As a mom of three, I know things can get a little (a lot) crazy when the kids are scrambling to get out the door to school on time, and on the flip side, bursting through the doors throwing backpacks, papers, helmets, and whatever else (sometimes frogs) they’ve got in their hot little fists from their journey home from school. When I came across a “Pinspiration” of someone who transformed a headboard into an organization station in their home, it was like the skies cleared, angels sang, and I knew I must create a Kids Command Center of my own.

Onto Thrift Town I went, and found this headboard specimen for $9.99. It had the bones I was looking for so I grabbed it and thus my DIY began.

First business in order was to paint the headboard to something I could actually consider putting into my home. I had some great black Rustoleum spray paint on hand, so I threw that color on there in about five minutes.

I knew I wanted a place for the kids to store any papers, iPods, keys, etc., in addition to an area where I could have them hang their backpacks and write down chores or messages. The wire baskets I fell in love with didn’t fit properly on the middle shelf, so I simply used a hammer and pried off the plywood backing of the headboard. Problem solved.

For the message center, I toyed with chalkboard painting the bottom overhang section (directly under the middle shelf). In the end I decided to staple chalkboard signs under each child’s section.

I planned on mounting this unit on the wall, so next to the chalkboard signs I screwed into place decorative hooks to hold their backpacks or sweatshirts (or baseball hats which we frequently are in a panic to find ten minutes before my sons are to report to the field!).

Now, you also have the option of leaving this unit on the floor like an entry table. If you do, instead of putting the backpack hooks where I did near the message center, put them toward the top on either side of the unit. Hard to explain without a visualization, but if you click the link to the segment I did on Good Day Sacramento, I cover this option there and show exactly where I’m talking about.

If you do choose to mount this on a wall, be sure to use molly bolts, and here’s a tip; the part of the headboard that is used to connect it to the bed frame can be removed and repurposed as a cleat of sorts that you can use to mount the unit onto the wall. Secure the piece with screws and reinforce with elmers wood glue (or gorilla glue) and go from there.

On the top of the headboard/command center you can decorate using fun accent pieces like books, mason jars full of pencils, pens or chalk for the message board, and a basket that can hold mom and dad’s sunglasses, keys, cell phones, etc. hopefully making the morning dash and afternoon crash a little more organized.

Final shot…

Watch the segment live on Good Day Sacramento’s Thrifty Thursday! Here’s the link:

http://gooddaysacramento.cbslocal.com/video/10218025-thrifty-thursday-diy-kids-command-center/

Happy thrifting!

Gina Doglione-Nielsen is featured every week on Good Day Sacramento’s Thrifty Thursdays, and owns GNJ Consulting which handles Public, Social, and Media Relations for Thrift Town Stores. Gina lives in Northern California with her amazing husband Josh, and is constantly on the go with three “very active” and “strong personality” bambinos; aka Team Nielsen, and loves every minute of it.