Back-To-School is a wonderful time of year. Not only do many folks get to gain some sense of peace and order in their house again, but its a time to begin a new school year fresh. In fact, there may be more resolutions set for this particular time of year than traditional New Year’s resolutions.
I came across a great list of resolutions for parents that I wanted to share before getting into the fun “nesting” part of prepping a home for the new school year. This list is from Gillian Kruse on Care.com:
8 Back-To-School Resolutions For Parents
- I Promise to Praise Effort, Not Intelligence.
- I Promise Not to Try and Do Everything.
- I Promise to Get to Know My Child’s Teacher.
- I Promise to Focus on the Moment Rather Than the Future.
- I Promise to Not Do Everything for My Kids.
- I Promise to Pool resources with Other Parents.
- I Promise to Allow my Child to Earn Their Own Grades.
- I Promise to Have a Regular Date Night (with my partner).
After sorting out your personal motivations, let’s look at what might be going on inside your home to stay sane and organized. We are going to focus on the area we’re calling the “Command Central.” Its best to keep this space in a visible spot, such as the Mudroom, Dump Zone, Laundry Room, Entryway, and sometimes the Kitchen or Home Office.
In this digital age, we have shared digital calendars and documents that reduce the need for cluttered walls and bulletin boards. At the same time, there is still the occasional printed form or flyer that needs to be visible for the whole family, just in case a family member is not always checking their phone or may be too young to even be so “connected”. Here’s our lists of the basic Command Central essentials and the add-ons that can evolve it into a Dump Zone:
Important Elements For A Command Central:
- Monthly Calendar (dry erase or chalk board)
- School Schedules, Work Schedules, and Activity Schedules
- Mail bins for incoming and outgoing
- Kid bins or hanging clip boards for forms to be signed, classroom info, extra curricular info, etc.
- Bins for coupons and receipts
- A magnetic board or bulletin board for memos, reminders and invitations, pictures, etc.
Evolving into a Dump Zone:
- Add a shelf or narrow table/cabinet for a charging stations
- Key holder
- Loose change vessel
- Office Supplies (paper clips, tacks, stapler, dry erase markers, pens, pencils, chalk)
- Mailing needs/bin for envelopes, stamps, return address stamp
- Leashes and dog walking supplies
There are many examples of creative Command Central zones. Here are some of my favorites below for inspiration:
