I LOVE to label things. I label my books the minute I bring them home. I label boxes and containers and drawers. I label things that don’t need to be labeled. Some husbands bring home home flowers or jewelry to woo their wives; mine came home a few weeks ago with a label maker. I’m not kidding, my knees went weak.
This time of year I’m in label-heaven as the Dryer kiddos head back to school. Not-so-thankfully I have somehow managed to pass my label neurosis on to my children, so I have to sit ON MY HANDS as I watch, over their shoulder, as they happily label their own folders. Sheesh, it nearly kills me.
But moving right along…we came up with a fun new excuse way to label this year. I made the boys luggage tag labels for their school backpacks (this idea also works nicely for diaper bags). It was simple–I went into Microsoft Word, used the label template selected to business-card sized, inserted clip art of their choice, and typed in their names in wacky colors/fonts. We printed them out on card stock and took the finished product to Kinkos, where they have pre-cut laminated pockets for business-card sized items–only $1.50 each, including the fancy little loops that attach it to the backpack. Be still my heart.
If you’d like to play along, post your Works-For-Me Wednesday link below! Remember to include a 3-4 word summary of your tip in parentheses.
On a completely different note, please head over to Joy in the Journey today, if you have the chance. Joy and her husband are missionaries in Indonesia. She is pregnant with her fourth child and is hospitalized with very extreme morning sickness. Please go by and offer her your encouragement.
http://www.blenza.com/linkies/autolink.php?owner=rocksinmydryer&postid=13Aug2006
Rocks In My Dryer 
I love my label maker! My son bought it for me one year. It makes file folders look so much nicer. I’ve used it on lots of things. The bag tags idea sounds great, too, especially for things like backpacks, and would probably look nicer than having their names inscribed with a Sharpie marker. 😀
Hi Shannon! Well of course I MUST agree label makers are the best without a doubt! Thank goodness my kids haven’t asked to do their own labelling yet…yikes…how sad for you. Love the backpack label idea. Have a happy day, Laura
oops! I forgot to put my info!!! My post is about going out to eat with a toddler!!!
That is a great idea. Suffering from Mommy Brain I have sometimes forgotten my diaper bag when we have been out. Putting this kind of luggage tag would help a lot!
Hmm…I was at Kinkos tonight. I dropped off a paperback book that I bought and asked them to spiral bind it (thanks to one of these WFMW tip ideas). I have to pick it up tomorrow morning, maybe I’ll see about finding some pre-cut laminated pockets and give your idea a try…for our own suitcases.
Thanks for the tip!
well, here’s a new wfmw – when you forget to type in the (what it is), go back, then forward on your browser, delete your link, and put it back in. With the (what it is).
Anywhoo. I’m in.
We are heading on vacation, that would be a great thing for my bags. My house is label city by the way!!
Great idea! I love that Kinko’s will do this.
I need to start labelling!!
WFMW is really fun and I learn something every week.
My first WFMW. Very exciting!
Crafty!
My very first post for WFMW. Hope ebveryone enjoys!
My very first post for WFMW. Hope everyone enjoys!
LOOOOOOVE the green. 🙂
Sassy! 🙂
My kids aren’t in school and I swore off teh diaper bag a few months ago, but I MUST find SOMETHING to use this tip for…Just the THOUGHT of the pre-cut Kinko’s thingies thrills me. 🙂
Great idea, Shannon. I’ve been trying to come up with a way to make a handy label for my son’s backpack with name, bus #, teacher’s name, etc. and this souns perfect!
I give you full permission to come and label away at my place. That is not one of my gifts! Fortunately this year at school, they didn’t want us to label A THING! All I have to do is put a name on the bookbag and the lunchbox and I’m good to go. Whew.
I. Love. To. Label. And my kids do too–so I know what you mean about it being a killer. Totally.
Loved your idea!!!
I’ve been meaning to do the backpack tags and I keep forgetting (darn brain!).
When we went to Meet Your Teacher, Max’s teacher had a label sheet for all of his things. I put every label on every supply. About half way through I realized this was something MAX should be doing and still didn’t stop. No sir, there were LABELS involved. I feel your pain.
LOL I love the label idea, what fun!
