First thing's first ... what is a command center & why would you want one?
A command center is a place you’ve set aside in your home for you and or your family to keep track of what’s going on in your household. A command center can be extremely useful for keeping important papers, items, events, and responsibilities at the front and center for you to keep track of, but also for anyone else in your family as well.
Elements of a Command Center
As you begin to think about customizing your command center consider your family’s needs. Here are my top 10 recommended must-have elements for every home command center. You can buy them individually or even find some that are specifically designed for a command center and have multiple of these elements together.
1. Calendar
Having a calendar in your command center where it’s out in the open so you can stay on top of your meetings, plans, and obligations is not only helpful for you to keep track of where you need to be, but it’s also helpful for the family to know where everyone is going to be at. This calendar is the one that I have in our command center and I love it! It even comes with a cork board strip at the bottom. We use different colors for each family member to keep track.
2. White Board or Chalk Board
Adding a white board or chalk board to your command center gives you a place where you can jot down notes, reminders, or create a grocery list. There are times when our family might be passing ships in the night and a white board helps communicate random thoughts to keep us all on the same page.
3. Memo Board
A memo board can be a lot of things. It’s purpose is to save little memos and reminders like coupons, bills, or even kid’s artwork. You can use a magnetic strip, cork board, or ribbon organizer.
4. Hanging Wall Folders
Hanging wall folders are perfect for utilizing as mailboxes for everyone in your family or for storing important paper work that you need quick access to.
5. Clipboards
Clipboards are a nice addition because they can hold interchangeable information like meal plans, household responsibilities, and lists. This is also another great place to display children’s artwork or your own favorite quotes and art pieces.
6. Hooks
Depending on your style of home and what you want out of your command center, you can use hooks as a docking station for kids’ backpacks, a purse, keys, etc.
7. Pen Cup
You are definitely going to need a pen/marker whether you have a whiteboard, calendar, list, or just need to know where one is at on a second’s notice. Keep them handy with a pen cup in your command center.
8. Hanging Baskets
For a little extra space to store items that you want to grab and use at a moment’s notice, you can add hanging baskets to your command center to store things like sticky notes, scissors, phone chargers, etc.
9. Clock
How many times a day do you wonder what time it is? If you’re like me, a lot! If you’re like me, you also have no need for an actual clock because you just have to look at your phone that is glued to you 24-7. A clock is a nice piece of decor that marks a command center and fits the space appropriately. It’s more than just decor though as it’s ready at a quick glance if need be especially when you’re planning out your schedule.
10. Art
You can really pull a command center together visually by adding a space for some design elements and artwork. Whether that is your favorite motivational quote, family’s last name, family pictures, or a pretty print.
Check out some of these nifty multi-use elemental pieces for your command center...
Do you have a command center? If not, are you planning on creating one? If so, have you found that it’s helped your organization and productivity? Share your photos with us on social media by tagging us or using the #goodmorninglovely.
