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Home » Home Organization » Kitchen » How To Keep A Family Command Station Organized

How To Keep A Family Command Station Organized

Last Modified: July 25, 2024 Sabrina Quairoli This blog uses cookies. It also has affiliate links. We earn sponsored content income.

Over the years, I organized many family command stations. Personally, I love to organize them because usually they are in the kitchen and can easily be a drop zone for many families. The kitchen is the heart and center of the home, so it should be the most organized place since we are always there. It's where everyone goes each morning and each night. So, it makes sense that the family command station is there. But keeping it organized can be an issue.

Jump to:
  • What is a family command station?
  • Tip 1: Find a paper management system that works for you.
  • Tip 2: Have a place to store your papers for the week.
  • Tip 3: You only need one drawer in the family command station.  
  • Tip 4: Use part or all of the upper cabinet for storage. 
  • Tip 5: Make sure everyone knows where everything goes. 
  • Tip 6: Hang the calendar. 
  • Tip 7: Have a place to hang your keys.

What is a family command station?

Well, I'm glad you asked. A Family Command Station is a catch-all place for incoming school papers, bills to be paid, mail to go through, phones, and even a place for the family to do their work. With all these tasks using one area, this section of the kitchen needs to have homes for many varieties of items, so it must be organized well.

Here are some tips on how to keep a family command station organized.

Tip 1: Find a paper management system that works for you.

In the cabinet below the command center (Affiliate Link) I have, I added a pull out drawer with an upright holder that holds all my monthly event folders and other household folders. This area is where I put papers from school and other documents that are coming up for the entire year. Check the link above for the details. The image below shows how you can make a small space well-organized.

Traditional Kitchen by Chilliwack Kitchen & Bath Designers Starline Cabinets

Tip 2: Have a place to store your papers for the week.

Here is my cute little family command center (Affiliate Link) magnet mail sorter. And, yes, I do keep it like this all the time. To help keep my papers organized, this magnet chalkboard weekly paper sorter is a DIY home-organizing project I made when I remodeled my kitchen. I still use it to this day. Here's the link if you want to make it.

DIY Magnet Chalkboard Weekly Paper Sorter
DIY MAGNETIC CHALKBOARD WEEKLY PAPER SORTER

Tip 3: You only need one drawer in the family command station.  

A drawer with drawer organizers (Affiliate Link) in it, that is, to sort your pens, notepads, scissors, etc... If it is a small drawer, like mine, it's important to keep it organized. The little drawer inserts work great.

Traditional Kitchen by Carlsbad Interior Designers & Decorators Hamilton-Gray Design, Inc.

Figure out what you want to put in the drawer. Visit our 14 ESSENTIAL ITEMS TO KEEP IN YOUR JUNK DRAWER for a list. Be sure to measure the drawer's width, height, and depth before looking for the drawer organizers (Affiliate Link).

Tip 4: Use part or all of the upper cabinet for storage. 

You can store your purse, light bulbs, candles (Affiliate Link), coupon binders, etc., in the upper cabinet to keep the surface clear. I also like not to see these items, so a cabinet door works well.

Traditional Kitchen by Harrison Kitchen & Bath Designers Riemer Kitchens & Fine Cabinetry

Clear acrylic bins work great for this area, so you can see what is in each bin. Ten-inch-deep acrylic bins (Affiliate Link) work nicely in the upper cabinets. If you have an open cabinet, you can find solid-colored bins to hide the items.

Tip 5: Make sure everyone knows where everything goes. 

After setting up your area, show everyone where everything goes. You may need to remind them where items go a few times, but that's okay. Labeling each bin and organizer in your command station will help keep everyone aware of where items go.

Tip 6: Hang the calendar. 

I like to hang the calendar inside the upper cabinet door. I use a 3M Command Hook to attach it to the cabinet door.  The thin utility hooks work great to hold calendars. You can also have a desktop calendar, a wipe-off magnet calendar, or a paper calendar you change each year. Ensure you measure the place you want to put this calendar before buying.

Tip 7: Have a place to hang your keys.

The keys can be attached to the backsplash or the inside of the upper or lower cabinet.  I wrote a post about places to store keys.  Feel free to check it out.

Places to Store Keys so you NEVER lose them

That's it! By making these changes and creating a well-organized family command station, you and your family will keep your kitchen clear of clutter all of the time, resulting in happier meals with the family. I hope these tips help you keep your family command station organized.

Do you have any advice on how you organize your command station?  Please leave a comment below.

Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon (Affiliate Link), and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.

How to Keep a Family Command Station Organized - square imag
How to Keep a Family Command Station Organized - featured image
How to Keep a Family Command Station Organized - long image
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About Sabrina Quairoli

I love sharing my passion for organizing life and home. I hope you get inspired when visiting my home organizing tips, quick weeknight recipes, party planning ideas, and DIY organizing projects. Visit the About Me page to read my story.

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  1. Elana Kleinman says

    February 14, 2016 at 11:41 am

    We're planning a major renovation in the coming months and one of my priorities is a functional command centre - thanks for these tips.

    Reply
  2. Sarah Soboleski says

    February 13, 2016 at 3:30 pm

    I think the amount of paper parents get from school has more than tripled since I was in school! A command center is a must when you have school-age kids and you've provided such great ideas and helpful visuals!

    Reply
  3. Jeri says

    February 12, 2016 at 9:46 pm

    Great tips, but since I'm a family of one things tend to stay fairly organized no matter what 😉 I like the idea of drawer dividers. The closest thing I have to a command station is a craft cart that sits between the kitchen and garage entryway.

    Reply
  4. Autumn Leopold says

    February 12, 2016 at 3:59 pm

    This post actually gave me an idea I hadn't thought of Sabrina! You could use the pull out shelf to store your command center on if you don't have a lot of counter space. Just pull it out when you need it! I'm gonna keep that in mind for clients. Great post!

    Reply
    • Sabrina says

      February 12, 2016 at 4:12 pm

      Great idea! I love that. Thanks for sharing, Autumn!

      Reply
  5. Janet Barclay says

    February 11, 2016 at 3:23 pm

    I don't currently have space in my kitchen for a command center, but I completely redesigned the kitchen in a house I used to own to include a built-in desk with two drawers deep enough to hold file folders - you don't see that very often, even in regular desks, but it really helped me to keep everything from recipes to bills in order.

    Reply
    • Sabrina says

      February 11, 2016 at 6:46 pm

      Great tip, Janet. Paper files work great in the kitchen to keep the clutter at bay.

      Reply
  6. Seana Turner says

    February 11, 2016 at 2:22 pm

    So many great tips here -- hang the keys!!! use drawer dividers!! Love these images, Sabrina.

    Reply
    • Sabrina says

      February 11, 2016 at 6:46 pm

      Thank for stopping by and commenting, Seana!

      Reply
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