OOOHHHhhh aaaahhhhhhh I want a label maker, but I don’t know what one to get. How is your label maker working out? What kind is it? This made me think of the Seinfeld with the label maker when Elaine gave this guy a label maker and then the guy gave it to Jerry…it was the regifter one…LOL
I am so excited!!!This is my first WFMW and ihave already read so many things I can do 🙂
Thank goodness my hubs is out of town this week 🙂
Ohhh I may have to go buy me one of those!! And I did my WFMW on Monday night as a draft and posted it when I got up and I’m still #42!!
I have a feeling you are a LOT more organized than I am, Shannon. I used to be! I had binders and files. I would have been a label-maker junkie, I’m sure.
Then I had kids.
Now I NEED to be a label-maker junkie.
You’re so funny. Ya shoulda told them it was only operable by those 30 and older. Hee! Great idea!
I LOVE WFMW – I’ve used umpteen of the ideas. Thanks for doing this for us.
Hi. I’m pretty new to blogging, but started my own a couple weeks ago. I’ve been reading WFMW for a few weeks and decided to jump in this week. Thanks for hosting it!
I do that too with our diaper bags!! 🙂 Great tip!
Great tip. My dad works at a photo lab, so he made a great photo ID tag for Abigail’s diaper bag. It’s nice to know I can just hop in to Kinkos to make one myself!
You know, Shannon. I think if we lived closer, you and I would be best friends. I am obsessed, I mean OBSESSED with my label maker. My husband makes so much fun of me. “Um…do we need to have a label that says hair products when we can look down and see brushes in this container?”
I label everything. I just need a label to stick on my children and I would be so happy 🙂
a woman after my own heart! I would love a label maker! Great idea by the way.
So funny about the label maker … I spent half the day yesterday labeling all the bins full of the kid’s toys. We separated them into every category known to man and then labeled them with my new label maker. LOL! My 8 year old and me fought over who would create each label. Thankfully he goes to school tomorrow and I can play, uumm I mean finish, up what needs to be done.
My WFMW is up too!
Have a great day!
This is my first WFMW post. I love your idea. Our oldest starts school in a few short weeks. I will be busy labeling his belongings soon. My husband bought a label maker as a gift for both of us. We’re just a couple of geeks in love.
Mmmm….labelmakers – pardon me while I wipe off my drool! OK, I also love the idea of the luggage tag and am adding the plastic holders to my office supply list for later. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
This is a great tip, Shannon. I made luggage tags for us a while back. I made them in a bright bright color. Our luggage looks like about 90% of the luggage coming off the airport carousel. The bright tags made it easy as pie to spot ours.
Shannon, the sitting on your hands thing…that is me! I have such a hard time allowing the kids to label their own stuff too!
You would have loved getting school supplies ready at our house. Our school requests that we label every individual item (including EACH crayon). It is kind of addicting, huh? I’m joining you for WFMW for the first time!!
Be sure to put a blank card in the holder, too, and turn your cute card backwards so no stranger can call your child by name and gain instant raport. it dilutes the cuteness by a million, i know, but better safe than sorry. very important to do this with luggage tags or things with your address on it.
Great label making idea! Thanks for sharing and for providing a place where we can all share ideas!
I just participated in my very first WFMW, and hit enter before I remembered to put in a description! I’m so sorry!!!
I had to relink. First one didn’t work. Sigh. From 19 to 92. Good thing my self confidence is working today! 😀
Still not working! Don’t know what’s wrong. Oh well!
Now I’ve thought of getting a label maker, but I’m not so organized that I would actually use it past the first few days of fun! And I just realized that I didn’t leave a summary in my link!
I love labels! I make them in MS Word, too.
This is my first post for Works for Me Wednesday!!! Sorry I messed up the Link the first time. I think I got it right now. Thanks for this fun and very useful idea.
Oh I did it wrong and forgot to put in the 3 word blurb! What should I do, do another link and note *corrected* ??? I’m so sorry! I was trying sooo hard to do it right and then, blorp.
😦
OOPS! I just accidently posted my first WFMW under the wrong week! Sorry! So it’s posted now under this week, and a couple weeks ago. Anyway, I’ve been wanting one of those label-makers for years. Maybe I’ll leave a hint to my hubby for an anniversary gift! LOL
Diane
Hi! Oh boy, my first time and I messed up already. I forgot to put what my WFMW is on the list by my name. It is recipe for Peanut Butter bars. YUMMY!
BTW, I am the same about labeling things. I too have a hard time sitting back and letting my kids label their own stuff.