The magic of using labels around your home only comes to life when you have spent 20 minutes looking for an item because no one knew where it belonged. Check out these creative label ideas to make your home organized and items are put back in their home.
Using labels is just one way to get organized at home, there are other things you might need to do but this is just one easy option to help family learn where things belong.
A label maker can be a handheld tool but it can have a big impact on how you organize your home, check out these 10 cute and functional ways you can label the different areas of your home with different types of labels.
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1. Chalkboard Labels For Flexible Spaces
Chalkboard labels are perfect for areas where items change frequently for example in the pantry. They are easy to change information and flexible enough to still look great.
They work with chalk pens and are easier to erase and reuse when your supplies change or the date of a product changes.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to alter the text
- Handwriting can effect the look
- Possibility of smudging
2. Clear Label Tape
If you don’t want to see the actual tape of the label there are clear label tapes available. But you do have to make sure it will fit the label maker you have.
This makes it easier to add labels to items that you don’t really want to see there are labels present.
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These are perfect for a minimalist pantry or for the fridge when you use clear bins. It means items can still be labeled but it looks professional and not like someone has been let loose with a label maker and labeling everything.
Pros & Cons
- You might not be able to see the label if the typing is the wrong colour
- They hide better than if you were using a label with a white background
- Easy to see of clear bins
3. Picture Labels For Kids Rooms
When you can’t read it is difficult to know what words say and that is why picture labels make a great addition to any children’s bedroom or playroom.
A picture helps the child identify what toys or clothes go where and this is great for teaching how to start tidying and organizing their belongings.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Pros & Cons
- More complicated to add pictures rather than words
- You still have to teach the meaning of the picture and what they need to do
- Great way to teach responsibility for own products
4. Colour-Coded Labels For Family Organization
Having a colour label for each family member is a great idea especially for working out who an item belongs to. It’s easy to spot who’s item it is and it’s great for using and developing this in your family command center to.
Pros & Cons
- This is a great idea if you have a large family and lots of personal stuff gets left lying around
- Not worth it if only one or two people live in the home
- Can be time consuming finding the right colour labels
5. Washi Tape & Sharpie Labels For Quick Fixes
If you are busy and you are looking for temporary ideas or if you are trying out a new system simple and easy washi tape and a sharpie are a great way to see if something is going to work long-term before spending the time creating labels on a machine.
Pros & Cons
- Simple and easy to do
- Doesn’t look professional
6. Vinyl Labels For The Pinterest-Perfect Look
If you are sure you know what you are looking for then creating vinyl labels are perfect as they are clean looking, durable and customizable, some are even water proof.
These are perfect for glass jars, spice racks and laundry rooms, you can either make your own using a label maker or a Cricut or even buy them pre-made.
Pros & Cons
- If you are making these yourself you will need the machine to make the labels
- You will also need to purchase the labels too
7. QR Code Labels for Techy Systems
Did you know that you can create and print your own QR code labels? These are great for digital inventory, garage storage and even holiday decoration storage.
You can even track what is inside the box without even opening the lid, perfect for finding things as long as you are great at adding in everything onto the list when you place in the box.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
These work perfectly with a spreadsheet or a app like Notion.
Pros & Cons
- This is going to be more complicated and require a lot of stuff to set it up in advance
- More work to get this working
8. Clip-On Tags For Baskets And Fabric Bins
Sometimes printing a label is just one step you actually need to be able to fix it to the item and sometimes you need a tag that can clip onto a basket or fabric bin.
These are perfect for linen closets, underbed storage or those bigger baskets in your pantry that would look totally odd if you just stuck a label to the front.
Pros & Cons
- You need to make sure they will fit on the baskets and bins
- More difficult to store when not in use as they can be quite bulky
9. Embossed Or Raised Labels For A Luxury Touch
If you want something a little bit fancy then embossed and raised to the touch labels are what you are looking for. The are tactile and pretty, but they also look fancy and that makes them work.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
These are perfect for the home office, makeup drawers and even boutique style closets.
You don’t have to buy these especially for the area, you can but there are tools that can do the work for you, especially good if this is part of your business.
Pros & Cons
- If making them yourself the tools can be expensive
- More expensive to buy pre-made
10. Printable Label Sets For Instant Organizing Wins
Buying a pre-made label set that matches with each other can be a simple and practical way to organize an area of your home.
This could be for your home binder system, or even your spices. Buying printable label sets is quick and easy and often budget friendly.
Pros & Cons
- Sometimes the quality can be poor
- You have to check for spelling mistakes
- Easy to use
- Spares and labels you don’t want or need
When To Label Your Home?
Just pick one area at a time to label. You will need to organize it first before you can start labeling. Declutter first and then start with the labeling.
By doing it slowly it will give you and your family a chance to follow a new system or a new home for items that they use.
Best Tools And Apps To Create Labels
If you are thinking about creating your own labels there are some great tools on the market that can do that job. There are different price points and results.
The Katasymbol T50M Pro is a favourite of mine, I even wrote a review about the label maker.
You also have bigger machines like the Cricut that can do labels, just on a bigger scale and the cost of the equipment is a lot greater.
More Resources For Label Making
Do you need more resources and information on what label maker to buy?