DIY Removable Storage Labels (plus more tips for organization and storage)

On a recent trip to a major chain office supply store, I found myself browsing the labeling stickers. I’ve been kind of a sticker junkie my whole life, so it’s really no surprise. What was surprising to me, though, was some of the pricing. I picked up a 10-pack of removable storage labels and my jaw almost hit the floor when I noticed that the tag said $3.99. Four bucks for ten stick-on labels, ultimately designed for me to peel off and throw away? Um, no thanks. Especially not when it’s so easy to make peel off labels yourself. And mine are WAY cuter than those expensive, store-bought ones anyway!

Project estimate:

  • Storage containers, on hand or $1 and up
  • Note pad, $1
  • Repositionable spray adhesive, on hand or about $2 and up

Total: $1 and up

DIY Removable Storage Labels (and more storage and organization tips)

I love storage containers. I found some recently at Dollar Tree that are printed with graphic designs on the sides, and I snagged a stack of them in chevron because they were too cute to pass up! I like that they look pretty but they’re still clear so you can easily identify the contents.

But what if you’ve got dozens of these things all filled with crafty odds and ends? Especially if they have small items inside. I’m sure you’ve found yourself holding up just such a container, inspecting it from ten different angles to determine whether or not it holds what you seek. The last time I found myself conducting just such an inspection, I thought, “there has to be a better way!” When I spotted the removable labels I knew it was a good starting point.

DIY Removable Storage Labels (and more storage and organization tips)

The shoebox-size storage containers, as it turns out, are a good size to label on the top with a page from a shopping list pad! I like the idea of labeling my boxes on the tops because I store them in the drawers of a dresser; I can see what is in the boxes without even taking them out if the drawer. Of course, you can label your containers anywhere that makes sense for you. Smaller note pads will make appropriately-sized labels for putting on the sides or ends of containers instead. My notepad had 60 pages for $1, making lots of labels for very little money.

DIY Removable Storage Labels (and more storage and organization tips)

Before you spray adhesive on your note pad pages, cover your work area to protect it from sticky overspray. It’s so much easier to prevent a mess now than to clean one up later! Lay out the pages face-down and spray them evenly. Make sure you use repositionable adhesive so that the labels are easy to remove and replace if the contents change. Let the adhesive dry completely before applying them to your containers.

DIY Removable Storage Labels (plus more tips for organization and storage)

Use the labels to keep track of the boxes’ contents. The list pad is especially nice for boxes with lots of little bits and pieces, giving you plenty of space to write down the inventory.

Organize It!  Tips for Storing Just About Everything

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