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You never find the important papers. The kids’ homework always seems to get lost somewhere between their bag and the kitchen table.
You forget appointments and can’t remember the last time you had your hair done.
The school called again because you forgot to send in the permission forms and was it trash pickup today? You forgot. Again.
Life is spinning out of control and you have got to get a grip on it.
But how?
How are you going to ever find a way to organize the chaos that family life is?
You need a family command center.
21 Family Command Center Ideas That Will Instantly Organize Your Life
Run, not walk to the store to pick up the necessary supplies and utilize the weekend to make it happen.
Since you’re already overwhelmed, the last thing you need is having to figure out family command center ideas. That’s why I am here for.
I collected 21 of the very best family command center ideas for you, so you can get to work right away and say goodbye to your own personal 3 ring circus.
Not only are these command centers super helpful, but they are also stylish so you don’t have to sacrifice visual appeal for the sake of functionality.
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Decide On A Spot
First things first. You have got to determine where to set up your family command center. It can be as big as you’d like, or as small as you have space for. The point is not in the size but the effective set up of the command center that will make the difference.
So don’t stress over finding the perfect spot. Just keep in mind to choose a spot in a high traffic area with good visibility. You don’t want to hide your command center somewhere where it is easy to pass by it, or where nobody goes by on a frequent basis daily.
Measure
Get an idea of how big a space you have to work with and write down the measurements. There’s nothing worse than buying all the supplies, only to find out that they are too long or won’t all fit. Set yourself up for success by knowing what you’re working with exactly.
Decide What To Include
Are you going to only display schedules and assignments only or are you going to display a weekly menu and have baskets for mail and other important paperwork too?
You may want to put a chore chart up for the kids to see, or a daily routine with pictures for your preschooler. Spend a few minutes thinking about what needs to be included to make the biggest difference in your mental load.
Choose A Command Center
Here comes the fun part! Tons of pictures and inspiration below. Good thing is, you don’t have to copy one exact idea. Keeping in mind the prep work you’ve done, mix and match ideas to find what best suits your family’s needs.
1. The Easy Way Out
If you have absolutely zero time or inspiration to make your own customized command center, you can still get organized. Just grab one of these already made command centers and you are all set.
2. Pottery Barn Knock-Off
Image credit and idea: Intentional Adventures.
This command center is visually appealing and incorporates decorative elements as well as functional pieces.
The sizes of the actual calendar and to-do list boards are a bit too small for my liking, so I would use a couple of bigger boards instead of several small ones.
I like how a shelf organizer is included for keys and small knick-knacks.
3. Simple And Quick
Image credit and tutorial: The Clay Family.
You don’t have to think much about making this command center reality.
All you need are a few dry erase boards and markers, magnetic chore charts and some buttons to pin papers with.
4. Magnetic Command Center
Image credit and tutorial: Landee See Landee Do.
Okay, magnetic stuff is just cool. The only reason why I don’t absolutely love my stainless steel fridge is that magnets won’t stick on the front. (first world problems)
But this! Install a metal sheet and all your magnetic dreams will come true. Add little buckets (Target), a magnetic organizer for pens, file organizers and a dry erase board, done!
5. DIY Organization Board
Image credit and tutorial: Girl Loves Glam.
This is for those of you who love crafting and have time for it too. You can create the board by following the tutorial and make your own dry erase board by using simple picture frames and scrapbook paper.
6. Kitchen Cabinet Command Center
Image credit and idea: At Charlotte’s House.
Another take on the vertical wall command center, this one makes use of wall mounted file organizers, and a dry erase calendar.
7. Family Central
Image credit and tutorial: Achieving Creative Order.
This looks like an epic wall of organization. There’s a calendar, chore charts on small chalkboards, plastic file organizers for school paperwork, mail, bills, you name it, this one has it.
8. Go Big Or Go Home
Image credit: Beneath My Heart.
Check this out! An almost adult length chalkboard? Yes, please.
I really love the simplicity of this command center as well. And whoever thought of using clipboards to keep track of paperwork? Genius.
I would need an art teacher college degree to freehand a calendar with chalk, so I would stick to buying one, like this adhesive kind.
