By Trisha Novotny

For many of us, labeling our children’s possessions is a common practice. Over the years, I have discovered that using personalized labels have increasingly more uses. You can order labels inexpensively online or make your own on the computer or with a permanent marker and some heavy tape. Here are some of my favorite tips for personalizing almost anything! 

School supplies: Label all of your children’s school supplies including scissors, pencils, markers, crayon box, ruler, pencil sharpener, glue sticks and calculators. You’ll be amazed at how many items you can reuse come school shopping the following year if they are labeled properly from the first day. 

Beverages: Label water bottles, thermoses and portable hot beverage containers for a better chance of being reunited with them if lost!

Bags: Personalize the inside of every gym bag, backpack, lunch box, messenger bag, tote and purse with a label. This will help you keep track of who owns each bag in the house and on the playground! 

Sports equipment: Most sports and activities that  our kids are involved in come with a slew of equipment and uniforms. Label each separate piece, big or small, to help your children distinguish their possessions from their peers.

Electronics: Tablets, cell phones, cameras, laptops and other electronics are easily returned when labeled. Don’t forget to personalize your label with a name and phone number in case the item gets lost or left behind.

Toys and games: If your kids frequently take their toys to their friends’ homes, or to school, stick a label on each item. I recommend placing the label on the bottom or inside of an item to keep the label from tearing or coming off. 

Books: Label any books that your family is currently reading. This will help you keep track of books when they are taken out of the house or loaned to others.

Travel: When taking a trip, be sure to label everything in both your suitcase and carry-on bags. Doing this will make the items easily retrievable if left on a plane, train, boat or at a hotel or restaurant. For tips on what to pack when traveling, visit my post here. 

Camping gear: Label everything from chairs to BBQ utensils. When you are camping with a group and sharing items, you will know which items belong to whom.

Allergy alert: Do any of your family members have food allergies? Make personalized labels that indicate what they are allergic to and place them on lunch boxes, clothing, backpacks, wallets and other personal items. This will help teachers and other caretakers know the exact details of your child’s allergies. 

You can purchase simple personalized labels from Amazon   or they also have a great selection of  fun kid styles also on Amazon

What do you label with your stash of personalized family labels?