Understatement of the year: I am not an organized person by nature, especially when it comes to our home. I am naturally distracted and drawn to other tasks that are much more fun than housework. So to stay on top of things, I need constant reminders of what I should be doing.
But the traditional "to do" list wasn't working. For one, I would lose it. Or forget to write down what needed to be done. I would end up writing things on at the end of the day and crossing them off for the satisfaction of knowing I did something.
I tried doing it electronically, on Remember the Milk or Evernote, but I would forget to look at it, and my tasks would stack up from one day to the next to where it was pointless.
But I now have something that is working for me and I thought I would share it with you.
But the traditional "to do" list wasn't working. For one, I would lose it. Or forget to write down what needed to be done. I would end up writing things on at the end of the day and crossing them off for the satisfaction of knowing I did something.
I tried doing it electronically, on Remember the Milk or Evernote, but I would forget to look at it, and my tasks would stack up from one day to the next to where it was pointless.
But I now have something that is working for me and I thought I would share it with you.
Finding a place for my Command Center was important, because if it is tucked in a corner, I won't see it and look at it. I put this on the side of one of our kitchen cabinets, between our kitchen and living room. I pass by it every single day several dozen times a day. It is my visual screaming reminder of what I need to get done.
The main part of my Command Center is three magnetic boards (Quarter) that I found on sale at Office Depot. I added the titles with alphabet stickers from my scrapbook supplies and added some pretty washi tape two-thirds of the way down. I use them to track my progress on my morning, afternoon, and night time chores. When I finish something, I slide it below the tape line.
The chore magnets were easy to make. I color-coded them to distinguish between morning (yellow), afternoon (orange), and evening (blue); tasks related to my children (peach), weekly tasks (pink), and activities that take us outside the home (green).
1. Download the Word document below.
2. Add your own chores.
3. Print in color and laminate.
4. Cut out vertical strips (uses less magnet than if you cut them horizontally)
5. Put on magnetic strip.
6. Cut and use.
The main part of my Command Center is three magnetic boards (Quarter) that I found on sale at Office Depot. I added the titles with alphabet stickers from my scrapbook supplies and added some pretty washi tape two-thirds of the way down. I use them to track my progress on my morning, afternoon, and night time chores. When I finish something, I slide it below the tape line.
The chore magnets were easy to make. I color-coded them to distinguish between morning (yellow), afternoon (orange), and evening (blue); tasks related to my children (peach), weekly tasks (pink), and activities that take us outside the home (green).
1. Download the Word document below.
2. Add your own chores.
3. Print in color and laminate.
4. Cut out vertical strips (uses less magnet than if you cut them horizontally)
5. Put on magnetic strip.
6. Cut and use.
You can see here how I place the magnets on the "morning" board. I don't detail the children's chores because they have their own chore charts in their room. But the magnet here reminds me to check on them and make sure their chores are completed.
The top boards (see below) include on the left our rough weekly activity schedule and our basic homeschooling schedule (download a template here). I keep a copy of this in my regular planner, too.
The middle board is our meal plan for the week ($1 board from a dollar store that already had days of the week on it). For long-range meal-planning templates, go here.
On the right is where I keep the extra tasks that we are not doing today. The "M", "A", and "N" are alphabet stickers.
The top is a dry erase wall removable sticker that I got as a free sample somewhere. I use it for quick reminders. "FOCUS" is My One Word for 2016, and "Why not now?" is a catch phrase I read somewhere to remind me to do things "now" when I am thinking of it rather than put it off for later.
The middle board is our meal plan for the week ($1 board from a dollar store that already had days of the week on it). For long-range meal-planning templates, go here.
On the right is where I keep the extra tasks that we are not doing today. The "M", "A", and "N" are alphabet stickers.
The top is a dry erase wall removable sticker that I got as a free sample somewhere. I use it for quick reminders. "FOCUS" is My One Word for 2016, and "Why not now?" is a catch phrase I read somewhere to remind me to do things "now" when I am thinking of it rather than put it off for later.
I'm sure there are prettier family command centers out there, but this one is working, and it cost me very little in time or money. Every night before I go to bed, I set it for the next morning so as soon as I get up, I know what I need to do. I am hoping that this will be a small part of me staying FOCUSED this year so that I can give more energy to the Lord and the things He has for me to do, and less to dealing with the chaos around me.
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