I have three kids, and it gets a little cray-cray (used this word just for the satisfaction of making my tween cringe) getting out the door in time to beat the school bell. Backpacks are all over the place, papers need to be signed, phones and keys have magically disappeared…you get the picture. I needed a better system. So I turned an old headboard into a kid command center, and my mornings got a lot more efficient.

Here’s the before shot; $7.99 at Thrift Town.

First order of business was to remove the backing and lighting system of the unit. I removed the backing simply because the wire baskets I got as part of my organization plan didn’t fit properly…so off it came! I then spray painted the unit black.

I wanted to add an area where I could leave messages for my kids, and easily could have chalkboard painted the section where I ended up attaching the backpack hooks and mini chalkboards. However, I liked the way the mini chalkboards hung.

For the backpacks, I attached some decorative hooks to the unit with my electric screwdriver. I spaced them out equally on the front. Be sure to measure how high up you are mounting this unit so your backpacks don’t hit the floor, and your kids can still reach them. If you are not mounting the unit onto the wall, and leaving as more of a side table, you can screw on the backpack or purse hooks onto each side of the unit, high enough up where they won’t drag on the floor.

I then started embellishing with decorative items that could double as organization pieces. My wire baskets I love as a collect-all piece.

I used various pieces on the top of the unit as well. A basket for keys and phones, and a vintage tool box for pencils, etc.

Here’s a shot of the completed project. Check out the live segment on Good Day Sacramento to see more DIY tidbits.

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

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.