Once Charlie started public school, there were so many school events and holidays we needed a better system to keep track of them. Google Calendar on our phones wasn’t cutting it because we needed something we could see in one glance every day. So I painted our entryway wall with chalkboard paint and put up 3 months of calendar pages. The location was perfect because we’d see it on our way out every day. But the calendar was just too small to see from a distance, so I purchased this oversized dry erase calendar decal from Paper Source and it’s been working well for us. I just put up a second one so that we could see two months at a time! The chalkboard wall comes in handy because we can write notes and reminders on the side, and the kids love to draw on it as well.
I’ve maximized storage in this little nook with Container Store Elfa shelves up to the ceiling and Target baskets that hold our shoes, hats, and sunblock. There’s also a bowl for loose change, a letter tray for our mail (that never gets used), and the kids’ buckets so we can grab them when we’re headed to the playground. We’ve had our Elfa shelves for a decade and many moves later, they’re still going strong! They’re perfect for city living since they have a small footprint and can be customized.
Another thing that has been an absolute lifesaver for me was hanging up some command hooks (I use these for everything) right by the front door for my keys. I was always losing my keys, but now I (rarely) lose them. 
How do you stay on top of your family’s events?
pineapple / 12053 posts
we sync all our calendars with google cal and ical between all our computers and iphones and ipad as well as having a large paper calendar from paper source hanging up with major events (instead of just small appts).
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
Lovely! I keep a paper calendar in my purse and use Google calendar for anything that is way out in the future beyond my 1 year calendar. This is my first year going back to a paper calendar and I’m loving it!
kiwi / 511 posts
So far we don’t have kids in school, but our oldest starts kindergarten in September, so we just go with google calendar and my DH and I each share a calendar. I love that I can an add an entry for him and put it directly on the calendar rather than inviting him to something, if I don’t need to be there.
I imagine that I will be add the school calendar to it as well since we put our work vacation days in there. I may just create a new account for that and give it to the school to use and have it set up to forward to both my DH and I.
cherry / 175 posts
My husband is on call every other week and I work a direct sales business and am often out of the house two nights a week for parties. It is imperative WE are synced. My husband never kept up with google calendar so I have a Passion Planner in purse for me and we have a large calendar hanging on the fridge. This is where kids events, weekend plans, his call schedule, my party schedule, when the maid is coming, who’s babysitting etc is all listed. I’m sure as my kids get older it will get even crazier!
nectarine / 2053 posts
love that! inspiration to get organized
blogger / apricot / 367 posts
Love that dry erase decal. We use a dry erase calendar in our kitchen but I love how big the decal is!
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
Cute space! We have an elfa system in our children’s bedroom bc they have a tiny closet, and I love it!!
I plan to do a large calendar like that when the kids get older and we have more staggered schedules! It will also be a good place to list out chores and have them checkmark them off as they’re done with it (I saw this done at a friend’s house). Right now we just use our google calendars and it’s working for us!