truck and friends have left is that all of the boxes are in the wrong rooms or places. Taking the extra step to label your boxes so that they are placed in the right rooms in the right spot will help to prevent this from happening. These small steps can be significant time and stress savers and may help make your move go faster so you can enjoy your new home sooner.
Before you label your boxes, contact us through our online form for a free moving quote or by giving us a call at 800-626-1257. From small moves to large moves, we are your expert moving company. Give us a call today!
About the author: Rachel Hazzard is the Content Solutions Manager for TSI, a seven-time honoree on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies. After years in the industry, she’s an expert on packing, organizing, and downsizing. When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her eating out or hanging with her cat Nilla.
