In this post: Make a family command center to organize your family this year! Use traditional organizing supplies plus a few surprise items!

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Happy New Year – it’s January!

Which usually means that everyone gets hit with a sudden urge to organize everything in sight.

Maybe that’s just me.

But I’m sure some of you could use a little organization too.

To start the year off right, I organized a space that has driven me bonkers for a long, long time.

Basically the entire three years we’ve lived here.

Our side door is just off the kitchen and leads to the side yard and the man door of the garage. It’s where we take the puppy out to do his business. It’s also where I created a family command center shortly after we moved into this house.

Unfortunately over time the space stopped working for us and just became a messy mess.

See what I mean?

Since it’s a much used space, I decided it was high time to make it function better – while looking good too, of course!

Here’s what I used to create our updated family command center:

• wire hanging basket for things that need to be filed
• triple hanging basket for dry erase markers, pens, doggie bags, the dog’s leash
• pretty hooks for spare keys, a jacket, and a towel (for drying doggie paws)
• a bulletin board we already had for the calendar and a pinboard for short-term notices, etc.
• picture frames for using with dry erase markers as to-do lists for each of the kids
• 3M “clothespin” for hanging the grocery list pad
• a frame with clothespins for hanging photos of family and friends/Christmas cards
• a marquee letter A just for fun

If you have an area that needs a command center make a list of what you need to organize (keys, calendars, notices, doggie stuff, etc.) in the space and then shop with that list in mind. Think outside the box a little, as I did for the kids’ to-do lists in photo frames.

To make the hanging of the family command center much easier, do like we do for gallery walls: grab a roll of brown Kraft paper, trace each item and cut it out. Tape each one to the wall where you think you want it. Then rearrange your paper command center as many times as necessary to get everything to fit just right. Only after you’ve done this do you need to make any holes in the wall!

After all, a command center can be stylish and functional too!

Inspired to organize your own space? Start the year off right! Michaels has tons of products and storage supplies that can be used to decorate and inspire creativity in any room of your house or office.

Michaels also just launched a new line of storage and organization product called Cre8ted Spaces available in stores now and it has tons of different colors, bins and office supplies – with more than 300 new items in 4 coordinating colors, you have to check it out!

If you don’t know where to begin, you can always take a look at some of the fun storage projects on Michaels.com or the other 49 makers’ ideas on The Glue String for tips on designing, organizing and decorating their favorite places!