Day #17 ~ Getting Organized Challenge (The mail station)

I think this is my most favorite day in the Getting Organized Challenge hosted by A Bowl Full of Lemons. I'm late joining up which you can read more about here but I'm at Day 17... the mail station!

We live in a culture that's just plain busy. We do our best to keep outside commitments to a minimum so that we can keep the stress to a minimum. With home, work, ministry, and 2 kids, however, there are things we need to keep track of. Having a space to keep important info in order and handy helps with that!

With our laundry room re-do, we left space at the end of the wall of cabinets for our Command Central. You can see more of the overall transformation here.
Here's a before pic of that end of the laundry room (looking towards the kitchen):

 After all the old cabinets were removed.



Here are the almost done pics:

 An overall look from the other end of the laundry room looking towards the kitchen.

 

My calendar, tack board, magnet board, Ikea Ribba picture frame rail, and Kroken rail. I also got a little stationery sorter at Goodwill recently and that holds some current sale info, gift cards, and note paper.

A close-up of the ledge and rail. I painted Mason jar lids with chalkboard spray paint. The jars hold random things that we need to have access to here: box tops, Campbell's points labels, spare change, paper clips/push pins, rubber bands, and twist ties. The little pails, also from Ikea, hold bank info, pens/pencils, small notepads/bookmarks, and scissors/letter openers.

We made the tack board and magnet boards using 16x20 picture frames that we had on hand. We bought a 4-pack of cork tiles and cut them to fit, used spray adhesive to attach the fabric, and then popped it in the frame. The magnet board was easy too. I got a piece of sheet metal from Home Depot, covered it with coordinating fabric, and put it in the other frame. (Bonus: the fabric, which is decorator weight, was on clearance at Hobby Lobby.)

Another look at the new space!

The first cupboard at that end of the laundry room holds more needed info. A magazine holder has my current Taste of Home mags and catalogs. The red binder has important family info and contact info. The blue binder is school info for the kids. Phone books, church directory, and coupons for my mom are all in here too.

Everything's together and in it's home---where I can find it... usually. :)


See more great organizing ideas or join the challenge yourself!