family command & homework center
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at 08:00AM 
With the prettifying of our kitchen, I decided it was high time to organize a narrow section of wall that leads from the front room into the kitchen. Before the kitchen update, it was a mess. It housed our phone, a calendar, random phone lists taped to the wall, and a big ugly shoe organizer that always had books and other junk stacked on top. Obviously I tidied it up now and again, but for the most part it was just fairly awful.
So I decided to make better use of the space. Here's a before/after (sorry about the before photo - I never actually photographed that space, but this photo of my son shows it in the background):
Ugh. I found another home for the shoes, then thought about what sorts of things would be most convenient to have on this wall, which is central to the kitchen/phone message taking/homework doing area. Here's the breakdown (as well as the sources for all the items I used):
1. You Are My Sunshine wall art - find the tutorial here!
2. IKEA Spontan magnet board ($12.99) - instead of hanging up a calendar, I sliced mine apart. Now I have this month and next month up on the magnet board for easy reference (I like to see two months at a time). Post-it notes are kept handy at the bottom of the magnet board, as well as a few extra magnets to attaching phone messages and reminders. Like my cute magnets? They're from Shopko ($1.99) and they started out bright pink. I fixed that.
3. Metal mesh hanging file sorter, Target ($12.19). The lower one will hold homework folders for the three older boys, so they'll always know where their homework is.
4. Umbra Conceal bookshelf, The Container Store ($12.99). I love these nifty shelves that make it look like your books are floating on the wall. I always read while I'm eating breakfast and lunch, so my library books end up strewn all over the kitchen. Now I have a tidy, central spot to keep them.
5. Pencil holder from Dollar Tree ($1). This matches the file organizers perfectly, and I plan to fill it will pens and pencils (as well as scissors and a gluestick) so we never have to scrounge around for a pencil to do homework with or a pen to jot down a phone message.
6. Another Target file sorter ($12.19). This one holds phone lists, recent magazines, papers to be filed, etc. A binder clip on the front keeps bills that need to be paid or checks to be deposited handy.
I attached most items using drywall anchors and screws so they'd be pretty sturdy. I've left the bottom part of the wall empty right now because there's a little girl at this house who would consider this her own personal climbing wall if there were anything down low.
My hope is that the new command center will cut the clutter on my counters as well as keep homework a little more organized. Plus, it's obviously better than the before (but that wasn't hard) :)
Linking to some of these great parties:
Monday: Skip to My Lou | Brassy Apple | Craft-o-Maniac
Tuesday: Tip Junkie | Ladybug Blessings | Sugar Bee Crafts | The Blackberry Vine | Hope Studios | Funky Polkadot Giraffe | Not JUST a Housewife | Homework Today's Assignment: Be Inspired
Wednesday: Handy Man, Crafty Woman | Southern Lovely | Sew Much Ado | SNAP | Someday Crafts | The NY Melrose Family | Printabelle
Thursday: Somewhat Simple | House of Hepworths | Momnivore's Dilemma | The Shabby Creek Cottage | Yesterday on Tuesday | Fireflies and Jellybeans | The Taylor House
Friday: Chic on a Shoestring Decorating | The Shabby Nest | Stuff and Nonsense | Naptime Crafters | It's a Hodgepodge Life | At The Picket Fence | 504 Main | Blissful Bucket List
Weekend: Tatertots and Jello
Reader Comments (13)
I love it, I think I told you that already, but you can never hear it too many times can you!!!
I love how you made it simple and neat! I have most of the stuff here, maybe I should do mine this way too! thanks for the inspiration!
Linking back from Carolyns homework
What a great command centre!! I know, we always read magazines and books at the table, and it's where our daughter will be doing her homework, so it makes sense to have everything near! I really should get on with that...! ;) Thanks for the inspiration!!
What a great fix and it looks so pretty. I need a command center but first I have to find a wall!
I love it! I am in the process of trying to organize a wall for school and home papers, calendars, etc. Thanks for sharing, I can use ideas!
I have been pinning Family Command Center ideas for a couple weeks.... I love this!!
And thanks for sharing where you got your items. I have been looking for the hanging file folders!!! We do not have an Ikea close by...darn!
Ooooh, I have organization lust! It looks great, thanks for the inspiration!
This is awesome! What a great place to organize everything. Good job.
www.itsybitsypaperblog.com
I absolutely love how neat and organized that looks! What a great transformation!
this is so pretty! Love the command center idea!! Would love for you to come link up to Handmade Tuesdays @ www.ladybug-blessings.com
I love this command center! So cute yet so functional!
Great job! Love how simple and streamlined it looks. Thanks for sharing!
This totally makes me what this for my kitchen. I love it. I have a small wall space that this would look perfect on. Thanks for Sharing.