Every home needs a Family Communication Station: a place where you communicate with your family and can leave notes; a place where permission slips that need signing go, so they don’t get forgotten; a spot where you place important TO DOs, such as bills that need to be paid; a place where you control the calendar chaos. A Family Communication Station is a MUST HAVE in EVERY home, and yet they can all look different.
Our Communication Station is very simple. Remember, it’s just Russell and I 99% of the time; however, if your family is larger, I’ll share a few additional tips that can work for you and your family in a communication station of your own.
Containing the Calendar Chaos
We have our family calendar. It’s a dry erase calendar that has 5 weeks on it, which I update each week so we can always see a month or so out. This is a lifeline for us. Russell has a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) so he doesn’t remember things very well. Also, because of his injuries from serving in the US Army, he has a multitude of doctor appointments each week and if we couldn’t see our week at a glance, we’d both be lost with all that we have going on and probably would miss an appointment or two.
For ease, I also color code our dry erase calendar. Again, at a glance, we can each see who has what going on. Russell and his appointments and meetings are Blue. My appointments are Red and Major’s were Purple. (RIP, Buddy. We love you.) If there was something we were doing together, like vacation, it would be Black. Simple to see and to know, who has a dentist appointment or some other meeting next Tuesday, so we don’t double book.
On my Wish List
I recently came across a great new calendar solution for keeping all these calendars, important dates, notes and even menus and such from Tula XII. (If you haven’t heard of Tula XII, be sure to check them out. They have EVERYTHING you need to stay on top of things.) Their new wall calendar is the bomb-dot-com and they have the perfect set up regardless of your style. (It’s on my holiday wish list.) Check them out.
At our Communication Station, we also have a blank dry erase board. This one is for leaving notes. Again, Russell’s memory is HORRIBLE. So, each day, I write a list of things to do. It could be calls he needs to make, chores that need doing, or simply just an “I love you.” This has been an invaluable tool. I no longer nag or need to remind him multiple times of what needs to be done. This tip can be used for kids in your home as well, not just for husbands.
Keeping track in the Communication Station
On our wall underneath the calendar, there is a basket. This basket is for bills and any other important documents that need our attention. It keeps things in one place not scattered around the house or left on the counter or dining room table.
If you have kids, it’s an excellent idea to have wall mounted baskets for each child for their homework, permission slips, bake sale notices and other items. We had something similar to this one when my kids still lived at home and I had to track their paperwork.
Within our Communication Station is also where we keep the grocery list. Whenever we need to add something, there’s the list.
Keeping all things Russell and I need to communicate about keeps the clutter to a minimum and our organization at its most efficient.
Here’s to creating your family communication station and RESETTING your life!
Roberta
“A place for everything and everything in its place.” – Benjamin Franklin
P.S. If you have a communication station in your home, I’d love to see it. I love learning from you too!
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