Packing for a move is always a more ambitious endeavor than you expect, inevitably involving more boxes than you plan. On top of that, you need to be sure all of those boxes make it from your home in Nashville, TN and get to the right rooms in the right place in their best condition. To do that, you need proper labeling, so here’s a few tips from the Little Guys Movers on the best way to label your moving boxes to keep things easy on you and your movers.
Get Good Supplies
To make sure your labels are clear and easy to read, you want to be sure that you are starting with quality supplies. If you are reusing boxes — a great way to save money in a move, if they’re still in good enough shape — you’ll want to be sure you can cover any old labels from previous moves to make sure there’s no confusion. Then you’ll want to be sure you have good tape and high quality markers that won’t peel or smear off in rain or humidity. And, if you’ll be using the color-coding system we talk about below, make sure you get your tape or markers in the colors you need.
Choose Your Coding System
There are many different ways to label your boxes — by room, by color, by priority — and ultimately it comes down to your preference. However, some labeling systems will make things easier for you and for your movers, or whoever is helping you unpack.
Room Label
Labeling your box by room is the most standard method. Simply write the name of the room you want each box to go to on the side and top in clear lettering so everyone knows where to take it. Make sure the rooms are made clear, or at least that your abbreviations are distinct. If you have ‘Ba’ for both Bathroom and Basement, you may end up with boxes in the wrong place, or with movers having to check in with you frequently about where to take things.
Number Coding
Number coding boxes often goes hand in hand with a method of room coding. As you pack, keep the boxes sorted by priority. Then, number the boxes in each room in that priority order. So in each room, you will know which box has the most important items, and don’t have to dig through eight boxes to find the bedroom linens or six boxes to find the paper towels.
Color Coding
Instead of marking each box with the name of the room it’s heading to, give each room a color, and mark the box with that color. This can easily be done with colored tapes, adding a strip to the sides and top of the boxes, and is extremely visible to your movers. There’s no decoding involved, and no searching for labels when there is a bright yellow or green line on every side. You can also put a piece of tape on the door of each room to indicate where the boxes go — green tape on the bedroom door where the green boxes go, etc. — and make a key to hang right inside the front door for easy reference.
Important Details Should Be Noticeable
If you have additional notes for any box, make sure to write them in multiple places in big text. You would hate for your fragile items to break because you only wrote ‘Fragile’ on one side of the box, where it’s easy to miss.
The important thing about labeling for a move is to choose your system and stick with it. If your label style is inconsistent, it can be difficult on you and your movers while you unload everything. Keep things simple, label things clearly, and your Nashville moving company, Little Guy Movers will help with the rest. Contact us for a free quote now.