I’m tackling the biggest question there is: To Label or Not to Label.  Well, the biggest question in the organizing world (or maybe it’s just me).  And the short answer is, ‘it depends’.  How helpful was that?  It really comes down to personal preference, but I’ve created some guidelines to help in the decision.

It’s best to use labels in the following situations:

Multiple people use the space

Organized Pantry with Labels for Opaque Bins

Labels are tremendously useful in keeping everyone in the house (or office) on the same page.  A great example of this is the pantry which everyone in the home uses.  Labeling your bins or containers or turntables (or even just shelves), lets everyone know where to find what they are looking for (and maybe more importantly where to put it back).  This SHOULD (no promises) reduce the number of times you are asked where the goldfish are or if there are any juice boxes left.  Similarly, having a labeled pantry means that anyone can put the groceries away in their allocated spots without your help.

Multiple opaque containers together

Organized Playroom with Labels

Courtesy of The Joyful Sort

Regardless of how many people live in your household or use your desk, if there are multiple, opaque containers in a single space, labels are a good idea.  Opaque containers are great at hiding your belongings and creating a uniform look in a space.  Any more than a couple, though, may require labels so you don’t waste time going through multiple containers looking for a particular item.  An exception would be if you have open bins that sit below eye level where you can easily see what’s inside.  Those don’t require labels as you can easily lean over and see what’s inside.  Of course, I’m not opposed to labels in that situation (or any, really).

More than a handful of clear bins

Multiple Clear Bins with Labels

Clear bins are great because you can see the contents inside.  But, if you have a rack full of clear bins in your garage (or anywhere really), labels should probably be used.  Even if you live alone, if you have a rack full of clear bins (with contents you don’t use daily), you are likely to forget what is inside each of them.  Similarly, many contents look similar in clear containers (are those sheets or table cloths or is that flour or pancake mix) and labels can solve the mystery.

As a teaching tool

Labeled Art Supplies in Clear Bins

Courtesy of Grid + Glam

If there are kiddos in the house learning to read, labels can be a great tool for them.  Kids love to be helpful so labeling their toy or art supply containers is a wonderful way for them to assist in cleanup while reinforcing their reading skills.  If your kids aren’t of reading age yet, add pictures to your labels.

When moving

This one probably goes without saying but I couldn’t help myself.  Always, always, always label your moving boxes.  Every moving box should include the room the box will move into, the general contents, and a box number.  I also keep a separate packing list by box number but that’s a post for another time.

Other than the instances above (and even in the instances above), I don’t think labels are always necessary.  Now, I LOVE me some labels and I basically look for opportunities to make and use them, but they aren’t required.  If you have systems in your house where the family knows a certain drawer is for snacks, then you don’t need to label the drawer ‘snacks’.  Nothing is every ‘required’ when organizing except a desire for increased order and systems that work for you.

As always, I hope you found this post interesting, informative, inspiring, or entertaining (I’ll take any one as a success).  If so, please let me know in the comments section.  Also let me know if there is anything you’d like to see on this blog by writing me at feedback@theorganizingblonde.com.

 

XOXO,

The Organizing Blonde