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Last updated on November 20th, 2023 at 09:08 am
I don’t know if you follow the Home Edit on Instagram, but they have some enviable handwritten labels EVERYWHERE. I’d love to provide my clients (and myself) with Pin-worthy labels but I don’t have the nicest handwriting.
So you bet I’ve found a way to hack some Home Edit-worthy label using a skill I learned way back in elementary school when I wanted to copy pretty illustrations in books but completely lacked the talent.
It’s called tracing.
That’s right —this is a label-maker-free tutorial that’s completely within your budget.
Here’s a quick and easy tutorial to hack pretty handwritten storage labels for your clear acrylic bins.
This DIY is for those clear plastic/acrylic storage bins or jars like these latch storage bins (my favorite for kids’ storage) and these shoeboxes that I use all over the house for supply storage.
Step 1: Create your traceable labels.
For this tutorial, I’m using Canva, so I’ll walk you through creating your labels using a free Canva account. (Canva is a free graphic design tool –no downloading necessary).
Once you create an account (you can sign up through Google if you’re a Gmail user), scroll through the “Create your design” arrows until you find “US Letter Document” or “Letterhead.” Either will do. You just want to have the right paper size for your printer.
Once you click on one, a new window will open.
On the left, click the “Text Button,” then choose “Add Heading.” A text box will appear on the document. Type in the title of the label you’re creating.
When the text is selected in the editor, click the font selector on the top left. Now you can find a font you want to use for your labels. If you search “Calligraphy” in the text box, you’ll find a lot of pretty options. (I used Playlist Script for mine.)
Once you choose the font, adjust the size. To create more labels, select the text and click “Duplicate” on the top right.
When your labels are created, click the download button (the pointing down at the line). Hitting print won’t do anything except make you $30 worth of prints. Download it as a printable PDF.
Download, then print your labels.
Step 2: Trace onto your container.
Cut your labels into strips and use masking tape to tape them to your container with the writing facing outward.
Use an oil-based Sharpie in the color of your choice (I use white) to trace the labels to the container. If you mess up, use a soapy sponge to scrub it off.
Easy, right? It does take a bit of time if you’ve never used Canva but you could easily do the same thing using Microsoft Word if there’s a font there that you like. But overall, this is a pretty quick way to create handwritten labels when you have horrible handwriting.
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