When getting ready to move out of your current home and thinking of moving preparation, most of us automatically associate the words disorganization, chaos, stress, and visualize a sea of boxes, from large to small, to wardrobe and pictures. Forget about the bad reputation that moving preparations usually have and let our article help you bring structural organization into your move.

Structured labeling of your boxes is your key to success. It accomplishes two things: (1) It will make your move much more organized, and (2) it will be easier for you and your movers to deal with the process of moving. Especially when unloading boxes into your new home, labeling will save you a lot of time. The movers will know exactly what room to put each box in, which fragile boxes to handle with care, and most importantly, you will know what is in them. This will prevent you from having to open boxes to find out what is inside each one.

1. GATHER THE LABELING TOOLS YOU WILL NEED

• Markers: You will need a set of high-quality, waterproof, permanent markers. Use a dark color, preferably black, for easy legibility. Orange ink is difficult to read, as are other light colors. Instead, choose a brand that you trust and are familiar with, such as Sharpies. This way, you can use the makers for other purposes long after you’ve completed your relocation process.

• Multi-color 3 inch round label stickers/ Colored tape: A huge variety of color-coded labels can be found on Amazon. You can easily write or print on them, and they stick to more surfaces than your moving boxes, including plastic, glass, paper, and even clothing! They are perfect as moving labels. You can also use colored tape to create a color-coded labeling system that will enable you to quickly identify your boxes by room when you reach your destination. Colored tape is available in most office supply stores.

• Inventory list: Making a moving inventory list will help you with the organization of your possessions. At the same time, you will be on track when packing your stuff. Write details like the name of the item and quantity, and always take photos of high-value items. In case of any damage during a move or after, having an accurate inventory list will help you claim insurance. If this isn’t obvious, you should NOT label a box before packing it because you won’t know what you will end up packing in that box. You should also NOT label a moving box way after you’ve packed it because, by that time, you might have forgotten what you put inside the box. The inventory list will help you keep track of all your items if the moving company you choose loses or damages something.

2. COLOR CODE AND LABEL ALL OF YOUR BOXES BY ROOM

An easy method for labeling moving boxes is the color-coded system. This labeling system is straightforward to implement, and it is quite effective. Label your boxes by room. Choosing color-coded moving labels of at least 3-inches in size will guarantee enough space to easily write or print on your labels. This will ensure for anyone who is helping you move to easily understand your color-coded system. Be as specific as possible. Instead of “bathroom,” for instance, say “master bathroom” or “kid’s bathroom” or “guest bathroom” if you have packed these rooms separately.

Designate one different color for each destination room in the new home. For example, orange can be used for the bathroom, red can mean bedroom, green can be associated with the living room, blue can mean kitchen, and so on.

Additional Tips:

• Label any boxes that you plan on taking yourself as “Do Not Move.”
• Use a red marker to write down any essential handling instructions on the boxes, such as FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE, THIS SIDE UP, etc. 
• For boxes that you will need right away, label them as “Pack Last.” This way, the movers will put them on the truck last and unload them first.

3. NUMBER ALL YOUR BOXES.

Numbering your boxes has two primary advantages: 

(1) You’ll automatically know if you’re missing a box because that number will be missing. Otherwise, you might not even notice a box was missing until weeks later when you go looking for an item you don’t have. 

(2) Numbering your boxes makes inventorying your household items easier, and you can quickly double-check your inventory list or spreadsheet by the number to find out what you packed in what numbered box. Especially when you don’t unpack everything during the first week, the numbered boxes in combination with the inventory list will help you find what you need quickly and enable you to go straight to the box to get what you need.

VMoving provides fast transit of goods for our clients

When you hire a moving company, you want a team of movers that know how to do the job and have been doing the job for many years. They need to be experienced and quick on their feet to relocate boxes and furniture to the truck with care and due diligence. Our company has only the best staff working for us, and we like to make sure they continue to get training to provide you with a better and better service each time.