One wife. One husband. Two kids. A dog. Our schedules are busy, and things were starting to fall apart on us. Forgotten appointments; missed practices; and, buying last minute gifts on our way to an event. It had to stop, or I was going to lose my mind. Plus, backpacks hanging on kitchen chairs; homework papers all over our living room. Pinterest had the answer with family command center ideas. Do It Yourself isn’t my strongest talent, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Family Command Center Do It Yourself Project

Our home has become a disaster since the flood back in August. Mr. Sunflower is close to finishing up the basement to the point where I can paint it, and we can start hunting for deals on flooring. It’s close, but not quite there yet. What the flood pushed me to do, which I knew we needed: create a family command center. Our kids have full, and active, lives. Mr. Sunflower and I, are also busy people.

Where to put our Family Command Center

A wall. Simply put, I needed a wall to create the Family Command Center on. Our living room was the only spot a command center fit. The chosen wall: close proximity to the garage door entrance, which made sense for backpacks. Plus, the wall can’t be ignored. It was in our faces, and DEMANDED to be paid attention to. There was little doubt in my mind anyone in our family would forget it was there! The wall chosen was……

What I used for our Family Command Center

Hooks

The first thing on my list: nice looking hooks for backpacks, as well as jackets. Both items I wanted off of our kitchen chairs. Somehow, every day after school, both backpacks and jackets ended up on the kitchen table, and chairs.

The backpacks stayed on the chairs ALL.THE.TIME. It had to end. And it did with these Command Forever Oil Rubbed Bronze Hooks. Since the command center is in my living room, I chose beautiful hooks. Not boring white, plastic ones. I can’t hid the hooks, so pretty it has to be. The oil rubbed bronze hooks matched a mail holder I’d bought three years ago, and never hung up.

Wall files

Now, I was on the hunt for wall files. I went to a few different stores to try and find exactly what I wanted: an attractive wall file with two slots. My goal: each child use the files track of homework to be done; as well as projects/tests/etc. Well, the only ones I could find in my budget, were plastic and ugly. Five stores later, I gave up on the two slot deal, and embraced a new idea.

Since I didn’t find exactly what I wanted at five different stores, I ended up with these Fashion Wall Files over at Staples.

Pretty. Functional. Great size. In order to separate their “things to do” and the “homework to do”: file folders in BRIGHT colors, found at Staples.

Surprisingly, I a whiteboard calendar existed in my kitchen, right by one of the house phone. I had Mr. Sunflower take it down, and move it to the new family command center.

Putting our family command center together

I cleared out a few things stacked against the chosen wall, and cleaned the wall. I’m not sure what was on that wall, but it was gross. Needless to say, I’m not much of a domestic mom. After looking at what came off of that wall, and onto the paper towel, it was proof positive I suck at cleaning. Add it to the list of things I suck at, like cooking. However, I got over it quickly, so no worries!

Mr. Sunflower was called in to hang everything. He’s very anal He pays super close attention to detail when hanging things. He’s got his level out, makes sure things are straight. It’s why I ask him to do it. If I did it, everything ends up crooked, uneven and nothing lines up properly. I’ll admit, a lot of extra holes in the walls would be there if it was me hanging things.

When you think about it, saved him from an even bigger job of fixing my mistakes. Followed by doing it all, anyway. See. We balance each other nicely. I come up with ideas, he gets the ideas accomplished. I hand him stuff when he needs it. Well, no, not really. Usually when he’s yelling for me, because I’m distracted again, and left him to struggle with the hammer, hooks, and level. However you want to look at it, we still get it done, in our own way.

Final steps

After everything needing hammers, and nails, were hung up, it was hook hanging time. I took this task on. Yup, I know. So ambitious of me. You can pat me on the back when you meet me. It turned out to be a much larger job than anticipated. Reading instructions is important when hanging these adhesive hooks up. Plus, lining them up on the wall is equally important. I wasn’t prepared for this kind of work!

However, I did it, and they  work well. After waiting an hour to hang things on them, they’ve been working like a charm ever since the completion of our family command center. WOO to the HOO.

Little Details for our family command center

Of course, you can’t have a family command center without a few minor details….

• labeling the wall files, so each child knows which area is which
• pencil pouches, to hold the items needed for homework so no one has to waste time hunting the entire house for pencils, erasers, glue sticks, rulers, scissors, highlighters, etc.
• file folders labeled for HOMEWORK-TO-DO, IMPORTANT SCHOOL PAPERS, PROJECTS-TO-DO in each child’s wall file

Now, we’ve got our family command center and a place for everything school related. Happy mommy. Organized family command center. My work here is done. Now back to the re-building the flood damaged part of the house!

What’s your favorite family organization tip? Share it in the comments below!