How to find toys and school items when you move with young children

Q: Do toys and school items need an account to be listed in Packing Buddy?

Without an account, three test boxes work per device. With a free account, the limit is 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos per box. For more, the paid Plus and Pro plans add more boxes.

Q: Does Packing Buddy run on a phone and on a computer?

It runs on phones and in a web browser. The web app is live, and on a computer you can choose photos you already took with nothing to install. Bluetooth printing works only in the phone app, not on the web.

For a family moving with young children, a way to keep toys and school items findable, what to gather first, and a tool that lists each box as it is packed.

By CleverDings · 2026-10-31

CleverDings is published by the makers of Benefit Buddy, Postal Buddy and Packing Buddy, which are compared here alongside other apps.

Start by deciding which toys and school items a child needs before a box is opened. Pack one room at a time, give each box a room code on its label, and keep a list of what each box holds. A tool such as Packing Buddy can list the items in a box from a photo, pick the room, and give the box a code for its label. ^[1] ^[1] The family still decides which toys ride in the car and which go to school first.

Option	What it does	Cost
Packing Buddy	Take photos of what goes into a moving box, and AI lists the items and picks the room. ^[1] Each box gets a code like K-03 on its label. ^[1]	Free: 3 test boxes per device without an account; with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[1] Plus costs $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes. ^[1]
A paper inventory sheet	Not published here; it depends on the notes you keep as you pack.	Not published
A label maker	Not published here; check whether its labels stick to the boxes you use and stay readable for the whole move.	Not published
The new school's office	Not published here; ask whether it sends a school supply list before the term.	Not published

What you need before you start

Most of the work is deciding what a young child needs before the boxes open. Having the small facts ready saves you from hunting later.

A list of everyday toys. Keep a short note of comfort items, bath toys and favorite things that should be unpacked first.
School supply lists. The new school can send its list before the move; keep the copy and note what is already bought for the old school.
A room name for each box. Agree on the rooms in the new home before you pack, so each box label matches a real room.
A record of box contents. Write or photograph what goes in each box, so an item is found without opening every one.
Labels and a marker. Each box needs a code on its label, and everyday items carry the child's name.
A plan for the car. Pack the items the child needs the first night in the car, not in a labeled box.

Step by step

Write a short packing plan. Note every room in the new home, the child's age, the school year, and which toys get used most. You will reuse this note through the whole move.
Sort the items into groups. Divide toys, clothes, school books and supplies so each box holds one kind of thing. Mixed boxes are harder to find in later.
Pack one room at a time. Do the bedrooms, then the kitchen, so boxes from one area stay together and arrive that way.
Label every box as it closes. Put the room and a short contents list on the label, plus a code such as K-03 on the box top. ^[1]
Record what each box holds. Right after you tape a box shut, write its contents, so the list matches what is actually inside.
Find an item by its box, not by memory. Use the list to answer which box holds the school bag before you open anything. ^[1]
Set the school items aside. Keep the first-day kit and supplies in one easy box, and carry the comfort toys yourself.
Recheck the labels when you unpack. Fix any box whose code is worn or wrong before the children put things away.

Tools that can do it

Several ways fit this job of keeping toys and school items findable. Pick one by how much you want to type and whether you want a list the movers can read.

A paper inventory sheet. Write the box code and a short list of contents on paper as each box closes, and keep the sheet where you can reach it on moving day.

A label maker. Print a code or a name for each box top. Check whether its labels stick to the boxes you use and stay readable for the whole move.

The new school's office. Ask for the supply list before you move. Check whether the school sends a list in advance and whether first-day kit items are listed on it.

Packing Buddy. Packing Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. You take photos of what goes into a moving box, and AI lists the items and picks the room. ^[1] Each box gets a code like K-03 on its label. ^[1] Labels print from a home printer on store-bought Avery 5163 or compatible sheets, or on plain paper you cut out and tape on. ^[1] Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser, no app needed. ^[1] You can search your boxes to find which box an item is in. ^[1] Share links let a partner, friends or movers join by typing their name, with no account needed; the movers link comes with your plan. ^[1] The app and its AI box lists are available in 30 languages. ^[1]

Finding out is free for 3 test boxes per device without an account; with a free account you get 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[1] Plus costs $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes. ^[1] Pro costs $19.99 a month or $99 a year, with no cap on boxes and Bluetooth label printers. ^[1] Bluetooth label printers work in the phone app, not in the browser. ^[1]

For any other tool, check its own written facts about how box lists are made and what you must set up first.

Common mistakes to avoid

Small slips make the hardest finds.

Packing a room and writing its list later. List or photograph each box the moment it closes, or the list will drift from the boxes.
Letting everyday toys go in the last box. Pack the comfort and bath items in a box you open first.
Labeling from memory. Put the code on the label at the same time you tape the box.
Skipping the search step. Look an item up on the list instead of opening every box.
Keeping every label with the boxes. Leave a spare list of codes somewhere you can reach at the new house.
Losing the school list. Tape the supply list to the matching school box.

Frequently asked questions

Can Packing Buddy find which box holds a school item?

Take a photo of each box as it is packed, and AI lists the items and picks the room. ^[1] The box list can then be searched, so an item is found by its box name instead of opening every box. ^[1]

Do toys and school items need an account to be listed in Packing Buddy?

Without an account, three test boxes work per device. ^[1] With a free account, the limit is 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos per box. ^[1] For more, the paid Plus and Pro plans add more boxes. ^[1]

Can the movers see which box holds the toys?

Share links let a partner, friends or movers join by typing their name, with no account needed. ^[1] The movers link comes with the plan. ^[1]

How are the box labels printed for a move?

Labels print from a home printer on store-bought Avery 5163 or compatible sheets, or on plain paper you cut out and tape on. ^[1] Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser, no app needed. ^[1] On Pro, Bluetooth label printers work in the phone app, not in the browser. ^[1]

Does Packing Buddy run on a phone and on a computer?

It runs on phones and in a web browser. ^[1] The web app is live, and on a computer you can choose photos you already took with nothing to install. ^[1] Bluetooth printing works only in the phone app, not on the web. ^[1]

Free: 3 test boxes per device without an account; with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[1]

Try Packing Buddy

Sources

Packing Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)