NFC Tags & QR Labels for Home Inventory
A quick guide to choosing the right tags for tracking your stuff. No nonsense, just what works.
Why use tags at all?
You don't need NFC tags or QR stickers to use additem.to. The app works perfectly well without them. But if you stick a tag on a shelf, a storage box, or a drawer, you can tap or scan it with your phone to instantly see what's inside or move items around. It turns "open the app, scroll through locations, find the right one" into "tap and go".
Think of it like labelling your boxes when you move house, except the label knows exactly what's in the box and updates itself when you add or remove things.
NFC tags
NFC (Near Field Communication) tags are small, thin stickers with a chip inside. You hold your iPhone near one and it reads the tag instantly. No camera needed, no lining up a shot. Just tap.
Which type to buy
The app reads the tag's unique ID, so any iPhone-compatible NFC tag will work. The most common types you'll find on Amazon are NTAG213, NTAG215, and NTAG216. All three work perfectly. Pick whichever is cheapest or comes in the form factor you want.
A pack of 10-20 typically costs between £8 and £15. Search for "NTAG215 stickers iPhone compatible" on Amazon.
Avoid: Mifare Classic tags. They look similar but aren't compatible with iPhone.
Form factors
NFC tags come in different shapes depending on where you want to put them:
- Coin stickers (25mm) - The most popular choice. Peel and stick onto shelves, boxes, cupboard doors, or the inside of drawers. Small enough to be discreet.
- Larger stickers (30-40mm) - Easier to tap if you don't want to aim precisely. Good for the inside of cupboard doors or on the side of storage bins.
- Key fobs - Clip onto tool bags, camera cases, or anything portable. Handy for items that move around.
- Anti-metal tags - Regular NFC stickers don't work well on metal surfaces. These have a ferrite layer that shields the chip. Use them on filing cabinets, toolboxes, metal shelving, and appliances.
- Weatherproof / epoxy tags - Coated for outdoor use. Good for sheds, garages, garden storage, and anywhere that gets damp or dirty.
- Cards - Credit card sized. Less common for inventory but useful if you want a tag you can slip into a drawer or envelope.
Where to stick them
The best spots are wherever you'd naturally look when wondering "what's in here?":
- Inside cupboard doors
- On the front of storage boxes and bins
- On shelves (the underside of the shelf above works well)
- Inside drawers (stick it on the base at the front)
- On tool boards, pegboards, and workshop walls
- On the outside of loft boxes
Tips
- Buy a small pack first. Get 10 stickers to start with. See how you use them before buying 50.
- Metal surfaces need anti-metal tags. Regular stickers on metal will be unreliable or won't work at all.
- Tap near the top of your iPhone. The NFC reader is at the top edge of the phone, near the camera. Hold it within a couple of centimetres of the tag.
- Tags are reusable. If you reorganise a room, just relink the tag to a different location in the app. No need to buy new ones.
QR code stickers
If you'd rather scan than tap, QR code stickers are a great alternative. You scan them with your phone's camera instead of tapping. They're cheaper than NFC tags, work on any surface including metal, and you can see them from a distance.
Pre-printed QR sticker rolls
The easiest option is buying a roll of pre-printed QR code stickers. Each sticker has a unique QR code already on it. You scan one with the app, link it to an item or location, and you're done.
Search for "unique QR code stickers" or "QR code label roll" on Amazon. Make sure each sticker has a different code - some cheap packs print the same code on every sticker, which won't work for inventory tracking.
Expect to pay around £6-10 for 100+ labels, making them much cheaper per tag than NFC. Weatherproof vinyl versions cost a bit more but hold up better in sheds and garages.
QR vs NFC - which should you pick?
| NFC tags | QR stickers | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Hold phone near the tag | Point camera at the sticker |
| Speed | Instant - just tap | Quick - open camera, scan |
| Metal surfaces | Needs special anti-metal tags | Works on anything |
| Visibility | Can be hidden (inside doors, under shelves) | Needs to be visible to scan |
| Cost | Around 80p-£1 each | Around 5-10p each |
| Durability | Very durable (chip is sealed) | Print can fade over time |
You don't have to choose one or the other. Items and locations can each have both an NFC tag and a QR code linked at the same time. Use NFC tags on frequently accessed spots like kitchen cupboards and workshop shelves, and stick QR labels on storage boxes in the loft or garage where you want to see the code from a distance.
Getting started
You don't need to tag everything on day one. A good approach:
- Download additem.to and add your rooms and belongings first.
- Buy a small pack of NFC stickers or QR labels to try out.
- Tag 3-4 locations that you use most - your workshop, kitchen pantry, storage cupboard.
- See if you like it. If tapping a shelf to see what's there feels useful, buy more tags and do the rest.
The app is free and works without any tags at all. Tags just make it faster.