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Moving has to be one of the most organized processes there are. Still, when the packing starts, even the most thought-after moving plan will become a bit chaotic, at least at some point.
Moving usually gets a bad rep, but it can be a relatively smooth process when approached the right way. For instance, if you opt for professional moving services, you can free up a massive chunk of time to take care of the necessary paperwork involved in a moving process.
On that note, this blog will actually explore the importance of labeling boxes for moving.
What’s the deal with labeling moving boxes?
Labeling cardboard boxes can go a long way in introducing at least some order and structure to the packing process. Labeling is a great way to take better inventory of your belongings and also a great way to ensure that your stuff gets to the correct address. Lastly, correctly labeled moving boxes will also make the process of unpacking and settling in faster.
Why is labeling boxes for moving important?
Labeling cardboard boxes may seem unnecessary and boring. However, it has several benefits to it, and they are:
- There’s no guesswork about what is where, during, and after packing.
- Because most moving boxes are identical, it will be a real challenge to remember what’s inside them if you skip the labeling process.
- If you don’t label your moving boxes, you will have difficulty taking them into the destination room. If you hire movers to take care of your unlabeled cardboard boxes, they will most likely simply stack all of them up in the largest room. No need to say that this will make the sorting process a chaotic experience.
- Sorting out every box will be time-consuming, and most of us don’t really have that luxury. Plus, randomly opening moving boxes can become really frustrating really quickly.
- Valuable and fragile items may break or get damaged if you don’t label them beforehand.
How to label boxes for packaging?
Sure, you get the point of labeling, but is there a professional way to do it? Actually, there is. Experts recommend marking the contents of the box first, then the destination room. Lastly, you can put a label of any special handling instructions if necessary. Needless to say, before you want to start labeling the moving boxes, you need to pack inside them, seal them properly, and label them only then.
Labeling boxes for packaging: Using the right tools
If you want to do the best possible job with the labeling process, you should also use the right tools for the project. These are more or less essential for creating a reliable and effective labeling system for your moving boxes.
That being said, here’s what you will be needing:
- High-quality markers: These are absolutely essential for creating a good labeling system. You don’t have to go overboard with buying the most expensive markers on the market but opt for a brand that’s of good quality, with at least five different colors. Also, make sure that the markers are waterproof and permanent, so the inscriptions on the boxes won’t become illegible or smudged.
- Labels: This is a no-brainer – you will need labels if you want to label moving boxes, right? You can download great label templates from the internet, but you can also get solid labels from moving companies as well, which come with the different room names already printed on them. Lastly, if you have the time and the energy, you can always design your own labels.
- Colored Tape: If you want to create a color-based labeling system, using colored tape can raise your system to a whole other level, making identifying the cardboard boxes even easier.
Color-labeling boxes for packaging
If you are looking for the most effective labeling option, you should look into color coding, a concept in which you choose a specific color for a room and stick to it until you pack everything. Simple as that and as effective as it can get.
For instance, the boxes that go into the bedroom will be labeled with a blue marker and packed together with the rest of the boxes that go there. Still, you should stick to the pattern we mentioned before and put down the exact contents on each box too.
Apart from using colored markers, you can also use the colored tape we mentioned before, making the simple process even simpler. Following the same example, once you’re done with all “blue” or bedroom boxes, you can go to the living room, start packing and label the boxes with the color green.
Easy as pie – but still, the system can become tricky. You will need to know what each color means, and more importantly, the movers will need to know it too. So, to make the idea bulletproof, put the name of the room on every box with the corresponding color, and label the doors of the rooms the same way.
Use numbers as well
If you want to label your boxes for packaging like a professional, you can also use numbers to be even more detailed. For example, you mark a box green (living room) and put a large 2 on it. Meanwhile, you create a master inventory list, where you put down everything that’s in the number two box so you don’t have to put it all on the side of the package.
This is an excellent way to avoid the labels getting too crowded to read, or if you don’t really want the movers to know what’s in your boxes – only knowing where they need to put them.
Just make sure that you have a backup of the master inventory list. Trust us – you need to be prepared for everything.
Just keep it organized
In all honesty, there aren’t any strict rules regarding labeling these boxes. As such, if you have a better, more effective labeling system figured out, use that – the goal here is to introduce a sense of order into the chaos that is moving preparation. These tips should be more like guidelines you can follow, as these methods and approaches are proven to work.
Just make sure to pick a labeling method that works for you the most in don’t change it midway through the packing process. The worst thing you can do is to complicate things even further with two different labeling systems. Both you and the movers will end up just being frustrated.
Lastly, be extra careful when you’re using second-hand boxes. If you’ve managed to get used containers, some of them might already have labeling on them. If you can, tape your new labels above the old labels or mask them in any way possible to avoid confusion.
All in all, getting help from professionals is the best move you can make when it comes to moving. They will be able to help you not just with moving, but with a wide variety of other services as well. Take us, for instance; apart from relocation, we also offer outstanding storage services in New York.
