Create a Simple and Functional Command Center
With both of my kids in school this year, it was time to figure out an organizational system for our paperwork. Not that we aren’t organized normally. However, with two rugrats bringing home enough paper to equal half of a rain forest worth of trees, we needed something that would keep everything in check. Enter the command center!
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Over the years, I have seen some pretty amazing command centers.
These spaces are usually centrally located in the home. They contain everything needed to keep the household running smoothly. Stuff like calendars, clocks, chalkboards, bulletin boards, binders, folders, files, menu planners, and the list goes on. I knew that I didn’t have room for all of that business (just a tiny wall in our kitchen). So, I had to figure out how to create a simple and functional command center in a small space.
To cover the basics, I ordered all of our main command center pieces from Ikea. (Ikea didn’t compensate us for any of this; we just really liked the price and how the pieces came together.)
Our calendar is something I whipped up and had printed as an engineering print (18″x24″) at our local print shop. I placed it in a large Ribba frame (19 3/4 x 27 1/2) with the mat. We can write the important stuff on the front of the plexiglass and erase it easily. Hopefully, this will keep us from forgetting dance/soccer practice and anything we need to be available for.
This printable is free of charge and for personal use only. Download this printable from THE GALLERY.
To organize all of our papers and bills, I ordered the Kvissle Wall Magazine Rack. Each of the kids gets one slot for important school papers. The rest are designated for bills and other mail. And the Etc. slot holds blank paper for note taking and a weekly calendar for menu planning.
I placed a striped painted cork board in another smaller Ribba frame for little bits of fun or info.
All of the colored dry erase markers are corralled in a small canning jar, along with a few extra pencils, and placed on the counter for easy access.
Because of this little wall in our kitchen our family organization is not up to par! And I am feeling a lot less anxiety with this system in place.
Do you have a family command center? How do you keep organized during the school year? We would love to hear from you. Let us know in the comments below!
