Cheapest or easiest name labels? Online or which shop?

[BakeOffRewatch]

Baby starting nursery soon and I need to label everything. I’ve had a look online using google and have had some expensive (but cute!) options come up.

What’s the easiest or cheapest thing to do?

I have a lot of shops near me in retail parks like Home Bargains, B&M, TK Maxx, Primark, as well as all the big supermarket names, but I don’t want to go trawling, especially with fuel crisis, so thought I’d start a post here see if someone has the wisdom!

If I do order online, should I do it with baby’s full name or just surname so I can reuse for subsequent kids? That’s probably me overthinking it.

Thank you in advance.

You can get a stamp that is suitable for clothes.

...I do it.

Couldn't care less that they don't look pretty...they're inside shoes/on labels etc.

Never had sticking issues 🤷

Oh no @SomePig, did you cut all of them up in one go? I’m willing to buy them that way and try cutting a few in half. I don’t mind what it looks like, like @00100001.

I love Petit Fernand @Blueuggboots, but at 30p a sticker it costs 50% more than stikins. Money better diverted to the actual clothes . Do I need to label everything including tights? Then the starter packs of 30 don’t seem enough at all.

Good ideas with the phone number, I might do our surname and postcode so can’t get confused with others and can use if have more kids.

I label stuff that can get left behind/dropped or there are duplicates of (i.e.. multiple kids might have the same one) - things like wellies, shoes, hats, water bottles, lunch boxes, coats etc.

I don't (usually!) label underwear, socks, t-shirt, trousers, skirts etc as these (generally) aren't removed and flung off on a day to day basis iyswim? so, a coat/cardigan/jumper, a kid would easily remove that during playtime, chuck it on the floor and forget to take it inside - that gets labelled, but their trousers wouldn't.

@BakeOffRewatch

Oh no *@SomePig, did you cut all of them up in one go? I’m willing to buy them that way and try cutting a few in half. I don’t mind what it looks like, like @00100001*.

I love Petit Fernand @Blueuggboots, but at 30p a sticker it costs 50% more than stikins. Money better diverted to the actual clothes . Do I need to label everything including tights? Then the starter packs of 30 don’t seem enough at all.

Good ideas with the phone number, I might do our surname and postcode so can’t get confused with others and can use if have more kids.

ah, but the postcode won't help any more than the surname and number.

I cut them as I use them. REALLY wish I’d done surname and name rather than a little scrap that says only the surname and comes off easily.

Sharpie, or more often than not a biro. You will replace that much stuff it doesn't get chance to fade. The only thing I use out of a labels pack I bought is shoe stickers. They have been very useful.

Good idea to have surname only, so the labels can be used for siblings, but for younger ones I think it's better to have their first name so they can easily read and recognise the label (my DCs have two surnames and my 4yo can read his first name but I don't think he can read/recognise his surnames yet!) We have first name in full + surname initials. First names are unusual so very unlikely to need full surname anyway (and it would make the label very long).

Sharpie pen was cheapest always worked for me

I use a Bic pen, the ink doesn't wash off despite multiple washes. First initial and surname then class.
With my eldest there were 7 of them with the same first and last name so just first name, class and date of birth worked better.

I have used

Stikins- really strong and would buy again. Sturdy- used it on the actual cloth itself (inside sleeves/pockets/trousers).

My Name Tags- used 4 years ago on clothes and stickers are still ok but some coming off the egdes. I would also recommend.

Woven Labels- I used for sew on ones and stickers. All good and would also recommend.

I am considering Stamptastic and Petit Ferdinand and I have heard good reviews about them.

@Ariela

Sharpie pen was cheapest always worked for me

sharpies wash off.

Just ordered some Stikins, thanks everyone. Will come back and give verdict too!

Stamptastic are brilliant. I just stamp the care labels.

Stikins. I have one set which has our surname and phone number for objects (sports gear, decent winter jackets and anything that is likely to be passed down through all my children) that I really don't want to lose, and then a sheet for each child with just their first name in big letters (none of them have another child with the same name in their class).

I gave up on labels and only use pens. They last for ages , I use them as and when, easy to do when something new comes in and I keep them with her clothes so they don't get lost. I also used them on the inside of her shoes to remind her what foot goes where when the time came for that.

Very cheap too .

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Stationery-Permanent-Fabric-Marker/dp/B007NG9NCU/ref=ascdffB007NG9NCU/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=226557293237&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16844845801795994311&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007204&hvtargid=pla-421402799681&psc=1&th=1&psc=1#immersive-view1635882597125

Thank you, I’ll probably end up trying all of these eventually. For now I thought Stikins were the best balance between price and ease. I’m sure I’d just make a mess with the pen.

@BakeOffRewatch

Wow stikins are really cheap too, 13p each!

Baby is a baby so the clothes don’t have a “name” space so stamptastic wouldn’t be suitable, but definitely remembering for future!

Thank you for the tinyme recommendation but they seem pricey too and I’m really put off by how gendered their style names are, “oh boy” for planes and trucks.

This is the cute one I found, they do a nursery starter pack with shoe labels but it works out about 21p a sticker. www.petit-fernand.co.uk/personalised-baby-name-labels-for-nursery . I love the design but the costs are snowballing for spare clothes, nursery fees, shoes, and I need to cut costs where I can!

Looks like I’ll go with stikins based on current suggestions - still keen to hear others, especially in store ones. When I was a kid we ordered woven ones through school that were sewn in to our clothes.

I love petit ferdinand they have lasted through two boys and are on their third hand me down, they often have discounts and the more you buy the cheaper. I put sur name and my mobile no so the clothes can get returned to me if lost. I also use them on dribks bottles although they don't say you can and they last all year.

Sorry your recent message hadn't updated when I posted about petit ferdinand!

I really appreciate the review though @mumofpickles, petit fernand would be my choice if money no object. I might get a pack in future for the big ticket items like coat and jumpers. For now, I just want to label EVERYTHING, like footless tights, bodysuits.