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Organizing Life with a Family Command Center

By Lemon Lime Adventures 31 Comments

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Office Depot, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #inspirestudents (Full Disclosure)

I am sure you have seen your share of Family Command Centers and family organization systems. Last year around this same time, I decided that it was a must for our family, especially with the growing sensory needs we were facing with our son and managing schedules between two homes. For the last year, we have been using our family command center on a daily basis and I can attest to the fact that it has been instrumental in keeping our family organized! Even with a switch from public school to homeschool, our command center has remained a must.

Command Center Must Haves

Anyone that knows me knows that I like to say “I pretend to be organized” but I am far from type-A. In fact, I have to try really hard to be organized. Creating a family command center was one step I needed to take to take some of the frustrations out of staying organized. There isn’t a day that goes by, that we don’t use at least one part of our command center.

When the boys were in school, it was great for organizing daily homework materials, charting after-school activities, and even for setting weekly goals for each child. Now that we homeschool, we have updated our command center just a little by adding some of our favorite items from Office Depot, such as our favorite PaperMate Felt Pins for project work, mechanical pencils for each child, and super fun Expo Neon Window Markers for our boards.

Setting Up Our Command Center

When I was setting up our command center I debated for a long time about where I wanted it to be. I knew I wanted it to be in a high traffic area so that it wouldn’t just get forgotten and collect dust. That is why I settled on our main hallway headed towards the kitchen. I knew that every day we would pass the station and would be forced to remember to pay attention to it. I wasn’t wrong.

Designing a Functional Family Command Center:

For our Command Center, we used inexpensive frames of varying sizes ( 16×20 for the calendar, 8×12 document frames for the larger charts, and 5×7 for the smaller charts and lists). Command Center Template

QUICK SET-UP TIP: Make Construction Paper Frames to play around with the layout, design and ideas BEFORE hanging anything on the wall or moving around big heavy frames. Your walls will thank you for this step.

Command Center Layout Once you get a good idea of a layout with your frames on the floor, you can measure the space you plan to use and hang your frames. If you want to use decorative items to spruce up the space, be sure to leave space for those and plan for them ahead of time.

Command Center Elements:

Before we ever began, I knew I needed to figure out what elements (charts) we wanted in our center. I knew we needed some visual schedules for our son with sensory needs and I knew we wanted to include chore charts and a place to hold homework/daily materials. Each family is unique and has different needs, so your command center might look a tad different and that is okay!

Command Center Individual Boards for Each Child
Command Center This week and Today

Command Center with Key Hooks

Command Center Tools

What is in our Family Command Center?

Individualized Visual Schedule for Command Center

Centralized Family Calendar (We actually purchased a large calendar from the store and framed it)
Individual Charts for Each Child
Family Expectations (Ways to Help the Family)
Chore Chart
Cleaning Schedule for the House

This Week List
Today List

Command Center Charts

Writing Tools Supply Caddy
Key Hook
Bins to Keep Daily Materials

Cleaning calendar

 

The “Write” Tools for Your Command Center

As I mentioned before, we recently made a trip to Office Depot because of their special prices on Select Newell Rubbermaid Brands (which happen to be our favorite). We love Expo window markers and dry erase markers, Papermate felt-tip pens, and of course scented Mr. Sketch markers.

Command Center Materials

Currently Office Depot has weekly savings (Aug 31-Sept 6) on the following products: Sharpie Clearview Highlighter 3PK: $4, PaperMate Clearpoint 2PK’s: $3, Select Expo Chisel & Ultra Fine 4PK’s: $2. Also you can save $5 Off your purchase of $20 or more on select Newell Rubbermaid Brands (PaperMate, Expo Neon Window Markers, Sharpie, Uni-Ball, & Mr. Sketch)

Do you have a command center at home or in the classroom? I would love to see it! Tag me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram and use the hashtags #InspireStudents #TeachersChangeLives #pmedia. 


