7 Fun Ways to Get Organized Using Chalkboard Paint

When people think of chalkboard paint they usually think of children's projects - toy boxes, small easels to draw on, huge chalkboards from elementary school. But chalkboard paint has come a long way, baby! It's now used in high-end kitchens, on furniture, and for keeping your life organized. You can paint it on nearly any surface, and then once you do, you can write on it as quickly as you can erase!

So in homage to this nouveau decorating technique (and because it's National Organization Month), I've rounded up the best, most practical ways to get organized using chalkboard paint. (One that I need for myself is this chalkboard calendar. I LOVE that it uses both colored chalkboard paint and an old window! Genius.)

A few tips for using chalkboard paint:
- Don't feel like you're just stuck with black or green - you can make your own custom colors!
- Pick the right brush for a smooth finish. I prefer a foam roller or brush for application.
- Use at least three coats on a surface for the most complete coverage.
- Let chalkboard paint dry for 72 hours before writing on it.
- Once the paint dries, you have to "condition" the paint with chalk before using. This means you rub a piece of chalk back and forth all over the surface and then wipe it off before using.

1. Kitchen Wall
Keep this week's favorite recipes in a place where all can see. This chalkboard surface also acts as a grocery list!

2. Food Canisters
You don't always have to use paint; chalkboard labels make it easy and fast to get a writing surface on glass.

3. Laundry Room Bins
So many items go onto the shelves in the laundry room that it's hard to keep track. Never dig around again with these handy labeled bins.

4. Desk Organizer
Keep those small desk items organized and together - and when the contents of the drawers change, you can change the label.

5. What's for Dinner? Calendar
Keep the nightly questions about what's for dinner at bay - refer your family to the chalkboard menu on the side of a cabinet or on a cupboard door.

6. Party Table
This is such a cool way to organize party food so that everyone knows what they are sampling.
Make this party table

7. Wall Calendar
I couldn't resist showing you another calendar option - this oversized one is on the wall, and you get the color gradations of chalkboard paint by mixing various amounts of black and white.