If you are moving in or around the Los Angeles area, there is a lot to be excited about; most moves are the result of acquiring a new home, which should call for a celebration. However, most people do not look forward to the actual process of moving. Packing and transporting all of your possessions can be a lot of work, and this process can be made even harder by being poorly prepared for the move.
If you are planning to move, there many steps that you could take to make for an easier day. The problem is that most people do not think of these steps until it is too late. Among the best steps that you can take to make a move easier is to establish a system for labeling the boxes. When you have things properly labeled, it will make the unloading and unpacking part of the job much more efficient.
Supplies
Before you start packing your boxes, you are going to want to get some labeling supplies. To make sure that your labeling is accurate and effective, you want to label the boxes as you fill them. Waiting until after you have everything packed will make the job much tougher than it needs to be.
The first labeling supply to consider is markers. Of course, you could get by with a plain black marker, but getting a set of colored markers could make for more effective labeling. With a set of markers, you can select a color for each room, and this will make the destination of the box even more identifiable.
Some labeling stickers can also help. You can print some off the internet or you could buy them from a store that sells moving supplies. Many of these will have the different room names already printed, so all you have to do is list the contents of the box on the label. You may also want to consider printing labels that have your name and address on them.
If you really want to make the boxes easy to identify, you could also buy some colored packing tape. With the colored tape, you could use the same coloring system as with the markers. This will make the boxes even easier to identify and help to ensure that they get unloaded to the right destination.
Labeling Systems
When you start packing for the move, you should select a labeling system. The two best options are either to go with the color-coded system mentioned above or to label using a numeric system. Both ideas have their own advantages, so selecting the right one will come down to personal preference.
The color-coded system works well because it makes the destination of the box easy to identify. However, you will need to make sure that every person involved in the move knows the color system. One idea is to tape a colored piece of paper to the door of each room. As an example, if you use red for the kitchen, then you would tape a red piece of paper near the entrance to the kitchen.
The advantage of the numeric system is that you will not need to write out the contents of the box on the label. In the numeric system, you would create an inventory list that tells you what is in each box. With this method, you would label the box with the room that it goes to and the box number that corresponds with the number on the list.
Of course, if you want the best of both worlds, you could combine the two systems. Color code the boxes based on where they go, and label them with numbers to identify the contents of the box.
Labeling the Boxes
When you go to label the moving boxes, you will first decide on a labeling system. As you mark the boxes, you will want to make sure that the labeling is visible on the top and two of the sides. This way, you will not have to turn the boxes around as you unload and unpack.
One of the first things that you want to make sure the labels show is the destination for the box. This can be either through the color-coded marking system or by writing it out with a black marker. Even if you are color-coding, you might want to write the destination room out in the color.
You will also want to make sure that the contents can be identified. If you are only going with the color-coded system, then you will need to write the contents out on the label. If you have decided to use numeric coding with an inventory list, then you will just have to put the number on the label.
Finally, you will want to consider labeling the boxes with handling instructions and priority. Some boxes may need instructions like “this side up” or “fragile”. Additionally, you may want to label the items that you will need the most as high priority boxes. That way, when you go to unpack, you know where to find all of the most important items.
Whether you live in the Los Angeles area or anywhere else, moving is always going to be a bit of a process. But you can still take some steps to make the job easier and reduce some of the stress. Detailed labeling may take a little more time when you are packing, but it will save you a considerable amount of time and effort when it comes to unloading and unpacking.