9. Pretty In Teal And Flowers
Image credit and tutorial: Uncommon Designs Online.
I think this is the perfect example of pretty and useful. You can make those flowery folders when you click on the tutorial.
You will enjoy the extra storage by putting a table beneath the wall organizer.
Choose a table top mail organizer (for example one like this) and add some baskets so the problem of unidentified objects is solved. (Ideally, I would also purge said objects, but even with all the time I spend on doing that, my kids still find ways to have a crap ton of stuff)
10. Clean And Modern
Image credit: Pinterest.
The baskets had me at first look (I found similar ones here). They are big enough to store a ton of paper in them and they are hung low enough so that each child can pull out their own and go through it.
The rest is picture frames and clipboards. Nothing fancy, but it looks super clean and modern.
11. Whimsical Command Center
Image credit: The Homes I Have Made.
The whole look changes the way you look at your to-do list and chores. A little color never hurt anyone.
This idea incorporates a hanger shelf for bags and small jackets, which would make it ideal as an entryway or mudroom command center.
12. Have It All Together
Image credit: Semi-Domesticated Mama.
I love how this could double as a work-at-home office. Given that the command center should be in a central place, working parents could keep an eye on the nicely playing and never arguing kids as well as get some work done. Win-win.
13. Add A Bit Of Glam
Image credit: Home Heart Harmony.
Who said a family command center cannot have style? Notice the vintage-like message board (which is a white picture frame with a pretty paper inserted) and the cute picture frames? I told you there is no need to sacrifice pretty for useful.
Love the cute polka dot file folders? Here is your link to buy them.
14. Customize The Wall
Image credit: Jenna Burger Design.
The nice thing about long, wall command centers is that you can pretty much customize it any way you want because you have a vertical space to work with.
The boards, wall storage baskets, and frames all fit neatly above each other and there’s room to have separate decor, adult, and kids sections too.
Mason jars mounted on the wall for pens and pencils? Love.
15. Hide It
Image credit and tutorial: Sand And Sisal.
If you want to organize the bazillion papers you accumulate each week, but don’t want to display it, this is for you. Paint, plastic folder organizers and some elbow grease will make it happen.
16. Keeping It Neutral
Image credit: Clean And Scentsible.
A non-flashy, neutral organizer board sets this family command center apart.
The nice thing is that the board functions as a base layer, so you decide what goes on it and you can change it up any time you wish without too much work.
17. Industrial
Image credit: One Creative Housewife
A very straight-forward and highly functional command center is what appeals to a lot of people who try to live a simple minimalist lifestyle.
You can re-create this no-frills design by purchasing a dry erase board, wire baskets, a few picture frames and a dry-erase calendar.
18. Sheet Metal All The Way
Image credit: Pottery Barn.
Above, I sang the praises of sheet metal already.
The reason why this idea is even better is that you can place the smaller metal boards in a variety of ways instead of having to stick to a long vertical wall for a big sheet metal panel.
Add in this three-tier galvanized metal organizer, and complete the command center with button magnets and chalkboard pens.
19. You’ve Got Mail
Image credit: Inspiration Organization.
Corkboard and dry erase calendar? Pretty nifty. Personal mail-boxes for homework and other papers? Smart. Installing letters with hooks, downright brilliant.
20. Control It All
Image credit and tutorial: Lemon Lime Adventures.
Isn’t that what we want? To have everything under control, not forgetting even the smallest detail? While I really don’t think that’s possible, you will come pretty dang close with this command center.
Looks perfect for homeschooling families who have to work extra hard to keep the sanity by making each child somewhat independent to prevent all day chaos from happening.
21. Entryway The Right Way
Image credit: Fab Art DIY.
I have never seen a house where the shoes stayed like that in neat little trays. I need a storage bench for that.
There are a ton of ways to re-create this wall shelf with hooks, but here is one already made for you.
And you have no excuse to forget your appointments if you have them in your face upon entering and leaving the house. That is unless you forget to actually write them on the board.
Buy Basic Storage Ideas Found In This Post
To make life even easier, browse these items to help you re-create the family command center ideas above.
Aaaaand that’s a wrap.
I would love to see how you ended up organizing your family command center. Shoot me an email and let me see it or comment below!
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