How to Get Organized with a Home Command Center
A home command center is a household organization hub customized to fit your day-to-day needs. Having home schedules and tasks organized and visible at-a-glance can help reduce both physical and mental clutter and help your day to flow better. If you don’t have one or yours needs an update, read on!
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Step 1: Identify your pain points.
Does mail pile up? Do you struggle to decide what to make for dinner? Are you always searching for your car keys as you’re trying to get out of the door? Or are you the only one in your household who seems to know what the plans are? Prioritize solving the little challenges come up for you on a typical day. Make a short list now!
Step 2: Find a place for it
Search for an empty patch of wall near your entryway or where you spend a lot of time, such as in your kitchen. If you don’t have much wall space available consider the front of your fridge or a side of a kitchen cabinet for your command center.
Step 3: Select items
Your items should be based off your pain point list. If space is a problem prioritize what you need the most. Here’s some ideas to consider-
A Calendar
For obvious reasons, a calendar will help you organize your family schedule. If like me, you keep a detailed digital calendar this is one could be for “at a glance activities”. It is a way for everyone in the household to know what the plans are that day, week etc. My favorite wall calendars are acrylic- they can be used month after month and can even be customized.
Wall Envelops
Paper mail might be one of my least favorite things. It just keeps coming. Having mail folders in your command centers allows you to quickly toss any junk mail and open and organize things that will need to be addressed, keeping your counters and tables clear. Use one wall envelop for everything that needs to be dealt with or separate for categories like “bills”, “shred”, or “follow up”.
Hooks
If your command center is near an entryway it’s a great place to add some cute hooks or even a shelf for small items like keys.
Weekly Menu Board
While a white board or chalk board would work, I love to use an acrylic one for this too. It’s a place to jot down a tentative dinner menu for the week. You can always change you mind but having a general plan makes grocery shopping and dinner prep a little easier.
Notes or Reminders Board
For anything and everything that comes up. Have a message for your babysitter, dog walker etc.? Let them know it will always be written here. Add priority to do list items so everyone in your household can see it.
A Pinboard (or two)
If you don’t love a cluttered fridge be sure to include a pinboard or two in your command center plan. Use it for kids artwork or for invitations and holiday cards.
Something Pretty
Okay, you want this to be a place in your home that is helpful and looks aesthetically pleasing. Add a small wall plant or some wall art to complete the space!
Step 4: Determine Layout and Order Items
Measure how big your wall is and plan out where each item will go. I like to use removable tape to see how everything will fit together. Then get ordering and get yourself more organized!
On a home organization mission? Check out more favorite items here:
Where to next?
