Why You Need a Label Maker and How to Use It to Simplify Your Life

Decanted Ingredients

If you have open shelving or just prefer the aesthetic, decanting dried ingredients into jars or containers is a popular way to achieve a uniform pantry look, save space, and prevent pests from entering paper packaging.

While it can be easy to differentiate the rotini from the spaghetti, certain flours, baking ingredients, grains, and more can be hard to distinguish, particularly in a pinch. Label the tops or sides with the ingredient name and date to ensure you can always find what you're looking for.

Frozen Leftovers

Sure, you think you know what that container of red stuff is when you shove it in the freezer—but weeks later, can you distinguish the chili from the marinara sauce from from the strawberry puree when they’re all frozen in red blocks? Label leftovers with the date to help encourage you to work through leftover dishes in a reasonable amount of time.

Seasonal Storage

Tuck away your heavy coats and fluffy blankets for summertime? Ban your lightweight socks and extra sunglasses once the temperature drops towards freezing? Label your seasonal storage—be it in under-bed bins, garment bags, containers, or boxes—with categories, so you know what’s in each one and can easily swap out seasonal items as necessary without rifling through it all.

Open Refrigerated Items

Especially if you share your fridge space, knowing when perishables like milk, pasta sauce, dips, yogurt, and more have been opened can help determine if they’re still good to eat. This will help save time guessing if the hummus is on its last day or its first, as well as prevent food waste.

Cords and Wires

If you are unsure what is plugged into what extension cord, it's label time! Labeling plugs can help solve the mystery of which charger to grab when you’re out the door or which lamp is connected to which part of the outlet.

Sentimental Storage

Have a box (or several) full of mementos and knickknacks you're holding onto for sentimental reasons? Chances are that you don’t look at these items frequently but may want to reminisce on a Broadway program from 2005 or a menu from a special dinner—and of course, have no idea where it is in your treasure trove of memories.

Simplify it by labeling boxes by category or by year. Knowing all your college memories live in one box while the 2010s are in another can help simplify finding some scrapbook material for a future project.

Plant Care Assistance

If you forget how often each plant needs water and care, here's a smart tip. Add the directions on the back of a planter or an inconspicuous space (like under the drain tray) to help remind you what needs weekly or monthly watering.

When going out of town, this can also be helpful for plant sitters.

Group Settings

Anyone who may tend to lose items or spend time in a communal environment can absolutely benefit from a label maker. Label everything, from lunch bags to eyeglasses to outerwear, for the best chance of items being returned to their rightful owner if they’re misplaced.

Packing Cubes

If you stuff your suitcase with opaque packing cubes, some quick printed labels can help make it easy to know what’s inside. You can even label which outfits are for which day of your travels if you pack according to an itinerary.

A label on the outside of your suitcase can also function as a just-in-case luggage tag and help distinguish it from other similar-looking travel bags.

Airpod Charging Case

If you want any chance that this ubiquitous item can be returned to its rightful owner after falling out of a pocket or being left in a car, add your phone number on a label. This also goes for any other common items that can be difficult to tell apart, yet easily misplace. Think: your office laptop, various chargers, and HDMI cords.

Help With Learning Langauges

Attempting to learn a new language? Good for you! Make the journey easier by labeling various household items in your new language. This will help you get familiarized with common vocabulary.