Back to School Labelling Checklist

Australian schools go back in late January or early February, and every parent knows what that means: labelling everything. Every pencil, every drink bottle, every hat. It's a big job, but with the right labels and a bit of planning, you can knock it out in a single session. Here's your complete checklist.

What to Label

If your child takes it to school, it needs a label. Lost property bins fill up fast in the first few weeks, and unnamed items rarely make it home. Here's the full list:

• Uniforms: shirts, shorts, dresses, jumpers, jackets, hats, and socks
• Lunchboxes and drink bottles
• School bag, library bag, sports bag
• Stationery: pencils, pens, textas, erasers, rulers, glue sticks, scissors, sharpeners
• Books, workbooks, and folders
• Devices: tablets, laptops, calculators, USB drives
• Musical instruments and cases
• Sports gear: shin pads, mouthguards, goggles

The Right Labels for Each Item

Clothing and soft items

Standard adhesive labels won't survive the washing machine. You need labels made for fabric. Iron-on name labels are the classic option. They fuse to the fabric with heat and last all year. Brother TZe-FA3 fabric tape (12mm, blue on white) works with any Brother P-touch label maker. Print the name, iron it on, done. For items where you can't iron, like hats with plastic brims, sew-in labels or permanent fabric markers are your best bet.

Lunchboxes and drink bottles

These get wet, greasy, and shoved into bags daily. They need waterproof, durable labels. Brother laminated TZe tapes handle this well. Apply the label to a clean, dry surface at room temperature and it'll hold through months of daily use. Dymo durable polypropylene labels are another solid option, especially if you've got a Dymo LabelWriter at home.

Books and stationery

Standard TZe tape in 9mm or 12mm width is perfect for books, folders, and pencil cases. For individual pencils and pens, 6mm or 9mm tape works best. Wrap the label around the pencil just below the end so it doesn't interfere with grip. Some parents prefer pre-printed name stickers for small stationery items, and those work fine too.

Devices and electronics

Use an asset-style label on the back or underside of each device. Include your child's full name and class. A 12mm laminated label in black on white or black on clear looks clean and professional. For laptops, apply the label to the underside rather than the lid so it doesn't get picked at.

Bulk Labelling Tips

Don't label items one by one over the course of a week. Set aside one session and do the lot. Here's how to make it efficient:

1. Gather everything first. Lay out all the items on a table. Group them by label type: fabric items, plastic items, paper items, small stationery.
2. Batch print your labels. If you're using a Brother P-touch label maker, type your child's name once and use the repeat print function to print as many copies as you need. The P-touch Editor software (free download) lets you set up templates with name and class, then print a full sheet in one go.
3. Use the right width for each group. Print 6mm or 9mm labels for pencils and pens. Print 12mm labels for books, folders, and containers. Print fabric labels separately.
4. Work through each group. Apply all the pencil labels, then all the book labels, then the lunchbox labels. Assembly-line style is faster than switching between items.

Australian School Supply Lists

Most Australian schools send out a supply list in November or December for the following year. Some schools partner with suppliers like Officeworks or Campion Education for pre-packed booklists. If you order a pre-packed kit, your labelling job starts the moment it arrives. Don't wait until the night before school starts.

Common items on Australian supply lists that need labelling include: 2B and HB pencils, 30cm rulers, A4 exercise books (usually 8mm ruled), glue sticks (often Bostik brand), Crayola or Faber-Castell textas, and a clear plastic document wallet.

Prepare Labels During the January Holidays

The smartest move is to get your labels done in the first or second week of January, well before the back-to-school rush. Print all your labels, sort them by type, and store them in a zip-lock bag. When the supplies arrive, you've just got the application step left.

If you've got multiple children, use a different coloured tape for each child. This makes sorting easier and helps younger kids identify their own items. Blue for one child, green for another.

For a full guide on organising your home around the school year, check out our Home Organisation Guide. If you're buying a label maker for the first time, our Starter Kit Guide walks you through the options.