Label Your Storage Tubs With Chalk Markers

by Stacy Davis

I don't know about you but I had a ton of "mystery" tubs in my garage. A couple years ago, I began labeling them with Chalk Markers and here is how they have held up. We also moved from Florida to Virginia and during the entire move process, the writing was pretty much unaffected.

label your storage tubs with chalk markers

Here is a storage and organization tip for everyone who has a garage or storeroom full of plastic storage tubs. This tip applies to the tubs that you can’t see through.

Grab your chalk marker and label your tubs. You can write on all sides and as much or as little as you want. If you make a mistake, change the contents or whatever, just grab a wet rag or wet kitchen towel and wipe your mistake away. You can draw a pretty label border or use a stencil if you like. I am lazy and consider myself lucky that I am labeling it at all.

I used a Bistro Chalk Marker and my storage tubs are Sterlite and there was zero ghosting. Nine times out of ten, when I wiped it away, there wasn't a trace left. I actually started doing this a couple years ago and just tried one of the old tubs yesterday and it wiped away pretty clean. So, for me, there wasn't enough ghosting or residual damage for me to care, even years later.

Here is the tub before labeling...

All labeled and ready to go. You can add labeling on all sides and make it pretty, if you like. It is entirely up to you. And if you hate it, just get a wet cloth and wipe it away.

Here is more labeling but I didn't like it... so I wiped it away. The writing and wiping was done minutes apart and you couldn't even tell that I had written on it once I had wiped it with a wet cloth.

Half gone within seconds...

Now this labeling was done 3 years ago and at the time a tutorial was not on my mind. I would have written it darker if I had known I would be doing this someday. Maybe a little light but definitely still readable. And this tub traveled from Florida to Tennessee, from Tennessee to Florida and from Florida to Virginia... Talk about a well traveled tub of craft supplies.

So I cleaned off the top writing that had been there for 3 years. The top cleaned off without a trace.

Now the front, if you look closely, there is still a very faint "Crafts"...

So, I grabbed some Windex and it was gone. At least enough for me!

Finished, relabeled and ready to go. I love knowing where everything is at a glance. I bet you all have some labeling ideas of your own! Feel free to share your favorite tips in the comments!

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1 question

Cho17575025 on Feb 12, 2017
Where did you get the pen? We are moving soon from Oregon City, Oregon to Clay, Michigan in a month and we have a lot of stuff and I saw your idea and I need to do that so we know what's in it and who it belong too. Have a great day and Thank you ☺

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3 of 8 comments

FionaE on Apr 14, 2015
I might try this just using plain chalk. I saw some sidewalk chalk at the dollar store that had chiseled tips.

2 Reply
- Stacy Davis on Apr 14, 2015
  @FionaE That is a great idea! Let me know how it works for you!
  
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FionaE on Jun 20, 2015
Using Sidewalk chalk works great as well. I found Crayola chalk at Michaels in bright colours for $1 and have used them on my outdoor storage bins (they are sheltered from the weather in the shed and carport). Now I know what's in them from far, far away! Thanks for the great inspiration.

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