Here’s some steps you can take to make packing — and finding the items after you’ve moved — just a little easier.

1) Make an inventory of boxes that contains an inventory of the items in each box.

Use this free google sheets template to get started and fill it out as you are packing.

Label each box on the top and two sides with a unique number.

Let the inventory sheet do the work to explain the contents, no scrawling long lists on boxes.

2 ) Use color coded tape on the box to mark what room the items belong to and identify other key information.

This packing tape will allow you to identify boxes for the room they’re moving to such that they can be quickly noticed from a distance. Make sure you tape so that you can see the color from the top and two sides. Duct tape can also work, but steer away from masking tape because it can curl/detach easily in a variety of inclement conditions.

Add fragile stickers to identify breakables.

Add “open first tape” (which can just be a color you choose to reserve for this purpose only) to identify items you will want immediately or that should be unboxed ASAP, like food.

Make a legend of the colors you used and what they mean. Distribute it to your movers and to people helping you pack so that when packing and when it’s finally time put the boxes in your new space, the end up in the right room.