Day #2: How To Create a Mini Command Center
Welcome back to Day #2 of the Postbox Designs 5 Day Design Challenge! I created this Design Challenge to give you 5 Days of simple, do-able changes to make your house more beautiful. I love the idea of a jump start to purging and starting anew. These Design Challenges don’t require tons of work, DIY, or money. In fact just choose one Challenge and your home will be better for it!
PLUS: A SNEAK PEEK OF MY BRAND NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH
This 5 Day Design Challenge is also a kick-off to the launch of a BRAND NEW product from Postbox Designs! On Day #5 you will not only be the first to see it’s unveiling, but I also have a MAJOR discount just for y’all!
If you love the Postbox Designs style but don’t need a fully custom design for your room, I’m introducing the “Choose Your Style” Starter Mood Boards. Choose your Decor Style + Room and you will get an entire room with Shopping List emailed right to you. You’ll get two Mood Boards with 25+ hand-selected items and a digital shopping list sent right to your inbox. You can buy everything for your room without ever leaving home.
And all for a fraction of the cost of my custom interior design packages.
That’s all you get for now. Stay tuned for more details on Day #5!
If you missed Day #1 of the 5 Day Design Challenge I gave you just four pieces to buy to create a whole new Master Bedroom look. If you missed it, check it out HERE
5 Day Design Challenge Day #2: Mini Command Center
Day #2 is all about getting organized. If your life is as busy and chaotic as mine, then you know how important it is to have a place for your S-T-U-F-F. Otherwise, the piles of papers get higher on your kitchen counters. And you can’t find the ONE piece of paper you need when you need it. Or you find an overdue bill that got stashed to the bottom of a pile of kids books.
I think there are two main rules for creating a Command Center:
Rule #1: It must be in a high-use area. Put your Command Center is an area you are nearby often-maybe it is your front door, or by your garage door. Maybe it is in your kitchen. You gotta be there to use it.
Rule #2: It must be practical to YOUR life. Forget Pinterest cutesy and go for practical. If you wouldn’t ever use a chalkboard, then don’t waste the space with it. Only choose items you will actually use daily.
I created this super simple Command Center-no expensive built-ins or equipment. And the best news…all you need is about 24″ of space. I use each of this items in my own Mudroom Command Center every.single.day.
Vertical Mailboxes: In my family each person gets their own box. It keeps life so organized. We even have one just for bills (that’s the not-so-fun mailbox!)
Chalkboard or Bulletin Board: I use this to tack up birthday invites, coupons, etc. so they are out in the open.
Small Tray: Dump your keys, loose change, etc. right here in night
Phone Charging Station: This was a game-changer in our family! All phones, I-pads, and devices camp out here when we get home. We stashed ours right next to a double outlet so they can be charging at the same time.
Inbox: When my kids have permission slips or need a paper signed, they put them in this single box. I know where to look, and no more missing papers.
Storage Box: Because some things in life just aren’t pretty. Use this to corral junk without feeling guilty.
Love An Item? Find it all right here:
If you want to see more about creating this Command Center and find the sources to all of the products, you can find it all HERE!
My favorite spot in my whole home is our Command Center. On top of the counter is our Command Center and underneath is our recycling center. Our mail and other junk never even makes it into our house:
Early last year I launched a full 30 Day Design Challenge and I started it off with How to Create a Drop Station on Day #1. If you can do nothing else, having a simple “drop station” is like home base for your family. Find this day and all 30 Challenges starting HERE.
4 Simple Steps to a Mini Command Center
Step 1: Start with an office organizer or tray, and put it by the door you use most often. Every day when you come home: your keys, hubby’s wallet, loose change, phone, etc. go straight into the tray. No exceptions!
Step 2: If possible, place it near an outlet to create a charging station for your devices. Style #3 is meant to store multiple phones, IPads, and other devices.
Step 3: Bonus points if you choose an organizer with a mail slot. When you walk in the door, at a minimum toss out the junk mail and put the important mail here. You can go through it later, but it saves from creating piles of mail scattered on your counter tops! If you have the room, place a small trash/recycling can…drop the junk mail in there before you even take another step!
Step 4: If you have some extra wall space, add a few hooks for your purse or bag, or car keys.
You can even check out how one Mom took over a single kitchen cabinet as her Mini Command Center HERE
What if you have a little more room?
If you have the space for a full fledged Mudroom or Command Center, then lockers are the way to go! Assign a locker to each family member to max out the storage. In fact I created an entire blog post on it. If you are looking to add lockers or create a Mudroom to your house, you gotta check out 10 Steps to Create the Perfect Locker
Or maybe you are dying to add a locker or two (a place to actually store mittens or your kid’s soccer ball?), but you’re not sure if you have the space? I promise you, you can find a place to squeeze a locker or two in. Check out my 4 Rooms You Can Turn Into a Mudroom.
Today’s Challenge was to carve out a tiny spot in your home to get more organized. Stay tuned for Day #3 of the Postbox Design’s 5 Day Challenge where I show you how to create a more organized (and beautiful) Laundry Room. Maybe it will make us actually excited to do laundry! (Or maybe not).
While you wait for your next Challenge to arrive in your inbox, feel free to check out my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY chock full of Free Guides, Shopping Lists, Check Lists, and more. It’s all free, but you’ll need to password to get in!
Leave a Reply