Do you always feel rushed heading out the door? Do you feel like you are forgetting important items or details as you head out the door? Does keeping track of family appointments, activities, sports practices, and work schedules create stress for you? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, consider setting up a family “Command Center.”
Follow these four steps to get your “Command Center” in order:
1) Assess your NEEDS.
What does a family “Command Center” entail? The answer to that question is based on the individual needs of your family.
- Consider what causes you stress when you are getting ready to leave your house or what questions/decisions you face over and over again. It could be…
-“Where are my keys and my phone?”
-“Where is my shopping list?”
-“What time is practice and where is practice tonight?”
-“Where are those things I needed to return?”
2) Pick a LOCATION.
Pick a location that all members of the home use or pass through daily.
- Assess for wall space for a communication board, calendar and hooks?
- Is there an existing counter or place for a piece of furniture?
- Are there outlets if you need them?
3) Set up your SYSTEM.
A single point of contact for all your daily items will help you find what you need when you need it. Try some of these suggestions to get your system set up:
- Use command hooks for the appropriate number of key holders in your family
- Affix a dry erase calendar for monthly sports/activity practice schedules and meals
- Add clamps or a bulletin board for posting reminders
- If necessary, add a charging station
- Make a place for outgoing and incoming mail
4) COMMUNICATE with your family.
Have a family meeting and explain the purpose and function of your “Command Center”. It may take some time for the family to catch on but the investment in time will pay off in lower future stress levels.
- Decide who will update the calendar and how often
- Decide who will recycle the outdated material
- Decide what will NOT live in the command center
- Get every family members input on the flow
There are many ideas out there on the web. If you need help please call me, Lynne Poulton of Wholly Organized! LLC, and I would be happy to brainstorm with you. Happy Organizing!
Lynne Poulton is a Certified Professional Organizer (CPO®), Level II Hoarding Specialist and Owner of Wholly Organized!® LLC. Lynne partners with people of all ages to address the physical and emotional clutter in their lives to make room for what matters most.
wholly-organized.com
330.858.5886
email: lynne@wholly-organized.com