Do you often find yourself overwhelmed with the amount of records, bills, paperwork, and files that your family generates, but don’t have a safe place to store all of them? With the right tools, you can turn any space in your home into an organized command center that keeps track of your family’s records. Command center designs can vary, but they generally include a calendar, a bulletin board, a wall mount for file folders, and a few decorations to make the space attractive. Depending on your family’s individual needs, you might include other features like hooks for bags and backpacks, a desk with office supplies, a chalkboard, dinner plans, and more.
The 23 Most Efficient Command Center Ideas for your Home
The best command center ideas are neat and organized, with a central theme that ties the space together. Good designs are also compact enough to be mounted anywhere you have a little extra wall space–the kitchen, a hallway, your bedroom. Your center might include school papers, report cards, backpacks, a calendar, brochures, bills, a to-do list, a clock, and more. All the paperwork your family needs is conveniently located in one organized space. Looking for command center ideas to get your own started? Here’s some of the best decorations and designs that the Internet has to offer.
1. The Clean, Compact, and Orderly Look
This is such a friendly-looking setup for a command center. It’s organized and contains all the information this family needs, but it doesn’t sacrifice the homeliness of the environment. The “Menu” fixture is so cute, and the funky shapes keep the command center from being too sharp-edged. Also, the idea of writing names on clothespins clipped to the calendar is genius.
2. Design That’s Perfect for Back-to-School
What a great layout for the on-the-go family with kids! It may be summer now, but the back-to-school season will creep up again sooner than you think. The calendars are affixed above the hooks for backpacks and hats. Shoe trays are stored underneath. In the chaos of the morning, a little organization goes a long way. Kids can grab their backpacks, slip on their shoes, and check their schedule all at the same time.
3. Striking Vintage-Inspired Design
Vintage designs like this remind us that “command centers” don’t need to look like the inside of a starship. Nor do they need to be overwhelmingly utilitarian. Each of the decorations on this wall is perfectly placed. The use of a weekly chalkboard is brilliant; no more needing to turn calendar pages! Also, a chalkboard for writing down your grocery lists? Brilliant.
4. Retro Back-to-School Look
This is another idea perfect for kids heading back to school. The setup evokes a sort of classroom-like feel, which is a great way to get kids back in the school mindset. Coats, bags, and hats are stored underneath the important information. Each child has a cubby that holds their important items. The pops of bright blue and yellow keep the place cheerful without overwhelming the space.
5. The Classic Stark, Professional Look
This design is fabulous for people who love corners. Everything is aligned so precisely. Each family member has a basket that holds important papers and objects. The cup of pens on the small shelf is a nice touch. The wavy lines on the calendar also offset the harsh right angles in the rest of the decoration. Everything has a place here, with an encouraging message and family photo crowning the arrangement.
6. Warm, Welcoming, and Affectionate Center
There are such warmth and softness in this setup. The homeowner uses white to their advantage, turning white color from a default to a deliberate accent choice. The cream of the walls is just dark enough not to blindingly reflect the light. All of the important papers are in a filing cabinet mounted on the wall. The lamp lighting softly illuminates everything, and the family is illustrated atop the wall.
7. Clear Design That’s Easy to Write and Erase
Yes, that is a giant chalkboard. This genius setup can be erased and rewritten as many times as necessary. The important papers for each child are aligned on clipboards along the bottom of the board. Even the “Important Stuff” label on the built-in folder is done with chalk. The schedule for the next three months has been written with ruler-straight precision. Also, the “Upcoming Events” section helps people to remember important dates, just in case a quick glance at the calendar doesn’t.
8. Fun, Colorful School-Inspired Design
This funky setup is inspired by schools and classroom organization. The schedule is printed with a variety of bright colors and patterns. There’s a sticker sheet to allow the kids to reward themselves for completed tasks. Each child has a pre-printed clipboard with a nightly checklist. What a fun and creative way to teach children about organizational habits! All the classroom- and office-related supplies a person could need are hanging on the wall.
9. Warm, Inviting, Lighthearted Center
Just looking at this room is a breath of fresh air. Everything about this setup evokes a sense of relaxation. The chalkboard outlines the necessary tasks for the upcoming week, while the calendar has more detailed information for the next month. The calendar is also printed on a whiteboard, so it can be erased and written on as needed. Pretty baskets for incoming paperwork and outgoing items hover under the calendar, hooks for hats just beneath them.
