How-To: Create a Family Command Center

February 18, 2021
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A family command center is critical to my family keepings the basics organized when it comes to scheduling and everyday activities. Below I’ll walk you through how we built a family command center that works for our family.  

What is a Family Command Center?

This is where not only your family calendar exists but all the backpacks are in one place, your car keys have a dedicated spot, and your not worried about finding that lingering bill that needs to be paid. It’s also the perfect place to write out your weekly meal plan on your dry erase board.

While the biggest hurdle is organizing the space, the method or system surrounding how you’ll use it is equally as important. Keep in mind that every family’s command center will likely look a bit different depending on the size and structure of your family. What’s most important is having a home base for everything to live.

Where do I start?

There’s lots of ways to approach this – you can purchase a Daily Organization System like this, DIY something (this is so cool), order everything on Amazon, or schedule a Target pick up (that’s what I did!). But before you buy anything, the first thing you need to do is identify your needs or your pain points as a family. The products you ultimately invest in should address those specific areas.

For example, backpacks on the floor were a HUGE problem for us, so it was critical that we included hooks so that each kid had a designated spot to hang their backpacks. Masks were also a problem for us, so these cork board hooks were the perfect product to help us solve that problem.

The Essentials for Building a Command Center

These are some of the most common components to a family command center that solve problems for many families, but you can pick and choose what will work best for you.

  • Dry Erase Calendar — a place to keep track of school schedules, sports practices, and appointments. I also like to keep our family meal plan on our calendar as well. I’ve also used a separate meal planning calendar like this one.
  • Cork Board — I LOVE our family cork board. We use it to pin up seasonal art work the kids make, baby and wedding announcements, and spelling words. I actually use my cork board way more often that I ever thought I would. I also prefer using it for important papers like bills that used to get lost in a paper bin. I’m actively using my cork board daily.
  • Hook for Keys — is your command center near your garage? Consider hanging a small key holder to make sure you don’t misplace those keys again! 
  • Individual Hooks for Masks — Only in 2020 – 2021, right?! But this has been a major pain point for our family this year.
  • Basket for Papers — I like using my cork board for this, but plenty of families prefer a dedicated basket or baskets. This is for those papers that need to be signed, permission slips, or anything that needs attention.
  • Bag Hooks –– I chose these sturdy command hooks that can hold up to 16 lbs. We needed an option to didn’t need to be drilled into the wall, so these worked great. We mostly used them for backpacks and tote bags and they hang along the bottom of your command center.

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