What to put on the outside of a moving box

Design the box label for unloading

“Kitchen 08 — kettle first” is more useful on arrival than “Miscellaneous.” In the index, list the kettle, mugs and tea tin. If you remove the kettle before the move, amend both the index and the first-item label. Give the mover a room or delivery area and one unambiguous box number. Use lettering large enough to read when boxes are stacked and put the label on more than one visible side.

Keep the private index separate

A useful index entry might say “Kitchen 08: kettle, four mugs, tea tin. Open first.” The outside can say “Kitchen 08 — first morning” if you do not want to list contents publicly. Avoid writing names, values or sensitive details on boxes that strangers may handle.

Check the label at the last moment

Moving day changes what goes into a box. If the kettle comes out for one more cup of tea, either return it before sealing or amend the index. On arrival, use the number to confirm that the box reached its room and mark it delivered. Mark it unpacked only after the contents are out.