No matter what time of year it is, it’s always nice to have your home organized. This includes keeping your family proactive in the organization of your home. If you haven’t already established a command center in your home, now is the time to start a family command center to get your home organized.
A command center sounds like a top-secret office that only can be accessed with the correct fingerprint, facial recognition, or password. Fortunately, that’s not the kind of command center you need in your home. The kind you need will be accessible to everyone who lives in your home so that everyone knows what is going on and how they can help keep things organized.
If you are looking for ways to get organized, a family command center can get your home and lives situated so that everyone lives in a stress-free environment. Take a look at how to use a family command center in your home.
What is a Family Command Center?
A family command center is a central point in your home that keeps your life organized. This includes having a calendar of events, a list of activities taking place, assignments due, to-do lists, schedules, a place for keys, and more. There is no one way to create a family command center in your home. You have to create one that works best for you and your family.
How to Use a Family Command Center in Your Home
Use the following tips to establish a family command center in your home. Your home can stay organized with the use of a command center.
1. Pick an Accessible Area
The point of having a family command center is to ensure everyone can see it. That means placing it in an accessible area that your family members can see easily. Use an area by the front door, place it in the kitchen, or put it in the hallway close to your children’s bedrooms.
This family command center will be most useful when everyone can find what they are looking for (i.e., car keys, signed permission slips, etc.), get reminded of events happening in the day, and understand their responsibilities in the home, such as a chore list.
2. Add a Calendar
A calendar is one of the most important things to have in your command center. It can be used to share event information, set reminders, keep track of chores, and so on. Consider creating one that can be written on easily.
You can use a chalkboard-style calendar or whiteboard that allows you to erase and make changes as needed. Use the calendar as a focal point for your command center because everything will revolve around it.
3. Keep a To-Do List
Add a to-do list that reminds everyone of important things that need to be completed, such as returning library books, making dinner reservations for date night, making a doctor’s appointment, and so on. When life gets busy and the home becomes a circus, a to-do list can be handy for everyone. Ensure there are note papers and pens available in your center for everyone to create their to-dos.
4. Insert a Clock
A clock is the best way to keep everyone on track during the day. Going from activities to events to playdates all while keeping track of when to cook dinner can become difficult. A clock can help your family stay the course in organizing their daily life. Keep the clock next to the calendar for easier daily planning.
5. Add Hooks
Hooks are helpful in a family command center to keep hold of important things like keys, sunglasses, hats, purses, and more. Keep your home organized with the hooks and remove the stress of having to find your keys in the morning when you’re rushing out the door for work.
6. Use Magnets or Thumbtacks
Keep magnets or thumbtacks (depending on the type of material you are using in your command center) available will help keep things organized. Pin up bills that are coming due. Stick important letters from the mail, lost items that have been found on the floor, and so on.
When your family sees the items that are pinned up in the command center, they can remove items that are theirs or you can remove bills that have been paid. Everyone benefits from having a visual reminder of things that need attention.
7. Include Meal Plans
Meals are one of the hardest things to keep up with in families. Wondering what to cook each day and remembering to take the meat out of the freezer to thaw each day can become cumbersome. Instead, use your command center to also help you keep tabs on meal planning.
Put dinner schedules on the calendar and reminders to take out frozen items. This will also help your children see what they are going to have for dinner instead of asking you a hundred times each day, “What are we having for dinner?”
A Family Command Center Promotes Organization
Home organization isn’t just about keeping clutter out of your home. It is also about keeping your busy life organized and as stress-free as possible. Using a family command center is the perfect way to promote organization within your family. It will also help you stay sane while giving your kids answers to their questions about, “What are we going to do today? Where is my hat? What time is the playdate?”
Your family command center can become a place of peace when it is working well and everyone participates in its upkeep. If you are struggling with how to set one up in your home, consider reaching out to a professional home organizer like me who can do this for you.
As a professional organizer, it is my mission to help families live a peaceful, organized lifestyle. Click here to schedule your complimentary consultation. Let’s make a plan together for how to create your very own family command center.