 

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Command Center for Simple Home Organization

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Comments

  1. Lauren F says

    September 2, 2014 at 3:15 pm

    I love this command center! I really need to get more organized.

    Reply
    • Lemon Lime Adventures says

      September 4, 2014 at 11:18 pm

      I am so glad you like it! It has kinda changed the way we manage our home!

      Reply
  2. Emma says

    September 5, 2014 at 4:37 am

    This is an absolutely fantastic idea. As a Mum with ADHD implementing something similar could be life changing for me and my family! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  3. Ang says

    September 6, 2014 at 6:43 am

    organization at it’s best! LOVE!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Reply
  4. Natalie says

    September 6, 2014 at 10:58 am

    Is there a resource for all of the chore sheets, etc? Thanks so much!!

    Reply
    • Lemon Lime Adventures says

      September 7, 2014 at 12:15 am

      Actually I am working on getting these up as a printable this week. 🙂

      Reply
      • Leah says

        June 1, 2016 at 5:30 pm

        Do you happen to have PDF editable versions of your chore charts sand other command center items? This is wonderful, and I can’t wait to make something similar in our kitchen!

        Reply
        • Lemon Lime Adventures says

          June 1, 2016 at 9:30 pm

          You are not the first to ask. I will put this on the top of my to do list.

          Reply
          • Leah says

            July 25, 2016 at 7:25 pm

            Were you ever able to create PDF versions of these printables? This is on my to-do list coming up in the next week or two. I can probably figure out how to make my own but if you have them that would be amazing! Thanks!

  5. Meg says

    September 6, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    Wow! I’m an Occupational Therapist that follows your blog. This is a great post for me, personally, as I’m much more creative than organized. Will be working on a Command Center for my home (and I don’t even have kiddos!) and also recommending your idea to some parents of kids I see for OT.

    Reply
  6. Leigh O says

    September 6, 2014 at 8:50 pm

    I’ve been looking for printables for awhile and these are perfect! Are printables available?

    Reply
    • Lemon Lime Adventures says

      September 7, 2014 at 12:16 am

      There will be soon 🙂

      Reply
      • Tammie Ulrich says

        August 6, 2015 at 10:51 am

        How about those printables? Love this!

        Reply
        • Lemon Lime Adventures says

          September 10, 2015 at 10:09 pm

          Oh Man, can you believe life just keeps getting away from me! AhH!

          Reply
  7. heather says

    October 6, 2014 at 4:32 pm

    I love this command center and am inspired to finally make one for my family. Where did you get the frames? Office Depot as well? I love the slim look of them.

    Reply
    • Lemon Lime Adventures says

      October 6, 2014 at 9:02 pm

      We found them at our local Michaels craft store.

      Reply
  8. Melinda says

    January 18, 2015 at 7:44 am

    I’ve been looking on Pintrest at Command Centers for weeks and taking notes of what I wanted and how I want it layed out. We are renters and we move at least once a year for my husband’s job, so I need something not so permanent. I wish I would’ve found your post in the begining, so I would already have this completed. This is exactly what we need. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Lemon Lime Adventures says

      January 18, 2015 at 11:58 am

      Wonderful to hear! I’d love to see yours!

      Reply
      • Melinda says

        January 18, 2015 at 1:40 pm

        Are the charts available to print yet? Just wondering, so if I need to I can sit down and make them. All of the frames are hung. I am just working one at a time on getting them finished. What is your email, so I can send you a picture of the finished project?
        Also, this will be perfect for my children, as 2 of the 3 have ADHD. Having everything laid out in front of them and having a set routine is what they thrive on. Can’t believe I didn’t do this earlier 🙂

        Reply
  9. Carrie Duguay says

    August 19, 2015 at 3:18 pm

    I was just wondering if you have printables for the command center. I’m so glad I found this link to your command center. Its exactly what I thought mine should look like but couldn’t figure out on my own.

