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Ancient Chinese Secret, Huh? (It’s Free Printable Clothing Drawer Labels)

I’ve got a secret.

Well, not really a secret, but more like a discovery.

I found this room in my house.

It was kinda like stumbling upon the lost city of Atlantis.

A dirty, smelly Atlantis where there is an abundance of lonely unmatched socks.

Yes, under piles of clothes, empty detergent jugs, mop buckets and plastic grocery bags, I found my laundry room.

After being home for five weeks now, I realized the only thing I can count on every day is laundry.

It NEVER ends.

And I dramatized the intro of this post to hopefully suck you into something very simple that helped me out. But first I’ll complain some more.

We have six laundry baskets. But one hamper. How does that work?

The hamper is bottomless. It goes to China. All the way. (see… ancient chinese secret.)

I have to do, at least, one load per day. One in the wash. One in the dryer. Miss one load and you are screwed.

Clothes in the dryer stay there until the next day. Period. The humidity here in Florida will take out the wrinkles by the time you get to your car in the driveway.

I don’t mind washing them. Don’t mind folding them. Even the clothes for the little one that are really too small to really fold.

And those bottom sheets with the elastic on them. Nah, those don’t get folded. You can’t physically fold them. They just get rolled around like a maiden rolls up spun yarn until the sheet is about the right size to stack in with properly-folded linens.

Oh, anyway. I hate putting the clothes away.

There’s the answer to why we have some many laundry baskets. Cause there are five baskets sitting around with folded clothes in them that you start pilfering from on a daily basis until you are no better off than having the pile of dirty clothes in Atlan…uhhh, my laundry room.

So here’s the simple thing that I mentioned earlier.

I put the kids to work. They put THEIR clothes away from now on.

“Marty, that’s nothing new…” or “You should have been doing that all along…” you say?

Yeah, you’re right, but they always screwed up the drawers and stuff would go missing. Like the socks in Atlantis.

So I made some clothes drawer labels for their dressers and even closet doors. That’s all.

Dad blog creates some nifty clothes drawer labels so kids can put their clothes away

If you want to try it yourself, rip off some clip art from the web, or have your kids color up some awesome labels. Laminate them and use some removable double-sided tape to attach them.

And if you are lazy enough to leave clothes sitting around in five laundry baskets, then you could just download the printable clothes drawer labels I made by clicking that giant graphic below.


The labels are free but if you wouldn’t mind making a donation to the site we’d really appreciate it:

Help support the site by choosing an amount below.


Or just download without donating. Our kids love eating crumbs when we work for free.


PS. We realize that people around the world call clothes by different names so we welcome requests and input from our friends across the sea. If someone wants to give us all the names for your neck of the woods we can get these things made by country.

68 Comments

  • Pete Fazio

    My Marty, some hot shot.

    Reply

  • Lori

    Love this! Love your site! My daughter now has your lovely dresser tags on her dresser! Hopefully, this will keep my little girl from pulling out every outfit she owns in order to find her “style of the day”! Thanks! I may share your blog on mine!

    Reply

    • Marty

      Thanks Lori! My daughter still seems to make three costume changes per day, but now it’s easier for her to put back the clothes she wore for an hour. I had to replace a few of mine this weekend, my toddler decided to “rearrange” a couple of them, and lost a few in the process. Let me know if I missed any dresser tags, I skipped things like mittens, hats, etc. since our Florida winter is only like 30 days long. I’d gladly make some other tags if requested.

      Reply

  • Romy

    Love this post! This is exactly my problem. I don’t mind washing, drying, folding-but I HATE the putting away part. My kids are too little to put them away yet, but it might help me put things away if I label them. And socks are my enemy. Especially, little bitty, baby socks…

    Reply

  • Jasmine

    Love your labels. Simple and effective! Do you think you would be able to add sweater and/or long sleeve shirts and a girly bathing suit? We have overflowing drawers of these items… Thanks!

    Reply

  • Jamie

    Marty,
    I want to tell you thank you so much for these great ideas and labels. I have a child with Asperger’s (he’s a teenager) and I hope these labels will help him learn to get organized. We’ve tried many things… I was actually looking for clip art to make a photo schedule for the day for him and just happened across your blog. I have a new favorite place now.
    Thank you!!!

    Reply

    • Marty

      Jamie,
      I’m floored these actually could help someone beyond mere “convenience.”

      I’d be happy to add to the labels if there’s any more you need, but it requires a follow on twitter or a like on facebook:)

      A good resource for vector clip art (free) is http://openclipart.org/

      We really appreciate your comments!

      Reply

  • Tab

    These are so adorable and useful!

    Any chance of having a Singlets label added and Jumpers added (as a change on the Sweaters label (as jumpers is what we call them in australia)?

