I’ve been working hard to get our lives more organized. With Annabel now in school and she and James both in different activities, it’s more important than ever to have everything in order. I’ve been wanting to set up a sort of “Command Center” in our house for a while now, and the little nook next to our front door seemed like a good place to do it.
Normally this is a dumping ground for mail, grocery bags, and other random things we bring in through the front door. I wanted some calendars, hooks for keys and leashes, a bulletin board, and a memo board, plus some baskets for things that come and go.
I bought a few different boards and played around with the configuration until I found the one I liked. Then I laid them out over a large sheet of butcher paper and traced the outlines.
Taping the template to the wall made hanging the different boards a million times easier. I’ve used this technique a few times – you just hammer/drill right through the paper, then pull the paper down around the nails.
See? So easy!
I’m not going to lie to you, filling in the calendars and writing down reminders made me feel like I’d actually accomplished things on a to-do list.
I also made this “remember board” for Annabel to use every morning before school. I let her move the magnets from “no” to “yes” when she completes one of the tasks. It’s the easiest reward system in the world!
I know have an “in” box for papers and mail, and an “out” box for outgoing mail, signed school papers, checks, etc. I moved our loose change jar from the laundry room to the table, and put out a little basket for pens, chapstick, etc.
I color coded our calendar, which was the nerdiest thing I’ve done in at least a week.
I’m still looking for ideas to add to our command center but I’m happy with it so far. It’s nice not spending five minutes every morning searching for keys, purses, shoes, and backpacks!
Valerie says:
INSPIRING!!! What simple, GREAT ideas, esp. for a chronically disorganized, procrastinator like me! I’ve GOT to get off my butt and do something like this…tomorrow!!
MUCH LOVE from Ohioooo!!
Valerie
DefendUSA says:
So awesome! I have one teenager left and he could definitely benefit!
Rachel says:
I color-code my calendars and it makes it very easy at a glance to see WHO is actually busy that day.
Jackson says:
Will you come to my house and organize my life? Great ideas.
Jordan says:
What Jackson said. Nashville’s not THAT far away, right?!
Alyssa says:
I love this! I just wish we had space for this in our tiny house!
Lisa says:
This is great. Thanks for sharing!
Susan says:
I love a command center!!! Even w/adults in the house and adult children. I sort of have one, small home so it is smaller, basically key placement and calendar(s). Our problem is getting everyone, including me to use it!! I hate looking for keys in the morning =) Love your area.
ldoo says:
Well done. I didn’t get that fancy, but I did take a giant half cork board/half dry erase board and get all kinds of calendar-y on it. I have listed what days my kids have PE and library so we can make sure shoes/books are packed; what day they have their after-school activities; what fun school events are coming up (movie night, etc.); and on the cork board I’ve hung up vital papers to remember/return. Then – I took a photo of it, lest some grimy hands accidentally mess up my hard work. It’s fun to be organized!
Michelle says:
I have seriously been watching “How to create a family command center” videos on youtube, but I have done nothing to get ours started. You’ve inspired me.
Katrina says:
Whoa….look at you, getting all organized at the beginning of the school year. Love that space! You know, there are two things that as a mom I am always trying to improve on. 1) having patience, and more patience, and 2) organization — being organized is the key to your day going smoothly. On my most organized days, I have lots of patience with my kids. When I’m unorganized then I can never find things, the kids can’t find things, things don’t get accomplished, and then I lose my patience. Hmmmm. I think if I JUST worked on my organization skills, then I could scratch “having more patience” off my list!
By the way, am I the ONLY one who hits “submit” without doing the little math problem? then I have to go back and do it again. WHY can’t I remember do to that little math problem at the bottom of the submit button? I think the math problem should be ABOVE the submit button…just say’n.
Margie says:
I LOVE IT!
Katie B says:
Having two boys I generally skip a lot of your tutorials, but I LOVE THIS! Color coding the calendar! I’m an organizational freak – How did I never think of that?! Great post!
Ashley says:
Oh. My. Gosh. You are my HERO! I’ve wanted to do this for a month!! I really need to get this accomplished!!
Eileen says:
Looks awesome! Your idea for hanging pictures is brilliant. Thanks for the idea!
Leah says:
So jealous.
Leslie says:
I love it! Where did you get your adorable in/out baskets and chalkboard labels?
Heather says:
Target, in the dollar section! I’ve seen them in the regular organizing section as well!
Jordan says:
Totally random and not-so related to your command center (which is awesome, I wish I was that organized): I love the little “be brave little one” sign. Did you print that off of a website or is it something you made? I need it.
Heather says:
I downloaded it from this site: http://orchardgirls.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/free-be-brave-little-one-and-arrows.html?m=0 and then I used photoshop to change the colors!