Command Center for the Large Family

Command Center
Any family can tell you stories of the lost permission slip, or the medicine prescription that mysteriously disappeared into the piles of papers on the kitchen table. You may order for the same take out Chinese restaurant a couple of times a month, but no matter how hard you try to remember where the menu is, it always seems to take a 10 minute operation to locate it. While not everyone finds themselves in these predictaments, many families never seem to overcome the mounds of paper which are a part of everyday life. With lots of children, families find themselves having to keep track of dozens of papers, dates, numbers, and events. It can be daunting. One of the ways to help pull in the reigns is to establish a command center. Having a localized place for important information can help save time and stress.

1. Location. The first step in establishing a command center is to find a place. It should have a fair amount of wall space, as well as an adequate amount of general storage area. That said, even small areas can be arranged to accomodate it. While it may be most convenient to utilize that empty corner of the living room, if most of your daily activity is taking place in the kitchen, you may want to see if there is a way to create the command center there. Is there another area of the home you spend a lot of time and therefore would serve as a good base of operations? By the computer, in an office? Front hallway or mud room are prime locations as well. The key is to be sure that every family member can have easy access to it. While it may be convenient to have the center in your office, if you dont allow the kids in the room, it is going to limit the centers effectiveness in the overall organization of your home.

2. Equipment. Next is equipping the command center. While your first reaction may be to avoid extra expense, you must think of the purchase of items as an investment. Reclaiming time and limiting stress and aggravation will save you money-wise and emotion-wise. Different families have different needs, so your command center may be somewhat unique from that of another family. That said, there are some tried and true items that should be considered:

Corkboard. Whether is it an actual framed board or cord tiles you can purchase at the local office store, this is an easy way to quickly pin up important papers, coupons, etc., for easy viewing and access.
Key hooks. If your family often needs access to the garage, shed, or other locked location, its a timesaver to have a row of hooks with keys for these places. Just make sure you stress the importance of returning the keys once someone is finished using them.
Dry-Erase Board. Jot down notes to family members, reminders, important dates. Keep a pen handy so that others can add their own messages.
Wall Mounted Cup. Ever need a pen and just cant seem to find one? Keep a supply of writing instruments handy. The term cup is used loosely. Many office supply stores carry mountable containers for holding miscellaneous items. A wall-mounted toothbrush holder can work just as well. I purchased inexpensive plastic flower pots and secured them to the wall using a screw or two. The cup can also hold scissors, rulers, or other items you need in a pinch.
Clip Rack. For those items that can't be held by push pins or magnets (like that computer disk your son needs to take to his friend's house). These racks are usually a series of strong clips. You can get designer ones from specialty stores, or you can easily make one yourself with a strip of wood and clips of your choice. A cute alternative is to use colorful plastic clothespins secured to a scrap piece of board painted to match your decor. This is a great option for younger children, who you may worry will hurt themselves using tacks and the corkboard.
Magnetic Board. Use this in addition to or in place of a corkboard. Be sure to invest in strong magnets to assure they can hold heavier items.
Plastic paper/folder holder. Utilized in offices to help corral paper, these can be a valuable tool of your command center. Even small children can be taught that important papers go inside the holders. Get several and further organize your center. Have one for take-out menus, school papers, etc.
Mail sorter. You are familiar with the wooden letter holders sold in most department stores. Use them to separate the mail. Label one for outgoing, have different slots for different family members. You can also use them for take-out menus and other items (as mentioned above).
Calendar. This is an essential item. While it may not always help you avoid conflicts, knowing what is happening on a given date can help you plan accordingly. If you dont have room for a full calendar, there are many online resources where you can print a calendar one month at a time, in varying sizes.
Address Book. Invest in a well-made address book (pocket sized works best). Fill it with important numbers and addresses. You can tuck it into one of the slots of the mail sorter, dedicate one of the wall-clips to holding it, or carefully punch/drill a hole in one corner and hang it on one of the key hooks. This way youll always know where to find it. You can also use this tip for a pocket calendar if you are greatly limited in space.
Clock. It's always a help to know what time it is. Purchase a small digital clock designed to mount on a car dashboard or get a small wall clock.
Folders. You can use "real" file folders, or the simple portfolio types your children take to school. Label them for a variety of different thing, and use them for that! A thick binder type to hold all those user manuals. A small one to hold mailing labels, sales fliers, etc. Keep them on a nearby surface you are utilizing for the center, or tuck them into one of the plastic wall holders.
Plastic containers. Easily found at the dollar store or recycled from other use (like baby wipe boxes), use them to store small items that don't seem to fit anywhere else. If you always find yourself leaving without something, create a box that you always look into before leaving. When you have a must-bring item, put it in the box. On your way out next time, you'll see it and bring it along. It may take a few times to get yourself in the habit of checking the box, but soon it'll be second nature.

Of course there are many other options. Think of the command center as a mini-office. What kinds of items would you find in the workplace to help organize? Think of ways you could utlilize them in your home.

3. Labelling. This is an important part of the command center. While it may be obvious that the corkboard is to hold notes and pieces of paper, it might not be clear that the top paper holder is for school matters and the bottom shopping lists and coupons. Remember, you may not have a hard time remember which is which, but your spouse (or kids) may. Use file labels and print neatly, or be creative and print out labels using neat and colorful fonts and graphics off the computer. You can even print them out on regular paper, just use clear contact paper to put them up.

4. Putting it to use. As with any system, it takes time to start it. Sit down and plan out the center. Think about the practicality. What items will the younger children have to access? They will need to be mounted at their level. Place your pen cup high enough that your toddler cant grab a pencil and decorate the walls. Once you have the center up, take the time to set it up. Compile your list of numbers. Gather all the take-out menus. Raid the kids book bags for permission slips and school calendars. Be ready to commit an hour or two to this task. It will be time well spent.

5. Training your family. If you were implementing a new system in a business, you would train your staff. The same holds true for a new household system. The best system in the world wont do any good if your family doesn't use it. Take the time to talk with your spouse and children about the center. While they may not particularly like a lecture, take a few minutes and explain the system and its various elements to them. If you can, talk to each member individually. It may take some time to get over their bad habits (like dumping all their papers on the kitchen counter), but as your family learns the convenience of having a central place for important information, you may find them more than willing to keep it up.

Limited on space for your command center? There is hope. Try this project. Purchase a hidden ironing board from your local home improvement center or department store. If you're handy, you can even make something similar using scrap wood, a couple hinges, and a door knob. Remove the ironing board portion. On the outer door, mount your corkboard/wipeboard, and other items you use more frequently. Inside, place your plastic paper holders and any of the other items you may need. Voila! This is also a great option if your command center is in a highly visible area of your home. Mount pictures or other decorations to the outside (you can always mount the corkboard to the inside of the door), and your command center will be safely out of sight.

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Leigh Bennett

Posted 138 days ago

I love the ideas and have implemented may of them in my home. We have three things that make our lives more orderly: cubbies for each of the kids (and one for mom) near the front door, a "homework center" since I don't homeschool, with paper, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, etc. in cups on a disc that spins, and we posted the dry erase boards as you suggested, but we hung them in the dining room. This way we can plan and strategize our weeks together during dinner.

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Article by: Michelle Lehmann
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