OK you have finally realized that life is feeling out of control, overwhelming, messy, chaotic and you definitely need some help to keep track of everything. There is just too much going on to remember it all or too many people to keep track off!
Perfectly normal! You need to get started with a family command center. A family command centre is simply a central space in your home set up to organize the daily comings and goings of your family. Read on to find out what to include in an effective family command center and how you can use one to make life run more smoothly.
How To Get Started With A Family Command Center
A few tips before you start..
- Keep it simple! You really want a family command center to help your family stay organized and not be another system that requires heaps of effort to maintain.
- Think about what information needs communicating or keeping track of in your family.
- Do you have paperwork that comes into the house from kids or hubby regularly?
- Do you want to have a place for physical items like keys, mobiles, school bags etc. or do you just want to focus on the family’s schedule?
- Do you want to use your command center for meal planning, chore charts and more?
You want to have a family command center that gets used A LOT and makes your life easier!!
Just think the purpose of your family command center is to solve clutter problems, provide relevant information and store the essentials.
What Should You Have In A Family Command Center?
There is no right or wrong, with what to include in your family command center. That’s the beauty of it, it can be customized to the needs of your family.
What needs to be in a family command center?
The simplest command center will include a planner. It could be a weekly, monthly or even a yearly planner. You may choose a printed paper planner that gets replaced each month or a permanent planner you can reuse such as a white board or chalk board.
Other components you may want to include:
- Morning and evening routines for kids
- Chore chart
- Meal Planner
- Shopping List
- Memo board
- Family expectations / rules / mission statement
- In-tray and out-tray
- Cleaning schedule
- Charging station
- Calendar
- Clock
- White board or chalk board or clip board
- Wall Hooks
- Inspirational quote or family photos
Where Do You Put A Family Command Center?
Again, there are no right or wrongs here. You may want to put your command center in a central location so everything can see it, or in a private nook in your home office area.
You may be even short on space and simply set up a calendar on the fridge. Work with what you have!
What To Buy For A Family Command Center?
Get organized with your own family command center whatever your budget.
We have an awesome list of physical command centers you can buy or downloadable printables you can purchase and then frame or laminate yourself.
Check out family command centers and printables you can buy here.
How To Use A Family Command Center
While there can be a lot of fun in setting up your family command center, it is meant to be used. Here’s a few quick tips…
Once a week or as needed:
- Review the family schedule and update it as needed.
- Write out a list of meals and add ingredients to the shopping list.
- Check what items are on your cleaning list, if using one.
- Deal with any mail or notices.
- Communicate what’s happening with other family members and/or get them to check the schedule!!
How would a family command center make your life easier?
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