NEW COMMAND CENTER

For some time, I have been wanting a Command Center.  Since my boys are now both going to be in school all day every day, and they are becoming more involved in separate extra curricular activities, I thought now would be the time - shortly before the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year.

This is what I had last year.  It worked, but each "day" space was small - I sometimes had a hard time fitting everything in.

I definitely needed something bigger - and thats what I got...

My New and Improved, Bigger and Better - Command Center

It's located in our kitchen on the wall that leads in from our side entrance.  A wall that isn't really good for anything since it's in a high traffic pathway.

I loved all the ones I had seen on Pinterest using the large chalkboards, but since the walls in our kitchen are paneled, I didn't think the chalkboard would look right.  So I thought Dry Erase instead.  My original idea was to get 42 4x6 frames - one for each day, plus the SMTWTFS labels.  Even at Dollar Tree, that was getting expensive.  Then I realized I could use 8x10 frames, and get four days per frame.  I would only need 12 frames that way - way cheaper.  How excited was I when I got to Dollar Tree yesterday and found these 9x9 Square frames?

I then headed to Hobby Lobby and got the coordinating gingham check and chevron patterned papers.

I knew I would have space to the right of the calendar due to the light switch being there, so of course it had to be filled.  

I wanted something to be able to put appointment cards on, so while I was at the Dollar Tree, I also got a metal, electric stove, burner cover.  I painted the edges black, Mod-Podged some leftover paper on the face, and had gotten a few magnets - and voila a Magnet Board for my Appointment Cards.  That cute little plaque at the top that says "Appts." is also a magnet, and it's a chalkboard.  I got it at Target - love it!!

From all the Command Centers I saw on Pinterest, the one feature that I knew I really needed was something to corral all the boy's paperwork from school.  All last year, those papers kept getting lost and forgotten on my desk - I needed somewhere for them to go.
Hence the clipboards... These two items were the most expensive part of the project.  I found them at Staples and they were $5 a piece.  I could have saved six bucks and just got brown masonite ones, but I really wanted clear ones.  But one thing I didn't like about them was the Staples logo stamped into the metal clip - so I covered the logos up with little initial plaques.  And just in case I forgot what my little men look like, I hung little photos of them.

When I was at Hobby Lobby getting the paper, of course I had to wander around.  Because seriously, you can't go into Hobby Lobby for just one thing - right?  During my wandering, I ran across the "Bless our Home" metal sign - and it was 50% off.  So it came home with me.  It's the perfect finishing piece, don't you think?

I Love my new Command Center, and look forward to putting it to good use!!

Did I mention that I LOOOOVE it?  Oh yeah, I Love my new Command Center!!!!