    Reply

  • becca

    LOVE LOVE LOVE these!! thank you so much for sharing! I am glad I found you guys!! ;)

    Reply

    • Pete Fazio

      We’re glad you found us too. Now go ahead and pinterest us and like us on Facebook and spread the word. We love new friends.

      Reply

  • Christy

    These are the best! I got on the internet specifically to find this and yours are the most all inclusive for my family, We have 3 boys and 1 girl, another boy on the way early november and my oldest is 6, almost seven but still I desperately need some laundry help and this will it i just know it. Could you possibly add undershirts and tights. we are in colorado so we have tights to go with everything cause the day may start out warm but it gets chilly quick in the afternoon. Thank you so much!

    Reply

  • Christy

    I am so happy, you have no idea you just saved me a ton of time and energy that quite frankly this pregnant momma didn’t have. Thank you

    Reply

  • Christy

    Okay got my labels made and they truly are genius, I just forgot one. Any chance you guys could add a sports one? I have all my boys soccer jerseys, soccer shorts and shin guards in their bottom drawer for easy access. Thank you again

    Reply

  • Christy

    Oh my goodness, I am such a pain. Could you possibly put undershirts under the label you have as singlets? Thanks a million!

    Reply

  • Krissy

    I just want to say I find this so fitting to find these labels on your blog. I had the idea to do this for my son because when I was a small child my father had done this to my dresser drawers. Being lazy I decided to google this and try to find a premade template :) My dad’s labels were crude hand drawn labels attached with duck tape, but even back in the ’80s I knew that little picture meant sock. Thanks so much for this, oh and even thought I am a mom, I love your blog!

    Reply

  • Krissy

    BTW, now I just need to find tape :)

    Reply

  • Christy

    I printed my labels out on light purple card stock and mounted to slightly larger plum colored card stock for a girlie feel. Same for the three boys, except light and dark blue. I then used removable double sided sticky squares to adhere to dresser. Loving it!!!

    Reply

  • April

    I’d love to see a label that reads “Outfits.” its easier to have things already together so they’re less thinking involved when I’m in a hurry! These are great! Thanks!

    Reply

    • Pete Fazio

      Thanks for the idea, that will have to be something we add down the road. So many projects going on it’s hard to circle back sometimes.

      Reply

  • Jessica

    Love it! These were the most straight forward and complete group of labels I found.

    Reply

    • Pete Fazio

      Thanks, Jessica. Please share them around. Pinterest, Facebook, you know, the usual places. And like us on FB for more fun stuff.

      Reply

  • heather

    EXACTLY what I was looking for, thank you! Love your site, too.

    Reply

  • Emily

    Hi! I love these. Use them for my daughter and son and they like and help putting clothes away and make getting dressed a breeze. Plus, their dad and babysitters, relatives all know where things are. Thank you so much!

    Any chance you could add “hair ties” or something like that? Or a misc?

    Reply

  • Ian W

    Hey Marty & Pete! Just found your blog today! BOOM – IT ROCKS! As a SAHD I’m always happy to meet other dads who got it going on. You guys have a great resource here! I’ve forwarded it to my SAHD group. Thanks so much for all the content!

    Reply

  • Tenesa

    These labels are simply awesome. They make clean up with my 4 year old son much easier. It gives him a huge boost of independence to get himself ready.

    My daughter is 2.5 and it’s time for her room next

    Reply

  • Elena

    Hi! I was looking for the cute labels for my girl’s closet and I am so happy to have found your site! these are perfect! just what I need for a toddler who cannot read yet! I have a question and a favor to ask – would you be able to make the labels a little girly? say add some patterns around the label. I realize I can just use some scrapbooking paper underneath but I wanted to print them out on the label paper to stick on the drawers. Let me know if it’s doable or not. If not, I will think about something. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Pete Fazio

      Elena, thanks for the comment. At this point we probably won’t “girlify” the labels. We purposefully made them graphical and non-gender specific. I bet you could just print them out on colored paper or something and stick them around to make them more girly.

      Reply

  • Elena

    Oh, sorry – one more favor to ask. Can you add Towels and Bedding (as 2 separate labels) if not too much trouble? Thanks!

    Reply

  • Elena

    Thanks! That’s ok

    Reply

  • Trish

    Awesome!! These are exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much!!!

    Reply

  • Jasper

    Thank you so much for these! I’ve been looking for a long time for labels (with pictures!) that cover everything I need for my sons clothes bins. This is it! You’ve made me a very happy woman!

    Reply

  • Liz J

    I need Sunday or Dress Clothing Label for little boy button ups/ties. I think I will go ahead and print what you have here. Thanks.

