7 Family Command Center Ideas That Will Save You Time & Stress

Running a household can be very stressful. 

There are so many small things going on at the same time—so many tasks to cross off the long list—that it’s too easy to become overwhelmed and forget what needs to be done. 

One way to keep your household running smoothly and efficiently is by creating a family command center. It is designed to simplify your life, from assigning jobs to your kids to taking care of chores around the house.

But how do you know if your family command centre is working? What should be included in a well-run command center—and why bother with one in the first place?

In this article, I’ll discuss the importance of a family command center, what it should contain, and tips for creating one. I’ll also outline seven ways to create a family command center that you can use to get organised and stay on top of everything.

So keep reading!

What Is A Family Command Center And Why It’s So Important?

When it comes to a setting up your own command center, most people think of a place to put their keys when they come home or drop off their mail.

But a family command center is so much more than that!

It’s a place where you can find all the information your family needs, from school events, schedules, cleaning lists, and weekly menus to birthday parties. It’s also a way of helping your family member stay organised and informed so they can accomplish their goals efficiently.

Family command centers can be a bulletin board, a whiteboard, or even a notebook. You can also make it as simple or as comprehensive as you want.

7 Simple Family Command Center Ideas 

Here are seven ideas for organising your family command center that will keep you organised and make your home more comfortable for everyone.

1. Budget Command Center In The Corner Of Your Countertops
2. Go Vertical
3. Go Magnetic With Your Command Center
4. Mini Command Center For Small Space 
5. Hide your family command center away when needed
6. Farmhouse-Style Family Command Center
7. Stay Simple With Pegboard, And Wire Baskets

Let’s see more details for each of these ideas and how you can create your own version!

1. Budget Command Center In The Corner Of Your Countertops

It may surprise you that the corner of your kitchen counter is ideal for a command center if you have enough bench space to do so.

The corner of your countertops is out of the way yet still in plain sight so everyone can easily see what needs to be done.

You can create a simple and efficient home command center in this area by putting a small bulletin board and a file folder—then use these spaces to display important information and reminders for everyone in your household.

You could also use this area to store important documents or mail, so they will always be close at hand when you need them.

This is a great option if you have a spare corner of your kitchen counter that does not get used often, or has been a clutter hotspot in the past. Converting it into an organized command area will keep the clutter at bay.

2. Go Vertical To Save Space

I especially love this idea because it’s so versatile! 

You can install this simple command center anywhere in your home, whether in the kitchen or living room. It only takes up a little horizontal space yet still provides plenty of storage and organisation for your everyday needs.

This type of command center is especially helpful if you have a small apartment or home and want to maximize your space. 

It’s also a great way to add a touch of style to your home. You can make it match the rest of your decor with paint or stain, or simply leave it as is and let its natural beauty shine through.

3. Go Magnetic With Your Command Center

If you have a large surface area on the side of your refrigerator that could be used more effectively, this idea can help you turn it into an attractive command center for the kitchen.

And not only that, thanks to the magnetic properties of the surface, you can create a very functional command center with a simple magnetic board and a few magnets for holding the most commonly used items.

This way, you won’t have to worry about drilling holes or applying hooks directly on the wall and can easily remove your command center if you decide later that you want it in another location. This is the perfect option if you are renting too!

For an alternative to a paper calendar, you can also get magnetic dry-erase calendars and chore charts that will eliminate any potential bulk if limited on space too!

4. Mini Command Center For Small Space 

If you’re looking for a way to keep your family organised, but need more space, try creating a miniature version of a full-size command center.

It can be as simple as a small bulletin board or corkboard with a few hooks. The key is keeping it organised, so everyone has a place for their stuff!

You can find a similar version of this wooden wall organizer here.

5. Hide Your DIY Command Center Away When Needed

If you feel uncomfortable letting the guests know about your family activities and schedule, or if you simply don’t want to have it cluttering up your space, you can put it somewhere out of the way, like inside your pantry or closet door.

This way, you can hide it from guests and yourself when you’re not using it and still have it within easy reach when you need it.

6. Farmhouse-Style Family Command Center

A farmhouse-style DIY command center is perfect for families who love rustic decorating.

The best part about this type of command center is that it doesn’t require special skills or tools–you can make one yourself with just a large wooden board, a few coats of paint, hooks, wire baskets, and some decorative accessories.

This is a great project for the whole family to work on together, and it can be customized to fit your family’s unique style.

7. Stay Simple With Pegboard And Wire Baskets

Your family command center doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive—it just needs to work for your family.  

One simple way to create a functional command center is using a pegboard and wire baskets.

Pegboard is an easy-to-install wall organiser that can hold everything from tools to office and craft supplies and be used in any room of your home. It’s also great for displaying artwork or even photos of your family.

