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Organizing the Home

Look out--I got a label maker

Frankie_in_zone_7

15 years ago

Oh my. I just got a PT-1880. I may never surface again--may spend all day labelling.

Actually I am starting in my "work office" (have office staff but am on my own for my own files, a lot of computer stuff, and so forth) as opposed to labelling stuff at home, which I will take on a bit later. So it's the good and bad, because while nobody bothers me in my own office, still, as the song says, "I am free to make a big mistake" and nobody is organizing or keeping up for me, either. So I spent years with hand-labelled files and some old typed file labels. Computerized printing labels just didn't seem to match my needs for occasional and eclectic labelling so I never got into that.

What's interesting and fun is that I am combining it with a major toss-out of too much paper, too much accumulated junk, out with the old projects, make room for new ideas and new ventures. So the act of purging files and re-labelling files and having such lovely legible labels is synergistic, 'cause I'm able to see things better and then can see hmm, I don't really need this or that, plus the more lovely and neat progress I make, the more neat and streamlined I want to get, so I toss more junk. It is just so much easier to see the things that I seemed to have kept for not very good reasons, somehow. It's even worth wasting some label tape because occasionally I make a label and then because I took time to consider what it was, I may say, why the heck do I need that? And poof, out it goes.

Then too, it helps reinforce the place for everything approach, so I am both finding it easier to find things and to put things away after use.

So from a paper file standpoint, I started off with my existing 2" hanging file tabs, but then I noticed, since I am switching finally to having all the tabs lined up on one side, and I like a larger font size, prefer one row of type and a reasonably descriptive file name, why don't I go to 3" labels? Might be worth doing some of them over.

Any fun input from file label junkies out there?

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Comments (7)

talley_sue_nyc
15 years ago
I don't have any real advice.

But I just wanted to cheer you, and chuckle with you. It's so funny how getting a new gadget can rev us up, isn't it?

And yes, there IS a practical advantage and effective difference, and visible advantage as well, to making things look nice.
southernsurfergirl
15 years ago
I'm glad your new gizmo has got you motivated to spruce up your office. I'm sure you'll find tons of reasons to use it at your house too! Keep up the good work! :)

~Surfer~ (back from summer break)
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Wow, these responses were great! THANKS! I just ordered the Brother P Touch due to the overwhelming consensus! The other labels would be a great idea if my handwriting wasn't so atrocious. Thanks to Amazon Prime I'll be labeling in two short days. I picked the handheld model for $23. Thanks for sharing so many great ideas. I have scissors in the junk drawer but now I'll add tape to the mix so I can easily attach the package details still needed Thanks for doing the label removal experiment.. I'm going with the clear labels in hope they peel off easier. I didn't know the ink from label makers is more water resistant. That closed the deal! Holligater and ICFgreen.. I have pantry envy!!!! Thanks for the pics In my pantry dreams all the containers in match, so I'll have to put some thought into which ones to stock up on. Luckily visiting the Container store is one of my favorite pastimes (you would think I'd already be organized!). I have switched over to glass for other food storage, but it didn't occur to me to look at those for my pantry. I have bought some really nice Oxo containers for cat food but they may be a little pricey to commit to for a full pantry. The tops are so easy to take on and off (one handed) that for frequently used items it was worth it. Of course this week one of my cats discovered where the treats are stored and knocked two containers down while jumping on the shelf.. two broken Oxo's --OUCH (Baltra, for open shelving, these would be great looking)
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sheriz6
15 years ago
Well, my next project is to cull my bulging files and clear out the four chock-full drawers of paper that I've been avoiding for far too long. Hmmmm. A label maker would make it more fun and might actually inspire me to DO it instead of just talking about it ... geez, I may have to get one myself!
anrsaz
15 years ago
I love, love, love, my label maker. And if you need to change anything, the labels come right off and you can stick them again!!!
kitchenredo2
15 years ago
I am a label junkie. I have 2, a Dynamo LetraTag and a Brother PTouch. My mom is a labeler from way back so I inherited the labeling gene from her.

I labeled the shelves in my linen closet with what goes where. My DH came to me and told me there were no queen sheets in the closet. So I went with him and showed him the "Queen Sheets" label and the pile of sheets on the shelf. I learned just b/c you label it doesn't mean they'll see it......
Frankie_in_zone_7
Original Author
15 years ago
It is fun, isn't it?

sheriz6, go for it!

It seems to help me with the "pride of place" issue and things look neater and brighter. Plus labelling makes me stop and think more about how I'm going to organize my ideas and projects.
goodhors
15 years ago
I love mine, the small Brother model. I have labeled and LABELED! Labels are easy to read, even the rest of people in the house are taking time to READ them. Labeled boxes are saving me much time in having to check because I can't rememeber WHICH container I put things into.

Labeler price is pretty cheap. They get you on tape refills. Price of tape is not cheap, but buying two spools at once saves a couple dollars, and you can make a lot of labels per roll. I buy at Staples. I just get white tape and print black on it. Works on all containers. Have worn out one set of batteries! This is SO MUCH nicer than hand written labels.

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