Remember way back in kindergarten when the teachers taught you how to categorize? They would give you buttons and ask you to sort them according to size, shape, and color. Now that you’re all grown up and moving to a new house, you may start to see those skills paying off. When your organizing for a move, there are a lot of items that need to be kept track of. If you use color coordination, that can be as easy as learning your ABC’s.
Organize Your Move Using Color Coordination
Unmarked boxes are great for guessing games. However, at Colonial Van Lines, we don’t think you want to make something as important as your move into a guessing game. Not only is it important for you to know the contents of your boxes to make your move more manageable, but it’s also important to communicate the contents of those boxes to the movers. Using color coordination can make the process of organizing for your move more efficient for everyone involved.
Color coding your boxes using labels is one of the most effective ways of distinguishing your boxes from one another. It’s also a relatively easy way to organize your move. All you need to start are:
Labelling Using Color Coordination
- Waterproof permanent high-quality markers in a selection of colors. Different colors will help to color code your boxes by room. Waterproof, permanent markers won’t run in wet weather.
- Colored packing tape
- Printable, sticky labels
Once you’ve got the basic essentials:
- Pack room by room. If it’s tempting to throw something from the bedroom into that extra space in the kitchen box, resist. It will make things less confusing later on.
- Next, assign a color to each room of your home. Stick to bold primary colors that are easy to see such as green, red, and blue.
- Use colored packing tape to seal the boxes and use the same color marker to write on the label. Alternatively, you can print a label with matching font color.
- Let your movers in on the code so that everyone’s on the same page.
- Make a color key for your movers to reference on moving day. Hang it in a visible place by your home’s entrance and post one for each floor of the house. See Pinterest for examples of color keys.
Color Coding Vs. Labeling
To many people, color coding and labeling are the same. And indeed color coding and labeling are often used together, yet the two serve very distinct purposes. Color coding provides a visual that tells you which box goes in which room. Labeling gives you and your movers information on what you can find inside the box, so each one receives the individual attention it requires. Effective labeling should include the following:
- A description of the contents of the box
- A general indication of the box’s weight
- The word “FRAGILE” if the box contains breakable items
- Arrows to indicate in which the direction the box should be held
- Where to place the box once it arrives in your new home (Not necessary if you color code).
Labeling Your Boxes Like A Pro
Now that Colonial Van Lines have you some basic information about labeling your boxes, we’re going to let you in on the inside skinny. The key to labeling your boxes like a pro is all about the orientation of the label. For the smoothest move, affix the label to the most visible part of the box from the mover’s perspective. If the mover is lifting a box from a stack, a label on the top of the box is most appropriate. If the box is on the floor, it may be a better idea to label the sides of the box.
Bonus Tip: Attach the label to more than one side of the box in case boxes are stacked in a way that causes the label to become less visible.
Labelling Options
When it comes to labeling, there are three basic options.
The first is the option of printing your labels out or writing them on paper, using different colors to differentiate between the destination rooms.
Tip: If you don’t buy printable labels, print a minimum of two copies out on regular paper and use tape to secure them to opposite sides of each box.
The second is the pre-made color-coded sticker option, which will guarantee neatness and save you a lot of work and time.
And the third option is the no label at all option. While writing directly on boxes qualifies as a method of labeling, it does not get high points for legibility. We recommend choosing one of the above.
A Word from Colonial Van Lines
However, when you hire Colonial Van Lines there is yet another option, and that’s letting us do the labeling and color coding for you. Colonial Van Lines offers more than just moving and transport, we offer packing services as well. We bring top quality moving materials to your house and take your furniture apart for transport, as well as labeling your items and boxes. We’ll provide a full inventory list of your items and use our proven techniques to keep them safe and well organized.
At Colonial Van Lines, our packing and labeling services are only part of the way we make the moving experience more efficient, easier and less stressful for our customers. When you hire us, we assist with every aspect of your move. With over fifty years of experience, we have the knowledge and ability to handle the most demanding situations. Our services are designed to meet your needs, regardless of the volume of your belongings.
But what sets Colonial Van Lines apart from the rest is our policy of building trusting relationships with our clients. Our free rate quotes are based on honesty and transparency. You provide us with the basic details of your move, and we give you a line by line breakdown of your expenses. We don’t hide service fees from our customers. You approve all our service fees upfront. Colonial Van Lines will never make you sign a contract without your complete consent.
No matter which labeling option you choose, the best option for organizing your move is Colonial Van Lines. Not only do we help you keep track of your belongings, we coordinate your move from start to finish, to guarantee a smooth and stress-free transition to your new home. Request our free rate quote today.