Does Your Home Welcome You Home?
As a San Francisco based professional organizer, the one thing that I hear over and over is “help me with my crazy chaotic entryway!” It gets cluttered so easily, doesn’t it? With kids, adults and dogs coming and going, things are easily dumped until everything is a tangled mess of jackets, bags, sports equipment, dog leashes and so much more. Without a system, it is difficult to stay on top of it, since we all have such “creative” ideas of where to put things. My son liked to put his backpack smack in the middle of hallway until we gave him a designated hook for it (now he only does it every other day lol!)
Whether you have a large foyer or a tiny entryway, a key to an organized home is having a designated command center. A command center is a centralized area in the home where families can keep track of schedules, appointments, and important information. Setting up a command center in the entryway of your home can be a great way to stay organized and reduce stress. Here are my expert tips and tricks to set up a command center for your busy family.
Choose the right location
The first step to setting up a command center is to choose the right location. The entryway is a great spot because it is a central location in the home that everyone passes through. Choose a wall or area that is visible and easily accessible.
Create a message center
A message center is an important component of a command center. An effective one can include a bulletin board, chalkboard or dry-erase board. Use this space to post important reminders, upcoming events, and to-do lists. Are you bothered by a lot of visual clutter? I get it - I am too! The trick is to cull this area regularly. Whenever I put a new notice up, I quickly scan everything and toss things that aren’t needed anymore. This will quickly become a habit that should only take a minute or so every week.
Message boards have come a long way - you can find cute ones made of felt, wood, sisal, linen, metal and of course good old cork. They don’t have to make you feel like you are in a corporate mail room.
Use a calendar
A calendar is a crucial part of a command center. Hang a large calendar on the wall and use it to keep track of appointments, school schedules, and extracurricular activities. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to use the calendar and update it regularly. If you are a tech savvy family, you may already be using a shared digital calendar and that’s great! If you have young kids however, consider using a paper calendar too for events that include them. This can be helpful getting them used to a family scheduling system and kids also tend to do well knowing what their schedule looks like. Use stickers or stamps for pre-readers.
Manage that Paperwork
Paperwork can quickly pile up and create clutter in the home. My advice is to triage the mail as soon as you bring it in the house (or as soon after as you can!) Toss junk mail immediately. Put anything time sensitive (jury duty notices, wedding invitations) into your calendar and then hang them on the command center. Directly place bills wherever you pay them (or better yet, get them all online if you haven’t already). Put reading material like catalogs or magazines where you read them and cull them frequently. Practice this system daily for a couple of weeks and you should have a new habit set that will keep paperwork from taking over your entryway.
Consider a charging station
There are so many clever charging station designs and many can disguise those unsightly cords. You may have your own charging system in your office or next to the bed, but it’s helpful to have a centralized area to charge at least some of your devices. Consider one of these designs in your command center so that everyone knows where to bring those video game controllers, ipads and kindles.
Add a clock
A clock, eh? Hear me out - yes we all have phones, devices and watches. But a clock is a helpful addition to a command center. Choose a large clock that is easy to read from a distance. This will help family members (particularly little ones, well, maybe big ones too) stay on schedule and avoid running late.
How to store keys
Designate a spot in your command center to your store keys. This will help you avoid misplacing them and wasting time searching for them when you're in a rush. Come up with a system that makes sense to you, such as grouping keys by the location they belong to or organizing them by size or color. Label each key with a tag or label that indicates what the key is for. You can use a key identifier, like "front door," "car," or "office," to help you quickly identify the key you need.
And most importantly, update your system regularly. As you acquire new keys or change the locks on your doors, make sure to toss or recycle those old keys accordingly. Regular metal keys can be recycled like scrap metal and key fobs can be brought back to the dealership or some hardware stores for recycling.
Setting up a command center in the entryway of your home can be a sanity saver for busy families. Need a hand getting started? Let’s talk! xo Melissa
