Painter’s tape and a sharpie beat a label maker every time

The best way to declutter and label small containers before a full hardware setup is to grab a stack of clear, stackable compartment boxes and some painter’s tape, then write labels by hand. Don’t buy a label maker or fancy system yet. You don’t know what layout will actually work until you’re in the middle of the job.

Here’s the thing: before you commit to a permanent labeling scheme — or even a final sorting — you’ll inevitably rearrange things. Screws you thought were “small machine screws” end up being “6-32 x 1/2 pan head” and you want a different box. Painter’s tape peels off cleanly in minutes. A label maker printout leaves residue and makes you feel like you wasted time.

So grab a bunch of clear plastic bins (I like the Plano 3600 or the Harbor Freight knockoffs) and just toss like hardware together. Write the size or general use on a piece of blue tape stuck to the lid. Done.

Wait until the whole setup is in place and you’ve used it a few times before you break out the P-Touch. Future you will thank you for not over-engineering the first pass.