I've moved across the country three times, and am putting the wheels in motion for a fourth. I know from experience what an exhausting, expensive experience it will probably be, so I need all the motivation I can get. The idea of all my boxes sealed and labelled with fun chartreuse tape is just the inspiration I need…
Admittedly, it's a small reward for hours of packing, organizing, and hauling, but it makes me happy. The color is so unusual (the photo does not do it justice) and I love it so much — it makes me feel like I'm moving me, not just all my stuff. When I get to where I'm going, there will be so many unknowns, so many things missing (my friends, my usual haunts, my jobs), I think it will be a source of comfort to see my boxes all stacked up and jauntily adorned with fluoro yellow tape.
Before you think this might be a case of buying-something-for-the-sake-of-buying-something, I should note that I needed to buy packing tape anyway, but the idea of clear tape depressed me. I considered gold duct tape for a hit of shine, but it can leave such sticky residue, and I'll be labeling all my plastic storage bins as well as cardboard boxes. Before I had a chance to look online for what's new and hot in the world of tape, I found this roll at the dollar store on 16th between Valencia and Mission in San Francisco. They also had a roll of salmon-pink tape that I was very tempted to buy, and may get for care package wrapping purposes..
There are, of course, countless wonders awaiting me at the other end of my move, and a new life that I'm thrilled to start — but I know from experience that during the overwhelming moving process, such rewards can seem far-off and abstract. A roll of bright yellow tape, on the other hand, provides much-needed instant gratification.
(Image: Tess Wilson)
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Last time we moved, we used a different color of packing tape/duct tape on the boxes for each room. The kitchen got green; our bedroom got purple; my daughter claimed pink, etc etc. It made it REALLY easy when unloading the truck to get everything to the right place in our new place, and also we always had tape in the room with us when we were packing up all of our stuff on the front end.
LOVE the chartreuse. Best to you in your new digs.
You have a great attitude! If chartreuse tape makes you smile,then by all means...Happy moving!
Love the idea of fun packing tape, love that color (even if you say it's a little off in the photo), and love CindyV's whole-house idea. Anything that brings a little cheer to a long, tedious process is worth it. Go get the salmon tape too!
I second the idea to use a different color tape for each room - movers really appreciate it too. Then you can have a rainbow of cheeriness!
Best post title of the day!!!! I love it.
I label all my boxes with red duct tape. It works great! Since red is my happy color, it always made me feel quite satisfied to finish up a box and slap a label on it!
But you were probably smart not to go with duct tape if you are going to use it to seal as well as label your boxes. Duct tape is very good for a great many things, but packing/shipping tape is specifically designed for putting together cardboard boxes. I sometimes would use a strip of my red duct tape when the regular tape was not handy and it does NOT hold together as well. (Maybe this depends on conditions, but that's what happened for me.) Use anything that sticks for labels, but use only good quality packing tape for constructing boxes if you want to make sure that everything survives the trip!