DIY Homework Command Center

The nook in our kitchen was organized at one point…and then we borrowed things from it for other spaces in the house. And then it just become a piling ground. My kids love to do art and all their homework on our kitchen table…and it’s ruining the top because they’re just rough on things! So I decided to turn the nook into a homework command center.

This is what it looked like before (plus, a shot showing how my 2 year old was always pulling out all the coloring books and spreading them all over the playroom).

Since we currently rent, we decided not to paint this time and I’ve really missed the “done” feeling painting rooms gives a home. So I had the idea to paint a chalkboard wall in the nook and get organized. One weekend and about $120 later, I feel so much better with the new set up. And the kids love it!

I had so much fun putting this together for them!

Here’s a breakdown of the supplies and costs:

Chalkboard Paint from Lowe’s – $10 (I only used half the can, so $5 if you count that!)
Two Wood Curtain Rods from Lowe’s – $15
Four packs of Cork Tiles from Target (4 tiles come in one pack) – $28
“S” Shower Hooks from Target – $10
Two file Folder Boxes from Target – $10
Six Tin Buckets from the Target Dollar Bins – $6
Three Jelly Baskets from Michael’s – $42 total by using a 25% off coupon

I started by taping off the area with painters tape and then started on painting. It took 3 coats to get nice, solid coverage.

After I removed the painters tape and the wall dried overnight, I seasoned the wall. All you have to do for this is rub chalk all over the wall and then wipe it off. Next, I hung the curtain rods so I knew how much room I had to work with for the typography. I had my heart set on using this Maya Angelou quote on the wall.

I always start a hand-lettering project by sketching out layout ideas. A simple trick to doing chalkboard art, more easily is to sharpen the chalk with a pencil sharpener. The walls are textured, so it was a little harder to do the art work than it would be on a smooth wall but not impossible!

Then I traced the lettering using a Elmer’s Painters Pen (which I already had in my craft room arsenal) to make it more visible and permanent, mostly because of the textured walls. After it dried, I wiped away any excess chalk.

At this point, I felt like the sides needed something extra so I walked around Target browsing and decided to use cork tiles since they’re not only inexpensive but also functional. They’re super easy to apply too. They come with peel and stick adhesive squares! I just measured and cut some of the tiles to piece each wall together to fit the space.

I also used colored chalk to write some basic math facts and the ABCs on the wall to add a pop of color.

Then, I hung the buckets/scissors on the rods using the shower “s” hooks and filled them with our art supplies. The cork board walls hold our “to do” folder of important paperwork and bills, our family calendar, a few pictures, and my son’s weekly spelling list. Each of our two oldest has a file folder box for current school work. By the time I have to work in space for our 2 year old, we’ll be in a new state and a new house!

Finding the baskets for the shelf was the final piece (and the hardest to find something to add color and fit nicely so I ended up spending more than I planned). The green one holds the kids’ past school work, the blue is office supplies, and the pink is full of coloring books (where my 2 year old can’t reach them!). 🙂