    Reply
    • Lemon Lime Adventures says

      August 20, 2015 at 7:18 pm

      I keep meaning to make printables. I am so sorry I don’t have them ready for others yet. I will try very hard to work on those.

      Reply
      • Carrie Duguay says

        August 21, 2015 at 9:17 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
      • Danielle says

        September 2, 2015 at 9:41 am

        I love these as well and would love printables.
        Thank you so much!

        Reply
  10. Carissa Russell says

    June 23, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    I love this!! Any chance you’d share the templates you used? Like for the kids chore chart?

    Reply
    • Lemon Lime Adventures says

      July 1, 2016 at 10:17 pm

      Yes! I need to make these because you are not the first to ask. Can you email me, so I don’t forget to add it to the list 🙂

      Reply
  11. andrea says

    August 5, 2017 at 10:12 pm

    can you add me to the list love the idea and the printables!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Keeping Your Blended Family Close - Even When Apart says:
    July 30, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    […]  And I’m certainly not always good at it!  But it’s definitely helpful when I am.  Keeping a command center or family calendar can help you make sure your blended family’s all together when you plan […]

    Reply
  2. Visual Binders | Creating Visual Systems that Work for Your Child - Lemon Lime Adventures says:
    August 15, 2015 at 4:40 am

    […] to school. Whether this is in a traditional setting or homeschool, it still means kids need help staying organized. Even more than that school means schedules, new routines and stress that can cause quite a bit of […]

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  3. Free Printable Back to School Checklist - Lemon Lime Adventures says:
    August 16, 2015 at 9:43 am

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  • Today I had a photo shoot for an upcoming project that starts March 7th.
.
At first thoughts of ... “I’m not cute enough. 
I’m not skinny enough.
My teeth aren’t white enough.” ... flooded my head.
.
And then I took a moment to celebrate the true wins.
.
I CAN smile again.
I DO have joy again.
I HAVE a lot to be excited about. .
Two years ago I couldn’t say those things honestly. .
So today... I celebrate the small wins, the big wins and the wins that are yet to come...
.
What can I celebrate with you?

#embraceadventure #calmthechaos #ctcwin #parenting #launchlife
  • A simple classic game. But so much opportunity for connection. 
What’s your favorite family game?
  • This is my date for Valentine’s day. 
At 13 I have to embrace every moment he would choose to have dinner with his mama. 
Every day might not be perfect but I choose to use moments like these to anchor me for when times get hard. 
How are you connecting today? 
#itstartswithconnection #raisingsuperkids #calmthechaos #autism #parenting
  • “Papa can you play with me?”
.
His response could have been ... Not right now...
I’m busy.

But instead ... he simply said ... Sure!
.
These two are like peas and carrots.
.
This is a little girl that loves her papa.
. 
This is a papa that loves his little girl. .
What appears to be a quick game of tic-tac-toe...
.
Is really just one of many examples of unconditional love.
. 
I get so much joy from watching their relationship grow and develop. 
5 minutes can make a huge difference. 
#itstartswithconnection #calmthechaos #raisingsuperkids #fatherdaughter
  • Today my son broke his glasses 👓
.
He wasn’t hit by a football🏈
.
He wasn’t being careless⁉️
.
He didn’t step on them on accident 🤦🏻‍♀️
.
No. He broke them because he was mad. 😡
.
He had a rough day at school (understatement)
.
They use a “seclusion room” when children are disregulated
.
Today my son could NOT calm on his own. .
He shared he went between screaming and throwing his glasses to try to get out...
😡
To crying on the floor thinking he’d never get out.
😭
This was the result. .
I could get mad that we have to get new glasses.
I could scold him for having a fit at school.
I could punish him for all the destruction.
.
Instead, I choose to connect with him.
. 
He’s been isolated enough and that didn’t end well.
.
Tonight we will connect and plan how to alter the results when he gets upset.
.
What choices could he make differently?
What could he say? 
How could he calm himself next time? 
#itstartswithconnection #calmthechaos #parenting #autism #raisingsuperkids

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