By naming a bin or shelf, you are creating a "home" for specific items. Most clutter derives from homeless items. When you don't know where to put something, you tend to set it down and it piles up with other stuff creating clutter. Designating a home with labels also encourages everyone who lives in the space to put things where they belong.
Why own a label maker?
You can label with other methods, but you may not be happy with the results. Labeling with tape or a sticker leaves a residue or ruins the surface when you remove the label. Writing with a marker on the outside of the bin limits future use of the bin (or you are stuck dealing with old labeling on the outside). Labels made with a label maker are neat & tidy, easy to read and easy to make. If it's not easy to make labels, you aren't likely to make them.
What is the best brand name?
The two that I have used personally are Dymo and Brother. My first label maker was a
Dymo Letratag (pictured). It was more inexpensive and the label tape is cheaper. For a beginner or someone who doesn't need to label often, the Dymo can be a more cost effective option.
I now use a Brother P-touch 2730 label maker. I like the way to font prints on the Brother, plus it has more features that I like. As a professional organizer, I use a label maker almost every day so the features outweigh the cost. Brother also makes more inexpensive label makers that are similar to the P-touch 2730 without all of the fancy features.
- QWERTY keyboard - spend less time hunting & pecking
- Plug into computer - use any font your computer has installed {this is not something I use often, but has come in handy for special projects}
- Comes with plug in A/C adapter - if the batteries wear out, you can plug it into the wall and continue to use it.
Where can I buy a label maker?
- Amazon.com {free shipping over $25 purchase}
- Staples
- Local office supply store
PRO TIP: Look for sales & coupons to save money. The Brother P-touch label maker featured above is regularly priced $99. I've purchased one for as low as $29 on sale.
What is the best kind of label maker tape to buy?
- White paper - works well on file folders, doesn't peel off well
- White plastic - peels off of most surfaces without leaving sticky behind, best choice for shelving, plastic containers, etc.
- Clear plastic - best choice for wood or other surfaces where you want subtle labeling
- Colored text/colored labels - just for fun, not worth spending the money on in most cases
PRO TIP: To save money on label tape, set your label maker settings to "Chain" and set the margin very small. My Brother label maker will cut a short intro piece, then print the first label. It won't cut the first label until it cuts the second. This allows less waste between the labels and extends the life of the tape cartridge.
Label tape sizes:
- Tiny: 1/4" {6mm} - Uses: shelves with very small overhang
- Standard: 1/2" {12mm} - Uses: most projects
- Wide: 3/4" {18mm} - Uses: large bins or for those with sight impairments (won't have to put glasses on to read it)
Most Brother label tape comes standard with a length of 26.2 feet.
What settings should I use?
- A Sans Serif font is going to be easier to read.
- When labeling standard bins, I use font size 18 with auto length.
- When labeling file folders, I use font size 12 and set the length to 3.25".
- When labeling hanging files, I use font size 12 or smaller and set the length to 2.1".
PRO TIP: If you don't label frequently enough to remember the settings you like to use, make a label that tells you the settings and stick it to the bottom of the label maker as a reference guide.
The key to using a label maker is to make it work for you. If it doesn't work for you, you won't use it!
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