Last week, I shared some common elements of a command center. Today, as promised, I’m sharing the DIY command center that the Mister and I put together plus the plans so you can make your own!

How to Do It Yourself

If you’d like to make your own DIY ultimate command center, here’s the how-to! These instructions explain how to make it exactly as we did (plus a few alternative suggestions). You, of course, have the wiggle room to do it as you like.

What You Need

• To Make Board:
  • sheet metal cut into TWO pieces, one that is 18″ wide by 24″ high and another that is cut to 14″ wide by 12″ high
  • chalkboard paint and foam paint brush
  • 1/4″ plywood cut to 33-1/2″ wide by 30″ high
  • 1/4″ plywood cut into FOUR triangles that are 2-1/2″ wide by 5″ tall (directions to cut triangles below)
  • 1/4″ plywood cut into TWO rectangles that are 12-1/4″ wide by 5-1/2″ tall
  • 1/4″ thick, 1-1/2″ wide trim cut into TWO 33-1/2″ pieces, THREE 22″ pieces, and ONE 12-1/4″ piece
  • 1/4″ thick L-shaped trim cut to 33-1/2″
  • 6 coat hooks
  • screws (as many as you need)
  • basic tools (saw, drill, drill bits, clamps, books to weigh things down, caulking gun, stud finder, etc.)
  • Liquid Nails
  • paint (I used white then an aqua/turquoise blue) and paintbrush(es)
• Once Complete:
  • file folders (I used these ones)
  • label maker
  • chalkboard labels
  • magnets (for the calendar, I used these ones)
  • vinyl lettering (some to say {menu} and some for the first letter of each day of the week; if you can’t make them yourself with a Silhouette or Cricut, you can ask shops on Etsy to make them for you; I used the Special Elite font)
  • chalk (colored or white)
  • calendar sheets
• Some Alternate Ideas:
  • You could attach a cork board strip along the top of the command center to pin important notes and what not.
  • If you have a big wall to put the command center on, you could make the command center wider and add a cork board section.
  • If you don’t need or don’t want the chalkboard section to be magnetic, you can forego the sheet metal for that section and just paint the wood with chalkboard paint.
  • Instead of a chalkboard, you could paint using dry erase board paint.

To Assemble

1. Paint the 18″ by 24″ piece of sheet metal with chalkboard paint. Allow to dry overnight then paint with a second coat. Allow to dry for 3 days.
2. Cut out all of your plywood and trim pieces. To cut the triangles, cut out two rectangle pieces that are each 2-1/2″  wide by 5″ high then cut them each lengthwise from one corner to the opposite like this:
   
3. Lay out the largest piece of plywood (the 33-1/2″ wide by 30″ high piece) on a flat surface then arrange all of the other pieces on it to make sure everything is going to fit as it should. Using a pencil, pen, or Sharpie, trace where the plain sheet metal and chalkboard sheet will go.
4. Paint all the plywood and trim pieces, avoiding the areas where the sheet metal and chalkboard sheet will go (make sure you can still see their outlines). Allow to completely dry.
5. Glue the chalkboard sheet and sheet metal to the plywood with the Liquid Nails. Set some heavy books on top of them and allow the glue to dry.
6. Glue on all of the flat trim pieces EXCEPT the 12-1/4″ long piece. Start with the top piece, then the three center vertical pieces, then the bottom piece. Make sure they are perfectly placed (including the edges flush with the edges of the plywood base). Use clamps and/or heavy books to hold them tightly down. Allow the glue to dry completely.
7. Glue the small rectangles to the SLANTED side of the triangles–two triangles per rectangle–to form the mail slots. Carefully clamp together and allow to dry completely.
8. Glue the L-shaped trim to the board (you’ll only need to glue the edge). Clamp it and/or weigh it down with books. We placed a book in between the open space of the tray and the main part of the board to prevent it from bending. Allow the glue to completely dry.
9. Glue the mail boxes to the top left corner. The bottom of the top box should touch the top of the bottom box. Clamp into place and allow to completely dry.
10. Glue on the shortest (12-1/4″) piece of trim just below the bottom the mail box. Clamp into place and/or weigh down with books and allow to completely dry.
11. Pre-drill holes to screw in any structure-supporting screws (to keep trim from falling off, etc.). We found that the glue did a good enough job at holding everything together, so we didn’t really put any structure-supporting screws.
12. Place the coat hooks where you would like them along the bottom. Measure to make sure they’re the same distance apart (the distance will depend on the width of the hooks you use). Once you know where you want them, mark the holes with a Sharpie. Set the hooks aside for now.
13. Using a stud finder, find one or two studs upon which to hang the command center. Pre-drill holes into the command center based on where these studs are.
14. Attach the command center to the wall using long screws, getting it into the studs as possible. Use drywall anchors where it can’t be screwed into a stud.
15. Screw on the coat hooks.

To Add Finishing Touches

1. Use a label maker to label the file folders. I used plastic file folders so they’d be sturdier and last longer. I labeled them: Action (for items like vehicle registration that need attention), File (for things that need to be filed), Magazines, Flex Spending (for receipts and such to turn in to my husband’s work for our Flexible Spending account), Taxes (for receipts and items that can be used on our taxes), and Coupons.
2. Adjust a chalkboard label to the front of each mail slot to label what type of items are in it (Mail, etc.).
3. Print off some calendar sheets (I sell the ones as pictured here) to put on the magnetic sheet metal.