Wire baskets are great for storing items that don’t need to be on display but still need to be accessible. You can use them to hold small items like pens, pencils, and scissors; they’re also perfect for storing things like paperclips or rubber bands in one place, so they don’t get lost in the shuffle of everyday life!

The Benefits Of Having A Command Station In Your Home

No matter if you are a household of one or a big family with younger children at home, having a small area in your home that can help keep you organised on a daily basis is the perfect way to create some calm in your life and home.

Busy families especially benefit from having a central space that keeps all family members aware of what is happening each day of the week and what special events are coming up.

It is also a great way to keep paper clutter under control, and have a central space that the entire family can access to add to shopping lists or the family calendar.

This type of wall organizer or school command center will also mean less time spent looking for lost car keys or school books, and no more overdue bills when incoming mail ends up lost under clutter.

Our Home Command Centre

In our home, we have a shelf unit from Kmart Australia that has been the perfect school command centre to keep our family of four organised.

The shelf has hooks for school bags, library bags and swimming bags. It has tubs to store lunch boxes, school papers, Jiu-Jitsu uniforms and boxing equipment for the kids and one that is a bit of a catch-all alternative to a junk drawer that is regularly cleaned out.

We have a family organiser book which has a monthly calendar, special events, recurring weekly activities such as after-school sports and space for memory keeping too.

This is also where our home management binder is stored for easy access for the whole family.

While it is in a different space, we keep a magnetic grocery list on the side of the fridge where each member of the family can add items we are low on or have run out of.

Where To Put A Family Command Center?

For your family command center to be effective, it must be placed in a location that makes it visible and easily accessible within your home. The place where you put the command center should also be easy for kids to reach and use.

Where your command center goes will depend on things such as wall space, the type of things you want to incorporate into your designated space, such as if it will also be a mud room/school bag organisation zone or just for keeping on top of family schedules and important family events.

Some common places to put the family command center are:

• In The Kitchen -The kitchen is where most people congregate during the day, so it makes sense that this is where you’d want your family command center located. A wall in your kitchen or hidden away inside a pantry door if you prefer it not to be visible are popular options.
• A wall near an entryway or living room area– You want everyone who enters or exits the house during the day to see what’s going on in there as soon as possible so near the front door is a perfect place if you have space!
• In your mudroom – This is the first room you enter when arriving home; it’s a great place to put your family command center so everyone can see it as soon as they step inside.
• Home Office – This works if you prefer to have your designated spot out of sight but still in a place where it is regularly seen, so long as this is an area each member of the family can access.

What Should A Command Center Include?

Once you’ve decided where your family command center will be, it’s time to determine what should go into it. Ideally, your family command center should have the following items:

• A dry-erase monthly calendar (or a paper monthly or weekly calendar works fine too)
• A meal planner
• A clock
• A to-do list/Shopping lists
• Wall baskets for mail and important papers
• A slot for bills
• A place to keep keys
• An organiser for pens, pencils, and dry-erase markers
• An emergency contact list
• Pet information (vet, food allergies, etc.)
• A home management binder if you have one (read this guide on how to create one)
• A whiteboard or chalkboard (for quick notes and reminders)
• Important papers (permission slips, medical forms, school lunch menus)
• Hooks for hanging coats, scarves, or backpacks if you want to incorporate your command centre with essentials for getting out the door quickly and easily.
• Kids chore charts
• Weekly dinner theme nights
• Charging station if you want to keep devices out of bedrooms overnight (and encourage everyone to take a break from screen time)

Tips For Creating A Perfect Command Center

Command centers are an amazing way to keep your house organised, but they can be challenging to design. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the process, here are some tips that will help you create a perfect DIY command center in your home:

• Gather all the necessary supplies before setting up your command center: If you’re going to be setting up a command center, then it’s important that you have everything ready before starting.
• Choose a colour scheme for your command center’s decor: Decorating your command center is an important step in creating one you will love the look of, especially if it is always visible. Choose a colour scheme or style that will match the rest of the room’s decor and create a soothing atmosphere for you and your entire family.
• Set a budget and stick to it: It’s important to set a budget and then stick to it. This will help keep costs down and prevent you from spending too much on your command center.
• Make meal planning easy: Incorporate meal planning into your home command centers by having a list of meal ideas or creating themed meal days each week, such as taco Tuesday, roast dinner Sunday, leftover Thursday.
• Update it regularly: As with any other part of your home, it’s important to keep your command center updated regularly. This will help keep things fresh and ensure it adapts to suit your needs. The goal is to simplify your life so change your set-up as you need to!

Final Thoughts

These family command center ideas, or some variation of them, can help families organise, take inventory, and achieve their goals.

If you’re looking to start one in your own home, these seven ideas should be a good jumping-off point. They’re inexpensive, easy to create, and will benefit you and your family long-term.

Author Bio: Millie Pham is a lifestyle blogger at milliepham.com where she shares all things home, cleaning, decorating, outdoor cooking, and more.