School’s Back… Keep Your Home on Track!
September 20, 2012Time for teachers, time for books, time for teacher’s dirty looks (ha ha!)…and it’s also time to set up your home with an organizational system that will keep your family members on track, without cluttering it up!
Where is the main hub in your home? For most, especially families, it is in the kitchen. Have you noticed the growing trend of incorporating a built in desk area into kitchens? Different from a home office, this area is a quick spot to pay bills, keep track of appointments and sort through mail.
In September though, for families, there is often an explosion of activities and school field trips, and suddenly that small desk area may seem to get smaller and smaller and smaller. So why not set up a Command Center, one that is both effective and creative and best of all inexpensive!
Here are some suggestions of things to look for to create your very own Command Center:
1. Large Paper Monthly Wall Calendar – Look for a basic one that has multiple lines printed in each date block, which can be hung by a nail on a free wall in the kitchen. A Large Preprinted White Board Calendar, with Dry Erase Markers, is an alternative, but it limits you to notating events and activities one month at a time, and it also can be costly.
2. Colorful Gel Pens – These tend to come in a variety pack of bright colors and also write very smoothly. Let each member of the family pick one color that will then be designated for all of their activities.
3. Wite Out™ Tape Cartridges: Use these for those inevitable schedule updates and changes!
4. Bulletin Board Cork Tiles with Pushpins – Use 1 or 2 or even 4 per person…they are that inexpensive! Since these aren’t very heavy, try Mounting Tape to attach them to the wall. To give them a fun look, create a 1” border using Colored and Patterned Duct Tape, which is all the rage with kids now! Aim to find the Duct Tape and Pushpins that coordinate with their chosen gel pen color.
5. Small Markerboards – Placed next to the each individuals Cork Tile(s), these allows for quick phone, or other reminder messages, to be jotted down. A lot of these come with a dry erase pen already!
6. Hanging Wall File Pockets – Find one with a pocket for each person and label them accordingly. Use these as an in/out box for permission slips and notes from teachers.
7. Memory Boxes – Find inexpensive large, but shallow boxes to keep children’s artwork, and other prized tests and reports in, for during the school year. Look for them to coordinate once again with their chosen Gel Pen color. Better yet, do you have any tall boot boxes? Cover the lid and base with the Colored and Patterned Duct Tape and you have an inexpensive but custom made and cool looking box!
8. File Box – A portable file box will come in handy for school directories and any other information that isn’t necessary to keep out.
Once you’ve set up your Command Center, grab those multitudes of papers that have accumulated and put your new project to the test! Fill up the calendar as far in advance as you can, post birthday invitations and school menus on the cork boards, breathe a sigh of relief at your accomplishments, and get ready for a fun new school year!
Until next time, stay neat people!
Thanks Naomi for these great ideas! Make sure you check out file boxes, memory boxes, marker boards and other organizing tools available on FranklinPlanner.com.
