How to Label Boxes for Moving

Do not be alarmed to learn that many things can go wrong during a home move. The home moving process is notorious for being too unpredictable but the good news is that you should still be able to stay in control of your own move as long as you don’t make any mistakes, like failure to label your moving boxes.

Labeling boxes when moving home is probably the most underestimated task in anyone’s moving checklist. It’s a bad idea to undervalue the significance of that packing task, but it’s done nonetheless, especially by people who are proud of their good memory.

Don’t make the same packing mistake!

Instead, learn the best way to label moving boxes to save yourself hours of precious time after the move and prevent splitting headaches before you begin to unpack those boxes.

So, what’s the best way to label boxes when moving?

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 markers

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 box labels

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 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 and 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.

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When to label moving boxes: good timing matters

The moment you have armed yourself with color markers and packing labels is the perfect moment for you to decide just how you’re going to label your moving boxes. Basically, you can choose between two labeling systems: the color coding system and the number coding system.

But before we provide more information about each box labeling system, let’s say a few words about the importance of TIMING. Now, timing the box labeling task may seem like common sense, but judgment errors are still possible when you’re put under a considerable amount of stress during the home moving process.

You should NOT label a box before packing it simply because you still won’t know its exact contents, and you should NOT label a moving box long after you’ve packed it because by then you may have forgotten what you have placed inside it.

The proper time to label a moving box is right after you have packed that cardboard container, closed its flaps, and sealed it with tape. So, PACK, SEAL, and LABEL a moving box in a logical sequence without allowing for too much time to pass between each packing action.

Packing Timeline: What to Pack When for Moving

How to label moving boxes using colors

The first method of labeling moving boxes is the color-coded system – that is, use different colors for different rooms. This labeling system is the easier of the two because 1) it is very simple to implement, 2) it is quite effective, and 3) it is as fool-proof as it can get – that is, minimal chance of post-move mixed-up situations.

Here are the steps to implementing the color-coded system for labeling moving boxes:

• Step 1. Designate one different color for each destination room in the new home. For example, RED can mean BEDROOM, BLUE can mean BATHROOM, GREEN can mean LIVING ROOM, ORANGE can mean KITCHEN, and so on.
• Step 2. Pick the colors so that they make sense to you. For instance, water is blue, so the bathroom will be associated with that color. You like to eat oranges, so the kitchen will be associated with the orange color. Select a color for each room and be consistent with it. Don’t worry, picking colors randomly will also work.
• Step 3. Get your set of color markers ready and get down to work. Use the red marker to label all cardboard boxes that will need to end up in the bedroom. When packing your kitchen, use the orange marker to mark all the moving boxes that need to be carried into the kitchen of the new home.
• Step 4. Mark each box with the essential info that will enable you to identify that same container after the move is over. So, what to write on moving boxes? Mark down the contents of the box, its destination room, as well as handling instructions or special warnings.
• Step 5. Use colored moving labels in conjunction with the colored markers for even easier identification. Keep in mind that this is an optional step that should make things easier, but it’s not something you are required to do. It’s okay to use ordinary non-colored labels, or even no labels at all.
• Step 6. Consider using colored tape to make labeling more effective and even more fun. Similar to Step 3, this labeling step is largely optional.
• Step 7. Use the red marker to write down on the boxes any essential handling instructions, such as FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE, THIS SIDE UP, and so on. Use the black marker to do this for all the boxes you have associated with and labeled in red – that is, the bedroom-bound boxes from the example in Step 1.
• Step 8. Attach corresponding pieces of colored paper on the doors leading to the destination rooms in the new house or apartment. This is necessary so that the color-coded labeling system you have used to label your moving boxes can be understood by anyone who’s involved in the move. Simply put, you know ORANGE means KITCHEN, but your professional movers or your friends won’t know it.

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How to label moving boxes using numbers

The second method of labeling moving boxes is the number-coded system – that is, use different numbers for each separate box. This labeling system can save you a bit of time because you won’t have to write the box contents on each moving box as you should do when using the color-coded labeling system. All you need to do is write a single digit on at least two sides of the moving box, and that’s it.

Here are the steps to implementing the number-coded system for labeling moving boxes:

• Step 1. Create a master packing list, either on a notebook using a pen or a pencil, or on your preferred electronic device using a spreadsheet document. That master inventory list is where you will write down the contents of each packing box.
• Step 2. Designate a unique number for each separate moving box. For example, as soon as you finish packing a box, you write #1 on at least two of its sides, and then you mark the destination room – for example, KITCHEN.
• Step 3. Remember to write the rooms to which the boxes will need to be delivered. This way, the professional movers or you yourself will know where all the packed boxes should go, but only you will know what’s inside them.
• Step 4. Write down in your master packing list the full contents of the box you just finished packing. For instance, Box #1: Tea set + Wine glasses.
• Step 5. Keep the master packing list safe and make sure you don’t misplace or lose it during the residential move. This is really important because you would lose a staggering amount of time after the move if you didn’t have that packing checklist with you. Therefore, if you’ve compiled the inventory list on paper, either photocopy it and keep the rest of the copies in separate places, or scan the checklist and e-mail it to yourself. If you’ve completed that master checklist on an electronic device, just back it up online or via e-mail.

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Bonus tips for labeling boxes for moving

So, what is the best way to label moving boxes? Both of the above box labeling methods will work just fine, so which one you choose to use is entirely up to you.

Using color codes to label your moving boxes and then writing the essential info straight on the cardboard containers is usually the preferred way to go because it’s more reliable – if you lose the master packing checklist when using the number-coded labeling system, then you’ll be in a bit of trouble after the move.

To help you achieve a good level of efficiency when packing up your home, and to avoid packing mistakes at the same time, here are a few bonus tips for labeling moving boxes:

• Where to label your moving boxes? Make sure each moving box is labeled on its top and on at least one of its sides, preferably 2. This will allow you to save precious time when identifying where each cardboard container needs to go.
• What to write on moving boxes? As mentioned above, each packing box should contain the following info: the destination room in the new home, its contents, and any handling instructions (FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE, THIS SIDE UP) when the things inside the box are easily breakable. If you’ve just packed something fairly valuable inside a box, you may choose not to write that on the box itself. Still, it’s better to keep your valuables separate from your ordinary belongings.
• How to attach the packing box labels? It’s useful to know how to attach box labels for moving on the cardboard containers so that they don’t fall off during transit. The quickest way to do it is to place clear packing tape over them – as long as the tape is of good quality, the labels should stay exactly where they are. Another option is to glue the packing tables using a glue stick, but this is the less preferred way to attach labels to moving boxes because it’s slower, stickier, and messier than using packing tape.

Self-Packing vs Professional Packing Services

The most important thing to remember when labeling moving boxes is to NOT skip this essential packing step. Label your moving boxes even if you’re confident that you will somehow remember what’s inside each container.

First of all, there will be too many identical or similar-looking boxes to keep track of, and secondly, the additional stress that only a home move can generate will keep your mind rather occupied.

Whoever said that The shortest pencil is still better than the longest memory must have just learned a valuable life lesson in the course of their own home move.

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