This Is Why You Should Really Have a “Command Center” in Your Home

If you feel like your life has been in complete disarray lately, you’re not alone. There’s been a rise in Americans reporting extreme levels of emotional fatigue and overwhelm as they struggle to manage the demands of work, parenting, and social needs. 

From mounting bills, to a family with various dietary needs, car maintenance, and various activities, it can feel impossible to keep track of it all.

Enter the command center. A command center is an appointed area in the home that dictates many of the pressing needs, schedules, and other important information that helps your family run smoothly. The best part is they don’t need to take up a lot of space — you can mount them in nearly any vertical area. Think: closet doors, empty walls next to the refrigerator, the side of a bookshelf, refrigerator, awkward wall corners, etc. Basically, anywhere that’s visible and easily accessible.

Regardless of where you place your command center, it has the potential to simplify and organize your whole life. I know mine has. The command center I made for myself almost entirely of M.C. Squares products has been essential to feeling more in control of my personal and work life. 

Not sure what to include in your command center? It varies for each person, so try this to find out: Without cleaning, take a snapshot of the clutter around your home and create a list. Include everything that seems to be disorganized and occupy the corners of your bedroom, tables, and your mind. From there, you’ll have a better idea of what works and what doesn’t work — warranting it some real estate in your command center. 

Here are some elements of a command center that can help many aspects of your life fall into place. 

If mail is the bane of your existence, some mail slots with different compartments for each family member or even junk mail versus essential mail could be helpful. 

Is “out of sight, out of mind” your personal mantra? Then a pegboard to attach reminders, notes to self, or prescriptions could be a great addition to your command center. 

Monthly calendars, daily calendars, or weekly calendars have become staples in many home command centers. Use them to list appointments, work deadlines, brunch dates, or even kid activities. 

Can’t remember the last time you cleaned out the fridge? Or never know when you last got an oil change? I absolutely LOVE this set from M. C. Squares. It’s been tremendously helpful in tracking leftovers and making sure those “once in a while tasks” don’t fall through the cracks. 

If you never know where exactly to document “that thing you just have to do”, a dry erase board in a hard-to-miss spot within the command center is almost a must. Just make sure you have a marker attached to it or nearby. 

Loose receipts can be a common problem for any household. Reign them in by including a small hanging or mountable pocket to place them in like this one from mDesign. Whether it’s the first stop before scanning them into a digital file, a way for you to keep track of all those holiday gifts or more, you’ll save yourself lots of headaches. 

Even the most complex command centers are nothing without labels. After all, what’s the point of folders and calendars if you have no idea what their purpose is?