Watch Out World: This Family Is Getting Organized!
Mayra Kavan,
Our lives are crazy; your life is crazy. Every parent feels like they are driving without a GPS right now. The good news is, you CAN find some direction by creating a one-of-a-kind, easy to install family command center.
Do you want to know how Pinterest-perfect parent has time to make cookie-cutter, heart-shaped sandwiches for her son’s lunch? It’s not just time management skills keeping their life (and her photos) free of filters. She’s ORGANIZED!
Let’s be real -- Pinterest is beautiful but we’re all about the practical, too -- especially when it comes to creating more time to do things other than contemplating the consequences of missing another PTA meeting (even if it is on Zoom).
So, let’s break down exactly how to create your 1THRIVE family command center:
- Find the perfect spot!
- Determine your purpose and priorities
- Plan ahead and use your tools
- Get the family involved
Where in your home sees the most traffic? Because that’s THE SPOT!
You want your family command center to be located somewhere that each family member visits throughout the day. Preferably, multiple times a day. For many families, it’s the kitchen. You know the formula food = life for growing kids (and snack hangry parents).
Another popular area is the mudroom. This also tends to be a drop off station for everyone’s random stuff (bookbags, shoes, coats, etc.). If this is the case, we suggest finding an area that is free of clutter. That way your 1THRIVE family command center is easily accessible and doesn’t become just one more item for the family to pretend like they don’t see as they walk out the door.
That brings us to a few rules regarding the command center:
- The command center is not to be ignored
- The command center will have the last word on your timetable
- The command center will not be argued with
The family command center is there to help everyone. Not consulting or using it will only further frustrate moms and dads everywhere, and that’s the LAST thing we want.
You know you need it, and you know where to put it, now figure out what it should be
Your family command center is going to be unique to your family’s needs. Multiple families could buy the same system, but they will all be used differently. A lot depends on the age of your kids, your work-life balance, family priorities, and activities; you get the picture (and it doesn’t always have to be Pinterest-perfect, either!)
To find the perfect command center, decide what you want to use it for. Most families are dealing with school (virtual or in-person), work (possibly remote), and extracurricular activities all mashed together in a 12-hour period. Your command center can handle all these schedules and more!
Think of it like that extra member of the family, there to help you communicate with your spouse, your kids - even the four-legged members, too! (Have you checked out our handy Hooks Strips? Our go-to for easily storing leashes and face masks these days.)
For busy families, the perfect setup is one of 1THRIVE’s Family Packs
The Brilliant BFF’s have everything a busy family needs to keep on trucking:
- TWO monthly calendars
- A weekly whiteboard
- Two mini cork boards
- A file organizer
- A blackboard to-do list
- And cupholders galore!
Two calendars are better than one! Especially if you have multiple kids, you know how quickly one of those little squares fills up. Before you know it, you’re abbreviating things, which leads to you forgetting that MSFP stands for MAKE SNACKS FOR PRESCHOOL. That leads to you rushing to stop at the grocery store for quick snacks. Two calendars mean more space and fewer face-palm experiences. A win for everyone, but especially you as parents!
Who loves to meal prep? If you’re like most of us, you may just need a little organization to make it work. This is a great time to get the family involved. Find out what everyone wants to have for dinner throughout the week, make a meal list, create your shopping list, and schedule a day to make the magic happen. Take this a step further and have the kids help you prep the meals.
Let’s talk about chores!
Kids these days, right? All they want to do is sit around, looking at their phones and tablets. They can’t imagine life without Wi-Fi or text messaging (and to be honest, who wants to go back there?) But it’s time you capitalize on these gifts from technology-heaven!
Your command center is a great place for kids to find their weekly chore list and rewards! If you need help coming up with a system, we have free printables for your use. Chore charts, routine lists (say it with us: ROUTINES!) and several other organizing tools are available for you to download and print whenever you fancy!
Make commitment issues a thing of the past
It’s exhausting (and maybe a little depressing) to think that we’re grown-ups for the rest of our lives. We still enjoy eating Lucky Charms and schooling others in the fine art of Trouble, but we do have to commit to “adult things” from time to time.
Getting your family on the path to organization is one of those things. A 1THRIVE family command center is a tool you need to help you be a better grown-up, but also to give you more time to enjoy playing with your kids (and acting like one too sometimes).
