Masking tape and a Sharpie are all you need.

The easiest way to label a school water bottle without buying anything is a strip of masking tape and a permanent marker.

Write the name on the tape, press it on the bottle, and then slap a piece of clear packing tape over the whole thing. The clear tape is what keeps the label from turning into a soggy mess when the bottle sweats or hits the dishwasher. If you don’t have packing tape, just hand wash the bottle and the masking tape will last longer than you think.

That’s the whole trick. If you want to skip tape entirely, you can write directly on a smooth plastic or stainless steel bottle with a Sharpie — it’ll slowly fade and rub off, but