Kitchen Command Center...keeping life semi-organized

How do you keep 4 kids organized? 

Honestly I'm not sure I always do, but I certainly try...My OCD would have it no other way! 

I get a lot of questions about how I organize things, so I'll share with you my system in this house. The layout of your house has a lot to do with how things work for you, so what works for me, might not work for you.

This is my KITCHEN COMMAND CENTER. The kitchen is the heart of the home, so everything stems from here. I have an office and an entry way, etc. but this is where all the action is, so this is the best place for most things to stem from. 


Our calendar, my computer, pens, pencils, envelopes, kids school folders, etc...anything important or essential is in this area.


After the kids unpack, they bring their school folders up and put them in the magazine rack there next to the pen/pencil organizer. From there we can go through them. There papers that stay home, but are NOT IMPORTANT get put in the wire basket and we go through them every weekend. That way they can show dad what they have been working on etc. 

Anything that is important, I take out and try to take care of right away, OR it goes in the little pocket in my desktop organizer. I know things in there need attention. 

The pad of paper is ALWAYS sitting there next to my computer. Its my go to TO DO. I jot down anything that comes to mind that needs to be done, whether it be call doctor or buy eggs.

The bottom magazine racks have coupons (think pizza and Chinese), recipes, and school things like math games, workbooks, etc that stay at home. 

These ticket jars are our behavior system. Each child starts the week with 40 tickets. Anytime they don't listen, talk back, etc. etc. a ticket get s taken away. If its a large offense, 5 tickets get taken away. Believe me, they do NOT like to see tickets disappear!!

At the end of the week they can "shop" in the family store. There are just little goodies and they all have "price tags" on them labeled with the number of tickets it cost to get them. They look forward to the family store because its little treats they don't get on a regular basis.

On the wall is our family calendar. I use the COZI app on my phone religiously, but this way we can see what is going on at a glace. Its color coded per kid, so they like to look too and see what they have going on that day.

We have a weekly calendar and I just write chore for the kids on there daily. 

And then the folder is just things that need to go down stairs to the office, like mail, or things that need filed, etc. 

And then I just have this bulletin board where I put birthday invites, doctor notes, whatever I might need. 

I keep the school lunch calendar and each child's weekly newsletter on the fridge.

I had this piece made. I needed some kind of organization for the kids coats, backpacks, shoes and sports stuff. It has worked wonders! I LOVE IT!! It pretty much spooks for itself. This is located right inside where we come in from the garage. Which is on the lower level.

So there you have it. Thats how I try to keep everyone organized and not forget that it is spirit week and book fair in the elementary school and dance observation week and we have cub scout snack and an orthodontist appointment, etc.....