Organizing Boxes for Moving & Storage with the U-Haul My Belongings Organizer

Planning a move means keeping track of a lot of little things. The My Belongings Organizer® inside the U-Haul App helps you create a simple digital inventory so that your items don’t disappear into “mystery box #7.” You can scan items, add photos, organize boxes as containers, and quickly search everything later when you need it. It’s simple and takes just a few minutes to get started.

Even better, your inventory stays right on your device, so you can access it anytime, even without Wi-Fi, and U-Haul can’t see what you’ve logged. It’s your stuff, your system, and your peace of mind.

The U-Haul App also helps manage your entire move, from renting a moving truck or U-Box® container to finding a price-locked self-storage unit. The U-Haul App has you covered, and everything works together.

Learn more about Everything You Can Do in the U-Haul App.

 

Key Takeaways Add items or containers quickly by using your phone camera to scan or entering details manually Sort everything into folders, tags, and locations that make sense to you Track exactly what’s inside each box and find it later in seconds

Where to Find the My Belongings Organizer in the U-Haul App

Open the U-Haul App, then:

1. Tap “Tools” in the footer menu at the bottom of the screen
2. Select “My Belongings Organizer”

 

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Add Items or Create Smart Containers

Once inside the organizer, you can start building your inventory list. You’re not just adding items here, you can also create containers, which act like digital versions of your moving boxes.

There are two ways to add items, depending on what’s more convenient for you at the moment.

Turn Any Box Into a “Smart” Container

Tap the + icon to create a new entry, then toggle on the container feature.

Give your container a name like “Kitchen – Pantry” or “Holiday Decorations,” assign a location, and start adding the items inside. You can even include photos so you know exactly what’s packed without opening the box later.

This is where things click a bit. Instead of guessing what’s inside a box, you just check your phone.

Option 1: Scan Items Using Your Camera with Smart Labels

Tap “Scan” to use your phone’s camera. The built-in scanner works with printed text, barcodes, and U-Haul Smart Labels. This works great for labeled moving boxes, electronics packaging, manuals, and anything already tagged.

Each Smart Label includes a unique QR code that links directly to your container. Once attached to a box, you can scan it anytime to instantly view what’s inside.

Smart Labels are delivered digitally and can be printed on standard 8.5” x 11” paper or Avery Presta 94256 label sheets.

Using them is pretty straightforward: print, attach, scan, done.

Option 2: Add Items Manually

Prefer typing things in yourself? Tap the plus (+) icon and enter:

• Item title
• Description
• Photo (optional but helpful later)

Manual entry is perfect for personal items, loose belongings, or anything without a barcode. You can also use voice-to-text if you’re moving fast and don’t feel like typing every single thing.

Choose Item Categories for Easy Sorting

With the My Belongings Organizer, you can sort each item into a category so that your list stays tidy instead of chaotic halfway through packing.

Available categories include:

• Belongings
• Documents
• General receipts
• Photos
• Contacts
• Access codes
• Links

You can mix categories however you like. Some people go room by room, while others track important paperwork first. There’s no wrong way to keep yourself organized during a move.

Organize Items with Folders, Tags, and Locations

Folders and tags help turn your inventory into something actually useful later, instead of just a long list.

Create Folders That Match Your Move

You can create custom folders like:

• Kitchen
• Garage
• Primary bathroom
• First night box

A folder per room usually works well for most moves, but you can organize it whichever way makes sense for you.

Add Tags for Extra Detail

Tags act like quick labels across folders. For example, you can add tags such as:

• “Essentials”
• “Pet items”
• “Open first”
• “Fragile”

Later, you can filter by tags and find items faster, rather than digging through boxes.

Assign Locations to Track Where Items Are Stored

You can attach a location to each entry by entering an address manually or choosing one from your account’s address book. This is especially helpful if your belongings are split between homes, storage, or different drop-off stops — it happens more often than people expect.

Search and Find Items in Seconds

After adding a few items, you’ll see them appear in a list view. From there, you can search your items by name or view them as a list, which can be sorted by name, creation date, or last edited date. You can also switch views to display folders, types, or locations.

For example, if you only want to see what’s in the garage folder, you can do that in seconds instead of scrolling forever.

Use the My Belongings Organizer Beyond Moving

The My Belongings Organizer isn’t just for moving boxes. You can use it to track:

• Collectibles like vinyl records, comics, or trading cards
• Stored artwork with photos for quick reference
• Seasonal items like holiday decorations
• Even things in trash bags (no judgment, it happens)

Once you start using it, you’ll probably find your own system pretty quickly.

Works Seamlessly with U-Box® Containers

If you’re using U-Box® containers for storage or moving, this tool becomes even more useful.

By logging your containers and items in the My Belongings Organizer®, you can quickly identify which container holds what, even if it’s stored off-site. That means less unloading, less guessing, and a much smoother experience when you need something back.

Why Use the My Belongings Organizer During a Move

Keeping track of what goes where sounds simple until boxes stack up and labels blur together. This tool helps you know what you packed, where it went, and how to find it later without guessing. It’s a small step that saves a surprising amount of time once moving day gets busy.

Even better, it’s all built into the U-Haul app, where you can manage your order, use the Trip Planner, and book U-Haul services all in one place. It’s a convenient way to keep everything for your move organized and within reach.

For sorting boxes and packing supplies, don’t forget that the U-Haul App is the best place to purchase sturdy moving boxes and flexible packing supplies for your upcoming move!

Ready to get started? Open the U-Haul App and start adding your items with the My Belongings Organizer today.