A family command center is one place in the house where the schedule, the keys, the mail, and the bags all live, and a big household needs one more than a small one does. For family command center ideas, the pieces below come from my Purple, Marble & Mom Life list on Benable and my HOME MUST HAVES list on Amazon: two dry erase boards for the wall or fridge, a key and mail holder, storage benches, backpack tags, and a rolling laundry sorter.

Disclosure: some links in this post are affiliate links, including my Benable links, and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

What is a family command center, and what does it need?

It needs three jobs covered: seeing the schedule, dropping what you carry in, and sorting what comes home. A wall board covers the first, a key and mail holder and a bench cover the second, and tags and a laundry sorter cover the third. You do not need all of it at once. Pick the job that causes the most trouble in your house and start there.

Which dry erase boards work for a big family's schedule?

Use a weekly board for the near term and a monthly calendar for everything further out. Both are on my Purple, Marble & Mom Life list on Benable. The Large Magnetic Weekly Planner Dry Erase Board is 17x12 inches, and my note says the bigger size actually fits a whole week of meals and chores without feeling cramped. The Dry Erase Monthly Calendar Whiteboard, 24x18 inches, has a cork board side, and my note calls it great for keeping track of everyone's schedules when you have a big family.

Where should keys and mail go?

By the door, on the wall, in one fixed spot. The HOMEBROS wooden key and mail holder on my HOME MUST HAVES list is there for exactly that job. Check its listing for how it mounts, how many hooks it has, and how much mail it holds, since none of that is in the title. A holder only works if everyone uses the same place, so hang it where hands already go.

What can handle the pile of shoes and bags at the door?

A storage bench gives you a seat and a hiding place in one piece. My HOME MUST HAVES list has two: the VASAGLE storage chest bench and the HOOBRO retro wooden storage bench. One is called a storage chest bench and the other a retro wooden storage bench, so compare the listing photos and the stated dimensions against the wall you have. Also check the weight the seat is rated for before you count on it as seating for adults.

How do you keep backpacks and lunch boxes from getting mixed up?

Put a name on each one. The Personalized Kids Backpack & Lunch Box Tags on my Benable list are meant to be ordered one per kid, and my note says that keeps bags from getting mixed up at school pickup. With seven kids, that is one tag for every bag.

Is there toy storage that does not take floor space?

An over-the-door option uses the space you already have. The Honeyera over-door stuffed animal storage on my HOME MUST HAVES list hangs on the back of a door. Check the listing for how thick a door it fits and how many stuffed animals it is meant to hold before you order.

What helps with the laundry that comes home?

Sorting at the source keeps a pile from forming. The HOOBRO 5-section rolling laundry sorter is on my Overwhelmed Mom Brain Essentials list and has five sections on wheels. That means it can move to wherever the pile is growing, and each section is a place for one kind of load.

The bottom line on a family command center

Start with the wall board and one place for keys, then add pieces as the next problem shows itself. I am a mom of seven who also runs Marie Gems and Marie Glow Studio, so my own days are the reason these lists lean toward things that make a schedule visible. How the days actually work shows what that looks like, and my story has the background. Prices on Amazon move around, so check each listing before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

What is a family command center?

It is one spot in the house where the schedule, keys, mail, and bags all live. In this post it is built from a weekly board and a monthly calendar for the wall, a key and mail holder, storage benches, backpack tags, and a laundry sorter.

What size dry erase board fits a whole week of meals and chores?

My Benable note on the Large Magnetic Weekly Planner Dry Erase Board says the 17x12 inch size is the bigger option and actually fits a whole week of meals and chores without feeling cramped.