    Reply

  • Abbie

    Love these! Just what I was looking for to help my preschooler put away his own clothes. He would like the following labels if you’re still up for making more: Jeans, Sweats or Sweatpants.
    Thanks again!

    Reply

  • LadyKat

    These are precisely what I have been looking for I tried to find clip art and make my own and half way through well momhood or work called and it sat unfinished for the last 6 months. I Have 3 children and 1 on the way 1 is ADHD and 6 years old and getting her clothes in the right spot is fun to say the least. My son is ADD and has Asperger’s so he usually just puts them in a pile on top of or in front of his dresser sits down and stares at them because he forgot where they went. My oldest well we are pretty sure she is an extreme OCD lil person because she puts hers away by type and color and its kinda fun to watch some time she first drew my son labels for his dresser and it worked really well when we had to replace the dresser it got all messed up and she wasn’t interested in drawing more labels lol.
    Now that you have a full back story I just want to say Thank You for providing them free of charge and I will definitely be sure to recommend them to others as well.

    Reply

  • Tina

    Thankyou! These are just what I’ve been looking for to stick on my sons drawers. Hopefully I’ll be able to see the floor in their room now

    Reply

  • Linda

    Could you make labels for uk please ? Just looking for trousers instead of pants, vests instead of singlets and pyjamas instead of pajamas. I’ve printed your labels out. They are brill. Thanks.

    Reply

  • Evalani

    Thank you! Thank you! Trying to help my son become organized and learn to read at the same time. He’s only 5. He loves to do things on his own but becomes very frustrated as he does not remember where everything goes. I think this will help us immensely. Great learning tool. =D

    Reply

  • Derek

    Love the site, was going to make my own in photoshop, but this is much quicker.

    Though my daughter has lots of bra’s
    Don’t see that one yet.
    -Thanks

    Reply

  • Marlene Russell

    I added what I wanted to your plain ones with a black marker. no problem ,I even drew a decent pair of jeans and sweatpants/top. How lazy some of you are. As for asking you to add girlie features, give me a break. Use suggestions above and perhaps some decorative tapes. Two way tape would work well too. I’m giving these to two young friends who have had issues with cleaning their rooms. Thanks so much , I bet you never expected requests like some you’ve received. You are a star.

    Reply

    • Elena

      What happened to people in this virtual environment? I didn’t think asking a question would result in such negativity. And I am not lazy – created new labels and added background just like I wanted. And big thank you to the guys for sharing your awesome ideas and work which saved me a lot of time!

      Reply

  • Rachel

    I LOVE THESE! Thank you so much this is exactly what I was looking for :)

    Reply

  • Kelly

    Great idea, dads- thanks!
    Psst…any way you could format the labels so they would print on an Avery packing label #8164? It’s the size that prints 6 giant labels to a page and would be super slick to print your labels! Thanks again for the goods!

    Reply

  • Shannon

    These are perfect! We have started the kids on putting away their own laundry and being responsible for their own messy drawers. These are exactly what we need…simple and you cover everything. I also love you give a few blank ones!
    Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

  • Jen Rod

    is there any way you can create a sweatshirt label and/or a hoodie label? Sweat pants label? These are going in my son’s room. I tried to create it myself but it didn’t turn out. Any help, helps. Thanks

    Reply

  • kelly polizzi

    Oh my goodness, I love these. I would love how to make them either more! Care to share the details? There are so many items i could use these labels for.

    Reply

  • Amy

    Thank you so much for these labels. They are awesome. My son has Autism and the labels really help him to be more independent with this chore. Great idea! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  • Kim Pronovost

    Thank you so much! You guys are a lifesaver! I just spent over an hour looking for pics just like these…thought I had found some then…wham!! $4.00 a month if I wanted to print them :(
    Brilliant by the way to include blank ones to fill in what works for us. Love that they are large enough for little kid eyes (and TBH old people eyes too haha).
    Thank you!!

    Reply

  • Cat

    All I can say is you’re a lifesaver. Hours spent folding only to find a jumbled up tangle dangling from half closed drawerso five minutes later…Busting out my lamintator!

    Reply

  • Kristin

    Thank you – these were just what I was looking for. Very grateful that you put these online!

    Reply

  • Kim

    Hey guys! I work at a group home for special needs adults. These labels are just what I was looking for to help our folks. Thank you so Much!

    Reply

  • Brynn

    What is the best approach to attaching said labels to dressers without ruining them when you want to change them around or take them off?? Anybody have any suggestions? TIA!

    Reply

  • George Martin

    Marty,
    I think these are great after my sister passed away I brought my nephew that has atism and a learning disability to live with me. I know it’s hard for him to remember where things go and I hope the picture will help.

    Reply

  • Melody Ishin Hsiao

    thank you so much, Marty! These tags are simply stylish and practical! Many thanks for your work!

    Reply

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