11. Warm, Spicy, Autumn-Inspired Kitchen Center
This design is perfect for families who crave October during the entire year. The wall color alone evokes thoughts of apple cider, but the leaf-toned color palette just adds to the image. The family paperwork is divided into three folders: Receipts, Coupons, and Other. The calendar is definitely autumn-inspired. Each child has a chore chart and folders for their papers. Finally, the stenciling above the center completes the warm image.
12. Fun, Brightly Colored Command Center Design
This command center uses bright colors and funky prints to add a touch of fun to day-to-day life. Each member of the family has their personalized paperwork folder, their names tastefully printed against a blue background. There are framed prints of numbers, shapes, and sweet birds. It’s a bright and festive place, perfectly mixing white with the yellow and blue so that the color scheme isn’t overwhelming.
13. An Organized, Minimalist Wall
This wall is perfectly organized. The width of the center is small, but it’s packed floor-to-ceiling with important information. Chalkboard paint turns the wall into a playground; the information can be erased and rewritten as need be. At the top are inspirations, followed by the calendar. Mom and Dad have clipboards for their plans, while each kid has a clipboard of their own. Important items are stored in bins between the two clipboard sets.
14. Wall Mount with a Place for Everything
At first glance, this command center seems a bit cluttered. But there’s a brilliant organization to the space. Even though there’s a lot of items, each item has its own designated space. A bin for incoming and outgoing mail features magazines and notebooks. Each member of the family has a bit of bulletin board dedicated to them. The weekly schedule is full of sticky notes and reminders. Beside it, all the supplies a person could need are mounted on the wall.
15. Small, Compact Door Design
If you’re living in a place with limited space, why not place your entire command center on your door? It’s impossible to miss reminders when you see them as you’re leaving for the day. It features a calendar on the top with a square bulletin board underneath. Mail is placed in a cheerful flower-printed bin. Four buckets hold supplies and chalk for the chalkboard at the bottom.
16. Neat Office-Inspired Command Center
This command center is inspired by the structure of many office cubicles. The center of attention is the calendar, printed on an easily-wiped whiteboard. Underneath are two chalkboards, one of which functions as a reminder, the other a to-do list. To the right, office supplies, photographs, and artwork are pinned to the wall. To the left, important documents and notebooks are organized in cascading folders.
17. A Minimalist Design with Convenient Mailboxes
This design has done away with clutter. The black accent color lends the scene a professional sense. On one side of the wall is the whiteboard calendar, while the other has an empty bulletin board. Between the two is a mounting area for office supplies. Each child has a mailbox mounted above the hook for their backpack. It’s easy to grab the pack, check the mail, and head out the door.
18. Command Center Idea for the Extended Family
This is a great idea for people whose extended families live in multiple time zones. The clocks at the top of the wall keep track of the time in different areas of the country. Underneath, small chalkboards keep track of to-do lists for every day of the week. A bucket labeled “Supplies” hangs over the light switch, with a notation chalkboard and calendar beside it. Every child has a folder in a unique color. Between the children’s folders are two folders for paperwork.
20. A Cute, Efficient Pastel Design
Pastel colors are adorable, and this DIYer uses them to maximum effect. Soft blues and creams perfectly accentuate each other. The calendar, weekly reminders, and to-do lists are all stored behind the same frame. Underneath, two folders are labeled: one for bills, the other for miscellaneous paperwork.
21. Command Center Décor for Upcoming Plans and Events
The focus of this command center is the calendar and chalkboard. The whiteboard calendar is large enough to write detailed notes, while the chalkboard is used for the weekly menu. Important papers are pinned to a bulletin board, and family photos are framed underneath. Each child has a chore chart with checklists of tasks.
22. A Rustic-Inspired Design with Warmth and Personality
This design shows the character of the family through its warmth and decoration. To the left, a chalkboard denotes the important events for the week. Folders made from woven mesh are mounted beside it. Beside this, a bulletin board has important papers clipped with magnets. An old-timey clock, framed feather, and family photo all complete the picture.
