Let’s Talk Trash: Label Your Boxes or Bust

iMoving is here with another “real talk guide”. This time we speak about the importance of labeling and how it will end up saving you time and money down the road.

In short- label every side of every box and don’t stress. 

By taking the time out to properly label your moving boxes with details, you'll set yourself up for a more organized and efficient move. It's a small amount of time and effort to put in that pays off significantly when you get to your destination.

Tips of the Trade From a Pro and a Half

1. Permanent Marker Use

• Choose a dark-colored (usually black or blue) permanent marker like a Sharpie that will be easy to read on the box.
• Write with a thick font so that it is very clear what it says.
• You can let your kids get creative and color on the boxes as long as the writing is still clear. They can even draw pictures of what is inside.

2. Label on all the Sides and On the Top

• Write the label on both the top and at least one side of each box. This ensures the label from all angles even if a lot of your boxes are stacked.

3. Include Detailed Information

Write down the following information on each box:

• Room: Write which room the box came from in your old house and which room it should be placed in at your new home (ex: Bedroom, Kitchen, Living Room).
• Priority: For boxes that have critical items you'll need right away in your new place, mark them with "Open First" or "ASAP Unpack".
• Contents: List the main contents of the box (Books, Kitchen Tools, Towels). If it is a box of all bathroom items try to write anything critical that you have placed inside and are likely to forget such as medicines and first aid kits.
• Special Instructions: If there are fragile items inside or if the box needs to be handled in a certain way, mark it with "Fragile" or "Handle with Care".
• Perishables: If any boxes have food items that need cold temperatures and to be unpacked right away, ensure this is clearly written.

4. Color Coding

• If you are a DIY organization freak like I am, try the color coding method. It will make the unpacking process much easier if you use colored stickers or markers to clearly differentiate different rooms' boxes. For example, use red for the kitchen, yellow for the living room, and so on. This way you don’t have to read what is written on the box when taking them off the truck and your moving team will love you.

5. Keep a Master Inventory List

• This key step should not be overlooked. Creating a master inventory list of all your items on a spreadsheet that tells you all your items and their quality and condition will save you when it comes to insurance claims.. This will help you keep track of everything during the move and ensure nothing gets misplaced.

1. Efficient Unpacking

• Unpacking is a hard enough task as it is, make your life a little easier. When each box is clearly labeled with its room, movers can quickly place boxes in the correct rooms, making the unpacking process smoother and a lot more efficient.
• You won’t spend hours opening the wrong boxes if they are labeled with details of what is inside. Save your energy for what matters most.

2. Organization

• Labels help you prioritize the world of unpacking. By marking boxes with ASAP unpacking items, you can easily identify which boxes to unpack first. This saves you time and energy.

3. Protect Fragile Items

• Labeling boxes containing fragile and breakable items helps to ensure that your movers handle them with care.
  It also helps you understand which boxes not to stack.

4. Reduce Stress

• First things first. Take a deep breath. Moving is a huge task and is overwhelming, but well-labeled boxes will reduce stress by giving you a clear plan for unpacking and settling into your new home.
• Think of this as the past you worrying about the future you.

5. Prevent Things Getting Lost

• With clear labels, you minimize the chances of boxes being misplaced or ending up totally lost in the wrong rooms. This means you won’t have to worry about searching the whole house for lost items.

Just so you know, you don’t have to use cartons and boxes, you can also use a few other things to help pack up your entire house. 

• Use old suitcases and travel bags to pack up all your linens and pillows.
• Use reusable plastic bins to avoid cardboard waste. These can later be stacked in your garage and keep things fresh for years. 
• Pack up your car with all the small things you need and want to ensure you know where they are asap.
• Ask your local stores and cafes for their extra leftover cartons to save big on moving costs. Your mover can also provide you with some cartons if you ask nicely.

We hope that this iMoving article has given you at least a few good reasons to convince you to take the extra few minutes to properly label all of your boxes.

Taking the time to write what is in each box in detail will make your mover’s life simpler as they will know in which room to place each box, as well as your life simpler when you go to unpack. Don’t be lacy, label everything today!