With school officially back in season, it became imperative for us to find a way to get organized. You know what I’m talking about…school papers, schedules, folders, backpacks, lunchboxes…the list goes on and on. But in our home we don’t have a clear space for those awesome command centers you see all over Pinterest, so I had to get crafty!
I needed a cabinet to house the backpacks and lunchboxes, plus I wanted to get the girls papers up off the counters. So first I hit the thrift shops looking for an older dresser or kitchen cabinet…and I scored big time! Less than $30 for this beauty!
Ethan Allen circa 1960!
This Ethan Allen cabinet was ugly, but a reproduction of an old 1800’s dry sink. Since I’m all about Chip and Joanna Gaines and their TLC show Fixer Upper these days, I thought, I can do what they do right?! Rehab junk and make it look farmhouse chic?! I mean make a killer yet pretty DIY Home Wall Organizer!
Not bad for our first DIY try! We sanded, primed, and painted it this awesome coraly – melon color, and it turned out super cute! It hides the back packs and other school stuff, and I was able to make our own little school station right in our kitchen nook.
Hobby Lobby and their 40% off coupons on their app are my new BFF. I found these wire baskets which are perfect to hide the school papers and keep them off our kitchen island.
And fell in love with this cute little cork board made from an old window. This will house our daughter’s chore lists and reward charts. (When I get around to making them of course.)
Then I found this sign that totally matches our decor, and the sayings are lovely and inspirational!
And we needed this little burlap bulletin board that will hold all of our schedules! Because we have lots and lots and lots of calendars.
Speaking of schedules, I’ve combed the internet looking for the perfect weekly and monthly printable calendars for our family, and nothing is just right. So I made my own.
And I’m sharing them with you! JUST ENTER YOUR NAME & EMAIL BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE CALENDARS!
I hope this inspires you to get organized for the new school year. And don’t be afraid to try your hand at thrifting! It was easier than I thought and so much fun! If you need more tips to get organized for the school year, check out my Top 5 Tips for Easier School Mornings.
And here are some other great ideas for Home Organizer Stations. Good luck and enjoy the printable calendars!
This turned out great! I love it!
I love your new command control center! Very pretty! I need those wire baskets – STAT!!!
Love it! We don’t have a lot of space, either, so I’m going to pin this so I can come back to it later. I’m tired of the dining room table serving as our “station.” LOL
I love this and we also have a designated area in our home complete with cork board believe it or not as I so need to be organized each school year myself, but still am going to print out your printable calendar here and utilize in my area, as well. So thank you for that and you did a beautiful job with you area by the way 😉
Wow, this is just gorgeous!!! And so practical. Thanks for giving me some great ideas!
good job! love this kinda stuff!
So cute! I would have loved this when my kids were growing up. We had a color-coded calendar on our refrigerator for 20 years 🙂
this turned out AWESOME! I need to get organized like this.. I love the whole idea and that cabinet turned out great! I love the color!
I LOVE IT! And good for you starting the school year off all organized! Having such a cute spot for everything will motivate you to stick with it.
OMG– What a perfectly organized life. I LOVE THIS. Super cool idea. I need this in my life.
Oh wow! I just love it! That coral color is perfect. I really would like a station like this in our home. I think it’s the teacher in me, but I love organized little nooks.
Love all of it! I have baskets for school papers but I would love to put some baskets on the wall. I have a rug that is the same pattern and almost same color as the background of your calendar pattern.
What a great idea! The desk is so cute and I love the printable calendars. I am definitely going to print some out to help get ready for back to school. I need a little command center like this, definitely inspiring! 🙂
What an awesome DIY project Kristen! I love EVERYTHING about it! Those chore lists… awesome. Well done on the printable too!
Thanks for sharing! You’ve inspired me to get a little more organized!
xoxo
Great article! Cute ideas! I love keeping organized and you gave some good ideas! Enjoyed the post!
I love it Kirsten – you had me at the cute bunting and the vintage baskets – I just love it all 🙂
Thank you lady! How are you???
No doubt, you did an amazing job.
We had a family command center when we were kids and as a family of five, it was VITAL. We just knew where and when everyone would be. It was key.
Plus my parents put what was for dinner on there!
Oooooh, pretty AND brilliant! I really need to get my crap together like this. I am a hot mess. Well just take away the hot and really I am just a mess!
I was too, I needed this desperately!
Well I know what I’m going to be doing this weekend and man am I ever excited! My kids are starting activities for the first time this September and my daughter is starting preschool. My husband and I are both in activities of our own. I love the colour! I love the print offs AND my foyer is pretty barren so I’m sooooooo excited about this!!! LOVE your blog ❤️❤️❤️
Omg I so need to do this with a wall in my house! So cute!!
Love it!
I have a similar area – and it has saved my life:). Mines in black and white, though. I love you colors – happy and cheerful!
Those Pinterest command centers drive me batty! I love the way they look, but who has that much extra space????? Love your little command nook. We’ve been working on our own for the past few weeks (since construction finished) and I hope it looks as cute as yours when it’s done! Thanks for the free printables, too!
So organized!! I am sure I will need to do something like this when my two are both in school.
What a super cute and functional command center!
It’s pretty and useful! Thank you for sharing. You are one of the features at the Make it Pretty party at The Dedicated House. Here is the link to this week’s party. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2015/09/make-it-pretty-monday-week-149.html Hope to see you again at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
This is AWESOME, Kristen! And so pretty too! I need something like this to get me organized!
The Weekly Feature Series is live. Pop on over and check out your feature. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2015/09/weekly-feature-series_12.html Have a lovely weekend. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Love the wire basket! I have been searching for a solution for all the school papers.
That’s awesome, you really have a creative talents and creating something out of something is amazing. Definitely gonna try this soon and add to my desk.