Article Surfing Archive

Making your own labels can be both fun and rewarding. Check out some of the creative ways that labels can be used around the home and office:

On clothing ' Is your child going to summer camp this year? Why not make some special cloth labels (complete with name, of course!) to attach to his or her jackets and pants? Any fabric store will have tons of possibilities for you, and you can stitch or glue your special name labels into the apparel. Of course, your children will protest ('Oh, Mom!'), but it's better than having their laundry lost!

On cabinets ' Do you have storage cabinets in your basement or garage or in your office at work? Instead of trying to guess what's inside every time you're on the hunt for an object, you can label them (such as 'Karen's scrap booking materials' or 'extra pantry items'). Use one of those great little labelers that you can find at any office supply store ' they print onto clear labels and look very professional if you choose to use them at your business.

On canned goods ' Do you frequently 'put up' jars of peaches, tomatoes, or other goodies? Labels are especially useful for you because you'll be able to sort them with ease. You'll also know when to throw things away or when to enjoy them for dinner! Finally, those labels will make your food items look a little 'classier' should you turn them into holiday presents. (And everyone loves getting a little homemade something!)

On the backs of photos ' If you have a computer printer, you can print off many labels at once without spending a fortune on the supplies. This means that labeling family photos will become a simple process. Check">All you have to do is type once, then print off as many as you need. Sure beats writing on the backs of the pictures (which can sometimes bleed through to the other side of the paper.)

On drawers in kids' rooms ' If you have a number of storage drawers in your kids' rooms, you might want to use labels so both you and they know 'what goes where.' For instance, one drawer could be labeled, 'Blocks', and the other, 'Stuffed animals'. It'll make it much easier at the end of the day, because everything will have 'its place.'

On storage bins ' Practically everyone has unmarked bins in the attic, garage, closet, or crawl space. Take some time to affix labels to those boxes and you'll quickly be able to find holiday decorations, baby clothes, and nostalgic memorabilia in a jiffy. No more rooting around for hours!

Inside of books ' If you come from a big family or you lend out your 'library' often, why not attach labels to the inside jacket of your books? It'll be a nice reminder to the 'borrower' to return it to its proper owner.

Again, how you use labels is up to you. Use your imagination and even ask the kids to get involved. Make it a fun process, and invest in this time saver.