Permanent marker beats fancy labels

Permanent marker is the most practical way to label school stuff that gets washed and banged around. You don’t need expensive custom labels or a label maker.

For clothes, use a fabric marker or a laundry pen and write on the care tag, not on the visible fabric. That way the ink doesn’t scratch or fade as fast, and it survives the wash if you give it a few minutes to dry before the first wash. For water bottles and lunchboxes, grab an oil-based paint pen like a Sharpie paint marker. Write on the bottom or underside so it doesn’t rub off from daily handling. Clean the surface with a little rubbing alcohol first — that makes the ink stick way longer.

Skip paper stickers and tape. They shred in the wash or peel off in a week. If you want something that looks nicer, iron-on labels work, but put them on the inside tag and always wash inside out. Still, plain old marker is faster, cheaper, and usually lasts the year.

Check everything once a month and touch up as needed. Even the good stuff fades eventually.