Ask These 8 Questions to Get Your Family Organizing Station Right
Households can run better when they have a central organizing hub. Is yours set up well for your family?
Life is messy, but a household organizing station can make staying on top of your family to-do list easier. Ideally, this place is where you pay bills, sort and store important paperwork, leave notes that connect family members and post the calendar that keeps you all running on time. Do you have a system like this in place? If not, the start of a new year is a great time to get one. If you already have a family organizing station, in January assess what’s working and what’s not. Here are eight questions to ask yourself to make sure your family organizing center works well.
2. Who will use our organizing center? As you think about the best setup, reflect on the needs of the people who will use the organizing station most. Will it be for Mom and Dad only? Will the kids do the homework here? Who is most likely to use this space in your family?
3. Do we need a work surface? In my opinion, whether your family organizing station should include a dedicated horizontal work space is a personal choice that has to do with your tolerance for mess — and the likelihood that you’ll make one. If you add flat space, will it be put to valuable use — paying bills, writing correspondence, answering emails, doing homework? Or will it quickly become a mass of disorganized piles of paper and junk? Be honest about your habits as you answer this question.
4. What location makes sense for our family? Before you create a family organizing station, think about which location would get the most use in your home. Since the kitchen is the heart of most homes, I recommend you strongly consider it. Alternatively, you might consider a hallway, the inside of a cabinet or a non-public room close to the kitchen, such as a mudroom or laundry room. This photo shows an organizing station in a family room that connects this home’s kitchen and garage. It has room for backpacks, school paperwork, keys and a homework station.
The advantage of open and visible centers is that they can act as reminders to do this or that, which can be very helpful if you often feel overwhelmed or that you are losing track. However, the downside of visible stations is that clutter (again, if you’re prone to it) can cause anxiety. Weigh these pros and cons as you consider where to place your organizing station.
The advantage of open and visible centers is that they can act as reminders to do this or that, which can be very helpful if you often feel overwhelmed or that you are losing track. However, the downside of visible stations is that clutter (again, if you’re prone to it) can cause anxiety. Weigh these pros and cons as you consider where to place your organizing station.
5. What size makes sense for our family? This is where your list of critical tasks and items takes center stage, as they will help you determine the size you need. For instance, a child working on three hours of homework every night will need more space (and better seating) than an adult glancing through recipes or jotting down a few notes once per week or paying monthly bills. (Though, keep in mind that if what you really need is a homework station for your kids, that’s a different project than a family organizing center.) A simple space for a laptop and some files on overhead shelves will require less space than a wide writing surface, a place for the family calendar and separate cubbies for every child’s important papers.
Again, as mentioned in the previous point, it’s important to put your family organizing station in a central location that everyone can access. If that choice limits the space available, that’s ok — you can make it work.
Again, as mentioned in the previous point, it’s important to put your family organizing station in a central location that everyone can access. If that choice limits the space available, that’s ok — you can make it work.
6. Do I like the look of bins and baskets? While bins and baskets may not be your first choice for home decor, in my opinion they are a vast improvement over papers and junk taking up table or counter space in your kitchen. With a few supplies from an organizing store and a little coaching for reluctant family members, a wall-mounted command center can improve communication, get rid of piles and corral those tools you always need but can’t ever seem to find (scissors, tape, stamps). After all, it’s just as easy to put papers into a basket as set them on the table.
Pro tip: If you choose a wall-mounted command center like the one pictured here, keep in mind that it isn’t supposed to replace a home office where you might work on larger projects or keep years’ worth of files. Working in relation to some other surface, like a kitchen table or island, this vertical space should help you corral paperwork and supplies that you use on a frequent basis.
Browse wall organizers
Pro tip: If you choose a wall-mounted command center like the one pictured here, keep in mind that it isn’t supposed to replace a home office where you might work on larger projects or keep years’ worth of files. Working in relation to some other surface, like a kitchen table or island, this vertical space should help you corral paperwork and supplies that you use on a frequent basis.
Browse wall organizers
7. Will an organizing system in plain sight drive me crazy? This is really the opposite coin of the previous question. If you’re a person who will be bugged by a visible organizing system, even though it’s more expensive, you might consider a built-in desk or kitchen nook — or start dreaming about the day when you can save up enough to add one to your home. You can read about these more involved solutions in my recent story on built-in desks and nooks for organizing your family.
If a built-in just isn’t an option and seeing your organizing system will bug you, perhaps you can mount it on the back of the pantry door, inside a cabinet or in the laundry room — someplace that will feel discreet to you yet still be close enough to be useful.
If a built-in just isn’t an option and seeing your organizing system will bug you, perhaps you can mount it on the back of the pantry door, inside a cabinet or in the laundry room — someplace that will feel discreet to you yet still be close enough to be useful.
A good interim solution might be to get a piece of furniture that can function as a substitute for a built-in desk or nook. If you need a work surface but struggle with clutter, the best alternative to a traditional desk might be a secretary desk with a fold-down work surface, or an armoire with doors. When closed, it functions as an elegant storage cabinet. When open, it becomes a convenient workspace. This may also be the right solution if you are neat and your family members are not.
This type of furniture works well in a kitchen, but if your space is already cramped, you could consider your family, dining or living rooms. If you invest in a quality piece that reflects your style, it can be at home in even the most elegant room. Plus, unlike a built-in, that investment goes with you when you move.
This type of furniture works well in a kitchen, but if your space is already cramped, you could consider your family, dining or living rooms. If you invest in a quality piece that reflects your style, it can be at home in even the most elegant room. Plus, unlike a built-in, that investment goes with you when you move.
8. Will a family organizing station really get used? If you and your spouse have different organizing styles, and your kids aren’t likely to tow the line, you might want to consider creating space for your own personal desk. That way, you won’t drive everyone crazy trying to get them to adhere to your systems. And you can find your inner zen with a neat, organized workspace all your own.
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- Paying bills. Computer, checkbook, envelopes, stamps, file or binder for records.
- Coordinating schedules. Calendar, datebook, sports activities, class schedules.
- Keeping reminders and notes. Sticky notes, whiteboard, corkboard, chore chart.
- Doing homework or crafts. Work surface (other than kitchen table), supply storage, computer.
- Handling electronics. Charging station, home phone and answering machine, household printer, paper shredder.
- Storing records. Files, tools, reference materials.
You may not need to do all of these activities at your organizing center or have all of these supplies on hand — but this list can serve as a jumping-off point to get you thinking about what you do need.