Journal
How I Set Up Our Family Memory Board (and Why We Needed One)
Why we needed a family memory board for school tests and schedules, plus my easy no-drill way to hang it straight with washi tape and nano tape.
6 min read
🎥 Watch me hang it in my fall home reset vlog: [video]
My daughter is in group 7 at a Dutch school (that’s about 5th grade in the US). This year, the kids are learning to be more responsible and to work with their own planner, called an agenda. They write down every upcoming test and event in it. The school no longer sends this information to the parents’ group chat.
We had one of those moments: my daughter forgot about a test, and she had also left her agenda at school. To make sure it doesn’t happen again, we took two simple steps:
- Every Friday, she brings her agenda home. We go through it together and add every important event to the calendar.
- I bought a memory board and hung it in the busiest spot in our house, so the calendar is always right in front of our eyes.
What you’ll need
- A memory board (ours is 42x52x3 см), from Xenos: HERE
- Washi tape (or artist’s tape, which is sold everywhere now; I got mine at Action) HERE
- A small level
- Two hooks, and either a drill or nano tape (I used nano tape from Action): HERE
- A cleaner to degrease the surface (I use my DIY lemon vinegar, you can find a video with recipe)
- A calendar or weekly planner for the middle of the board (mine is from Dille & Kamille): HERE
Why a memory board and not a magnetic calendar or an app
We used to have a magnetic calendar in this very spot, but it wasn’t very practical for us. On a regular fridge, I think it would work well. Ours is built in, so nothing sticks to the door.
This school year, I started thinking about options. I ruled out a digital calendar right away. The kids have iPads, and we could sync a calendar for the whole family. But at this age, I think writing things down on a board is so much more fun. Plus, the calendar is always in front of you. With a gadget, you have to open an app and check it.
We’re also trying to keep screen time to a minimum.
And then I noticed that memory boards are back! They’re great not only for calendars and lists, but you can also pin school assignments or a favorite photo. The kids love decorating them.
How to hang it straight (my painter’s tape trick)
In the video, I showed a life hack that I use to hang frames straight. It’s especially helpful for large ones that need two hooks.
- Mark the spots. Put painter’s tape on the board (or frame) and mark where the hooks should go.
- Move the tape to the wall. Use a level to place it straight. A level is so useful around the house!
- Attach the hooks. Now you can drill the holes, or, as in my case, stick the hooks on.
No drilling: using nano tape
As I mentioned in the video, I ran out of the replacement adhesive strips that usually come with the hooks. So I used nano tape. I bought mine at Action: HERE
A few tips:
- Degrease the surface first. The tape will hold much better.
- It’s easy to remove later. Just warm it up with warm air. A hair dryer does the job perfectly. I’ve tried it!
- It really holds. I once used it to attach a magnetic board to a cabinet in my son’s room, and it’s been hanging there for 5 years!
What goes on the board
The center is the calendar. I bought mine last year at Dille & Kamille. This year’s collection is different, but also beautiful. I’ll add the link later, because their website isn’t working right now.
The kids really liked that you can hang all kinds of fun things on the board: school assignments, photos, little keepsakes.
We really enjoy hanging funny photos or pictures on it.
Final thoughts
A memory board can’t do homework for your kids, but it can make Friday evenings calmer, tests harder to forget, and the busiest spot in your house a little warmer. 🧡
For us, the best part is the habit. Every Friday, we sit down together, open the agenda, and fill in the week ahead. It takes just a few minutes, and my daughter is slowly learning to keep track of things on her own. (And honestly, a little help from a pretty board never hurts.)
My son writes down all his activities, too. It’s a little easier with him: for now, we can keep track of everything through the school group chat. But he’s already getting used to doing things on his own.
You don’t need a fancy system. One visible spot, one calendar, and one small weekly ritual are enough to start.
I’d love to hear from you: how does your family keep track of school schedules? Do you use a board, a calendar, or an app? Tell me in the comments. 💬
📌 Save this post for later, and come back to see how our board looks as the school year goes on.