I had a big cork board installed years ago- and have loved it- but now that I am redoing my kitchen I'll have to have my contractor put up new sheet rock! So cork is a good- but maybe too permanent solution!!

Check Home Goods, they usually have a few to choose from. I found a Pottery Barn"ish" one there that has worked out perfectly for us. I use ours more for keys and mail. Not really a place for a calender on it, but it was really reasonably priced. If you think it would help, I can get a picture for you.

I had a white board calendar where each week was it's own board and each color marker was for a different kind of event. It's great because when one week is done you take it down, wipe it off, slide the next three weeks up, and fill in the clean one for the end of the month. I use green for appointments, purple for holidays, blue for engagements, red for at homes, etc. Some people use a different color for each family member. This works great for knowing what's happening at a glance, with a date book by the phone for notes and long term planning.

For keys and incidentals, I prefer cubbies. Beware hanging keys in a place they can too easily be grabbed.

Here's our message center.

The whiteboard calendars keep us one month ahead. Once the current month is over, it gets changed to the one 2 months away. The far right is magnetic chalkboard. The cork is extra pieces of our cork floors without the finish on them. Cubbies on the left are for mail & school stuff + phones and chargers.

With chalkboard, magnetic and now even dry erase paint available, I would think you could easily make your own. That way you can size and tailor exactly to your family's needs.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sunset Magazine How To

Hi Robinst,

I am thinking of converting a mudroom door into a chalk
board. I have a message board similar to laxsupermoms but
mine has no white board. That is a cool idea.
I try to keep my calendar in the mud room along with keys,
dirty boots...

Here are some great ideas maybe you can use them.
~boxerpups

Tuck the work center away from METHome mag

This Old House

Materials

Country Living mag

Laxsupermom -- I LOVE your message board! So did you put all the pieces together yourself, or did you buy it that way? More details, please!! :)

We put a corkboard inside the door of our pantry cabinet. We pin up a calendar and all invitations. The mess doesn't show, but it's close at hand.

shellyk, we put all the pieces together. The magnetic chalkboard was painted directly on the wall. The whiteboard calendars are hung with command adhesive strips and were purchased at A.C.Moore with their weekly 40% off coupons. Like I said above, the cork was leftover tiles from doing the floors. The cubbies were just made from some leftover scrapwood in the garage.

We figured on only needing 3 phone cubbies(it goes 2 phone cubbies, then an outlet, then another phone cubbie,) because DS1 will have moved out(in theory) before DS2 is old enough to need a phone. The mail slots were the rest of the space divided by 4.

Simple 1x2's frame out the whole thing. Fluted door casing with one edge ripped off on the table saw makes the marker/chalk tray on the bottom.

I think that looks all supermom, and not at all lax. ;)

Thanks, Lax! I love the cubbies for each family member -- that is exactly what I need. We are not handy at all, but I wonder if my carpenter could build that part and attach the frame to the outside... The frame looks great, but also serves as a nice ledge for putting markers and stuff. Awesome!

We had to eliminate our Message Center from our kitchen so we came up with this:

It's recessed into the pantry wall and is located in the very short "hall" b/w the FR & Kitchen and diagonally from the garage entrance in the FR that's our family entrance.

The outlets (phone & power) are inside the pantry. We drilled a hole in the wall just above the "sill" in the back that we fished the cords through. Here's what it looks like inside the pantry:

The one thing it lacks, though, is mail space. Someday I hope to steal about 5' off our garage & create a Mudroom...when I do, I plan to have a place for mail there.

As to school papers, etc., we have two "school bus" magnetic clips on our garage door (from the FR to the garage)...one for each child. We clip school papers, scout info, etc. in these clips...the ones requiring action the soonest are on top.

Uhh . . . What's a "mudroom?" Also, while I'm at it, what's a "DH?"

Beuhl, I love yours too! I have a narrow wall like that in my mudroom that would be perfect for a phone niche and a place to hang keys -- I had been looking for a spot for these items... and I even have a small vacuum closet on the other side that we could steal some space from and put outlets in! Yet another picture saved from Beuhl's home! :)

On more question, Beuhl. What is the depth on your niche?

Rhome's reply to Studio got zapped by the backup restore.

We don't have mudrooms, but I know what one is! It's the family entry, often at the back or service/utility side of the house, where wet and muddy outdoor clothes and shoes can be put off and hung to dry. Actual mud is one reason why it's generally near the laundry. Old days, small houses, it was pegs on a back porch. Current trends, it's a small room with a bench to sit for boot removal, and often cubbies and/or lockers for family members to not only hang up their coats in, but to organize backpacks and other take as you leave items.

DH = Dear (or danged) Husband
DW = Dear Wife

The following are used with a numeral indicating birth order, or occasionally age:
DS = Dear Son
DD = Dear Daughter

DS2 is dear second son. DD18 is Dear Daughter at 18 years old.

MIL = mother in law
B, F, S IL, Brother, Father, Sister in law

I just saw this post on YoungHouseLove and thought it might serve as inspiration.

Here is a link that might be useful: chalkboard door

A mudroom is a tack room for humans. A place to store all the boots, scarves, jackets, dog leashes, heavy coats....
I love our Mudroom it is off the laundry room. I just wish
I had a hose and drain on the tile floor to really clean
everyone off. : )

Designed by Chris Kaufman

And Apt size mudroom/storage
From Blissfully Domestic

I posted this yesterday but it got lost in cyberspace. Here's our side entrance. When you first enter the mudroom there is a cabinet (not visible in photo) for hats, gloves, umbrellas, scarves, etc. The coat closet is on the right and across from it there will be 5 or 6 hooks by restoration hardware above the green boots. I already bought the hooks but am waiting on Darn Husband or Dear Husband I forget which. There will also be an open bench under the hooks. And I'm thinking of putting a message board above. The lower shelf of our antique hi boy is for my DD ballet bags and our purses. Oh and Remington's bed covers the entrance to our root cellar. Presently he is guarding potatoes, carrots, garlic and pumpkins.

Our whole first floor is a mudroom!!!!

shellyk, I just saw your question. Sorry it took so long to get back to you! The mail slots are 2" deep each.

Thanks so much for all the information. I really like the one laxsupermom posted. Too bad it requires me to be handy. I actually saw one that I was in love with from a do-it-yourself project book recently that was recessed into the wall. I just don't have the time right now to make it. Maybe I'll wait and see if I can get it done later this year. Thanks to all for the great mudroom ideas!

We just got back from Ikea where I purchased a metal magnet board which is either white painted or dark silver gray painted. I got the gray. We found it in the Home Organization department, among other magnetized boards. We also bought magnet cups, to hold pencils, pens. It does have cutouts on the back for hanging.

This is just for those who were wondering where they could get a large wall magnet board.

I wish our mudroom were in a door we come in more often. Ours is off the back door (back of the house) which leads to the kitchen but it's an old house and we park in the front and go right in the front door.

Right inside the front door we have a tiny vestibule where we do put shoes, and there's also a built-in bench, but the whole vestibule is very tiny. If we were to hang rain coats up it would partially block the tall beveled windows and just doesn't feel nice enough for a front entry area you know? :( We have a wreath hanging on the wall above the built-in bench and with the shoe rack on the opposite side, that seems like enough.

I'm so happy someone posted this as a link! Does anyone have any additional ideas for memo/calendar/phone/mail centers in the kitchen that doesn't end up looking like a..... dumping ground?