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Studio Blog

February 15th

Organize Your Home with a Family Command Center

In a previous post

A home office command center organizes your family’s day-to-day needs.

I gave you some ideas for how to put together a family home office. But not everyone has an extra room for a dedicated office – so that’s where the “home command center” comes in.

Although it sounds like something from “Star Trek,” a family command center is simply a space where you organize your family’s day-to-day needs. The best spot for this is usually the kitchen, laundry room or a nearby area because that’s where we tend to congregate at home. It’s also the place where we tend to drop our purses, briefcases and backpacks as we come home, so having an organized area to do that will help you avoid kitchen clutter.

As you can see from these pictures, a home command center can take on a variety of forms, from basic to practically a work of art. The important thing is to design a home command center in the way that best helps your family get and stay organized. Here are some items you might want to put in your home command center:

Create your own blackboard using specialty wall paint.

• Colorful jar with pens, pencils and other tools

• Basic office supplies such as paper clips, stapler, sticky notes, and stationery for writing quick thank-you notes

• Phone with a list of important or most-used numbers nearby

• Calendar

• Whiteboard or chalkboard you can write on and wash off (you can also you special paint to create a whiteboard or chalkboard on an empty wall)

• Colored markers or chalk to write in a different color for each family member on your calendar or whiteboard

Your home command center can be colorful and inviting.

• Bulletin boards and/or magnetic paint to hang up reminders and notes

• Cell phone charger for all phones and MP3 players

• Computer or place for laptop

• Cubbies labeled for each child

• Hooks and shelves for outerwear and backpacks.

• Wrapping paper station. I have a bolt of brown kraft paper that I keep on a wall spindle with a spool of colorful ribbon so I can quickly wrap a gift.

• Envelopes and stamps

• Cash box with low bills and coins for kids and delivery tips

• Make-up stash for mom

• Dog supplies (your pedestal drawers under your washer and dryer are great storage for dog food!)

• Hooks to hang house keys and car keys

If we can help you plan a family command center – or with any of your design or remodel needs – please contact us.