I HEART MY LABEL MAKER

Is it possible for someone to LOVE an inanimate object?  <3


I am absolutely in love with my Brother P -Touch PT-1280 Label Maker.  I should probably purchase stock in the company, as well as some in Staples, where I get the label tape.  It was a Black Friday special a few years ago - that I actually got for super cheap (I think it was $5-10 with another purchase.  At that point, it came with two cartridges of white tape/black ink.  I only purchased one, and Santa delivered it under the tree.  Other than my coffee maker, I think it might have been my only present that year. I wish Santa was twice as nice - I could have one at home and at school...

I was pretty boring putting it to use; mostly to label storage bins in the attic with "Halloween Costumes", "Camping Gear", "First Aid", and "Kid Clothes: Winter".  Effective... but BORING!  There was a label everywhere in my house.  Bathroom closet, pantry, kitchen drawers, bedroom drawers.  On any surface I could find - But of course, it allowed for every item to have a home.  The most difficult part was training the family to REPLACE things into those respective places!  The youngest in the family is still as the 'pile' mentality - then complains when he has no socks (they're stuffed in the drawer labeled shirts... and yes, he is old enough to tell the difference!)

When summer came and I had to put my name on EVERYTHING in my classroom for the custodians to know where to move the furniture, not only did the label maker come in handy (and the kids helped put the labels on EVERYTHING) but I discovered COLOR TAPE!   My room became LIME GREEN.  It made things very easy for the staff to identify which tables and file cabinets were mine.  They appreciate, and it lasted several years intact.  Time Saved!  I'll have to take some pictures next week at school to truly give the scope of how my obsession has carried over into the workplace.  That will be in a future post :)

Over the past 12 months, I also have taken charge of the home office and the family finances.  Organization here is both an overwhelming and a necessary task.  The committing to labeling both file folders, dividers, and binders forces me to categorize, purge, and design efficient and appropriate systems for tracking all that paper.   Still a work in progress, but MUCH better than in the past.

For extra-curricular activities, mostly stored in the garage, accuracy in the items as well as creative containers did the trick.  Originally, most of these were labeled with Sharpies on the outside of the recycled or re-purposed container, but as their roles were more solidified, I committed to the printed label.  This will also allow me to hand-off the containers to the future leaders of our Scout Pack, with the instructions/activity/event easily visible.  My favorite containers are the plastic coffee cans.  I have both the sizes in primary Blue and Red (compliments of Maxwell House and Folgers) that also add my color pallet in my classroom.  The larger ones also have molded handles which small hands can easily pour, scoop, or grab.  This works GREAT as storage for toilet paper on campouts (with the lid, it stays dry) or for extra twine balls for tarps or twine (drill a small hole in the lid and pull the twine through).  I hope that my planning can be appreciated by the next leader that follows...

But in the time that has passed, I have been enlightened with the wide variety of COLOR TAPE and have had more stability in my filing systems to actually commit to labeling my materials rather than just writing in a Sharpie. (Combined with my lousy handwriting, and my envious nature of a colleague with 'Font-Ready' print, this was the answer to my prayers!).  It's a bit more expensive, and sometimes only available online (which adds to cost with shipping... unless you can time a savvy deal), but it also comes in a RAINBOW of colors!  I currently have yellow for some of my binders at school (mostly templates in storage) and am searching for a sale on Blue and Purple for my new curriculum series.  My favorite for my Thirty-One Gifts Business has been the Berry Pink Tape with White Print.  I can sharpen up a boring folder with a splash of PINK - and who can't use a little pink in their life!

 

So even though I sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the paper clutter in my home, it does appear that I am making 'effective progress'.  Do you have similar issues?  Do you have a favorite labeling product?  Comment below and share your thoughts!