Command Center

So, I'm the type of gal that needs notes and reminders for everything.   I literally need bells, whistles, and alarms to accompany my sticky notes, highlighters, and bold print.  It's unfortunate, but it's my pitiful reality.  If I don't physically write it on one of my three calendars, well,  then I'm not attending.

I started off when we moved to our new house by neatly posting all of our important papers, invitations, and reminders inside our pantry door, along with my calendar.  One fatal flaw...if the door isn't open, I see nothing and attend nothing.  So, I had a brilliant idea (which don't come along too often)!  We had a blank wall between our kitchen and family room that I pass by a million and one times a day.  I decided to turn it into a "Command Center."  An area where I'd post everything from study guides to important events, and even an area for bill paying.  One catch, it had to look darn cute if I'm going to put all of our business on display!

Let's work clockwise and I'll give you the details:

This adorable organizer came off the clearance shelf at Target.  Emily spotted it and got it for me :)
It's perfect for this wall!  It has three different pockets and holds all sorts of stuff.  I broke it up into 5 different sections by taping on magnets I found for $1.00 at Target. I now have a designated area for "Pay," "File," "Send," and "Keep."  I left the top pocket open for miscellaneous junk items.

Next, our family rules.  I found some on Pinterest, tailored them to our family, printed them up and framed them.  It's a nice little reminder for the boys (Mommy and Daddy, too) and a visual for us to refer back to.

Here are our "Family Rules:"

Always tell the truth
Work hard
Keep your promises
Try new things
Don't whine
Laugh out loud
Always say I love you
Use kind words
Do your best
Be grateful, be kind
Be proud of yourself
See please and thank you
Remember you are loved

 

 

Again, I scored this magnetic board at Target in the Dollar Deals section.  I attached a pad of paper with a magnetic strip for important daily reminders and to jot down lists.  It also gives me another area to hold smaller items.

 

 

I originally put up the "drunken octopus" hooks for coats and school bags, but I just couldn't bear to have them hanging out in the open.  It just didn't seem like the right area, so they went back where they came from and into the hall closet.  Unfortunately, that left me with three hooks with no use.  Luckily, I'd seen these metal pails at Target in the Dollar Deals section (I know, I know...I'm there too often, but I simply cannot resist) and thought they'd be perfect.

To decipher between the three boys' bins I stenciled their initials onto the side of each pail with black paint.  Now, with no confusion between who's pail is who's, the kids put their personal belongings inside.  It also provides me with a place to put any of their "valuables" I find under foot or laying around the house.

 

This is just a simple peel and stick chalkboard where the kids like to write little notes or doodles.  It's also a cutesy little place for me to jot down a note to them.

These hooks are probably the most used element in our "Command Center."  This is where I put the kids' calendars for school, study guides, and any other important reminders.  My hook usually holds any useful coupons I come across before they make it into my coupon organizer.  Hubbies hook usually contains any mail that he needs to handle.

Each family member has their own color coded clip that hangs from a picture hanger hook.  It was simple to put together.  I measured out the 5 hooks 5 inches from one another, hammered in the nails, and ta-da!

Yes, you guessed it, I got this dry erase calendar from the Dollar Deals section at Target :)  Are you surprised?

Any time an event comes it I jot it down here and also add it to the calendar on my phone.  I find it useful because when plans change I can easily change the calendar.  I'm also going to start using a different colored dry erase marker for each of my boys as they've gotten busier and my brain has become increasingly scrambled.

I wanted an area to showcase the boys' masterpieces.  I made this plaque using an old piece of pallet wood and a stencil.  I added the popular quote by Pablo Picasso, "Every child is an artist."  On the bottom I screwed in three cup hooks to attach clips.  Now, I can easily hang up the boys' artwork for all to admire.

I love, love, this area in our house.  It keeps my crew organized while being organized itself.