If it wasn’t for my big calendar on the wall I don’t know that I could stay half as organized as I do know. It’s basically holds my family’s entire life! All our schedules, the kids’ activities, due dates, and school functions go on there every month. Over the years, I’ve tried a few different styles, and these are the best wall calendars for busy families.
As a parent of 5, you can imagine how useful a great calendar can be. These are the ones that I’ve tired in the past, including the best wall calendar that I use for my very own busy family now.
Every family has different needs, and everyone has their own unique style. Some people don’t mind the tacky wall calendars, for example, but other people feel like they need something that fits with their decor.
You also have to take into consideration how busy your family is. Do you need a lot of space to write? Do you like stickers? Buying the right wall calendar is more complicated than you might realize!
They’re also not that cheap, so you want to make sure you get the right one.
What Are The Wall Calendars for Busy Families?
Here’s some of my favourite family wall calendars for busy families like mine.
The Perpetual Calendar
I have to be honest here – this was a recent experiment and I’m not a fan. My mom picked one up for me and it looks great on my wall, but I just don’t like that I can’t write activities in that are happening in the months ahead.
Buy on AmazonThat being said, I do love the versatility of a perpetual calendar. It’s a one time purchase, and I know some busy families who swear by theirs. So it’s definitely a strong contender if that’s your thing.
Pros:
- You can erase any cancelled events and correct mistakes
- One time purchase!
- There’s so many styles out there that can fit with your home décor (aka: it’s not tacky)
- Sometimes you can get magnetic ones which is handy to keep important notes hung in one place
Cons:
- Can’t write events in for the months ahead
- Might get smudged
- Hard to write on
My tip: Use different coloured, fine tip whiteboard markers on it and colour code based on family members.
Mom’s Family Wall Calendar
This calendar is definitely a bit different than the ones you’re probably used to. Instead of having the flat month view that we’re used to, it goes in columns and has dedicated spots for each family member. There’s enough spaces for 5 people, which means it will be good for most ‘normal sized’ families. (AKA not big families like mine.)
Buy on AmazonIt’s definitely a unique way for busy families to stay organized with a calendar, and could probably serve as an addition to a regular wall calendar or even a perpetual write on one.
Pros:
- Dedicated space for each family members means it’s easy to see what items are for who
- Easy for everyone see to see what’s coming up for them
- Weekends are highlighted to help you stay organized
Cons:
- Small writing spaces, and wasted space on family members who rarely have activities
- Not good for bigger families with more kids
- Not a traditional calendar
My tip: Something like this is really good if you’re always mixing up what activates are for who. It’s also easier for kids to use and write in their stuff, which is great for teaching personal responsibility.
Motherworld Ultimate Family Wall Calendar
I’ve actually bought this calendar for my family more than once. I love the flat design (rather than a calendar that opens) and the paper quality is really good. I also think, for the most part, the pictures are cute so it looks OK hanging up. There’s lots of stickers and even some extras like a chore chart, too.
Buy on AmazonOne downside, though, is there isn’t a whole lot of space on each square to write in so if you’re very busy you might need more room. There’s also no lines, which some people might not like.
Pros:
- Flat design is easy to write on
- Good quality with lots of extras
- Easy to see at a glance what’s going on
Cons:
- Limited writing space with no lines
- Can be tough to look ahead because of the flat design
- Magnetic strip might not be strong enough
My tip: Buy different coloured pens and colour code each family member. Also don’t forget to use the stickers!
Family Plan it Calendar
The way this calendar tracks up to 5 family members is really cool. It’s kind of like the Mom’s Family Wall Calendar, except it lists everything in the month view. I also like that you can write in all the names so if you wanted to just track the kids on the calendar you can do that too.
Buy on AmazonAgain, if you have more than 5 people this isn’t going to be any good to you. I also don’t love the way the days get stretched out because of the dedicated space. But, if you like that separation, then this might just be the calendar for you.
Pros:
- Separate area on each day to record activities for up to 5 people (you could probably squeeze more in)
- Comes with lots of stickers
- Has a separate dry erase weekly schedule so you can make a more detailed weekly plan
Cons:
- Long design so it takes up more space
- Not enough of certain stickers
My tip: I think I could sequeeze more family members onto this calendar. It’s very good if you’re someone who wants to stay super organized!
Big Grid Family Wall Calendar
If you want a calendar that’s simple, this is for you. The months are clean and there’s lots of lined writing space to fit all your busy family’s activates. I love that the middle is coil ring, rather than stapled, so the calendar will lay flat when it’s hanging on the wall.
Buy on AmazonOn each month there’s also room for some general to do lists, and it has suggested activities for that month.
Pros:
- Clean, easy to use design
- Large writing area with lines
- Coils help it lay flat
Cons:
- Monthly activities might not suit your family
- No magnetic strip to hang it on the fridge
My tip: This is honestly an awesome, easy to use calendar. I love that it will fit with most decorating styles and especially the way it lays flat.
My Pick: More Time Mom’s Family Wall Calendar
There’s two versions of this calendar, one for the fridge and the other for the wall. I prefer the larger one so there’s plenty of space to write everything. I like the stickers that come with it, and find the calendar itself pretty durable.
Buy on Amazon
The best part about this one is that it’s relatively inexpensive, great for those of us with a bunch of kids who are also on a budget!
Pros:
- Plenty of space for writing without the calendar being too large
- Cute themes and pictures
- Extra note area and helpful information on each month (eg. Tasks, recipes, quotes, etc)
- Lots of holes to hang it up
Cons:
- Not a lot of extra space for things like chores
- Although not a huge deal, I didn’t like the way the seasons don’t always match to my local area
- Holes have torn sometimes after repeated use, but this is easily fixed with a reinforcement sticker
My tip: Only secure the top so you can easily flip through to see what’s happening in future months.
Tips For Choosing the Best Wall Calendars for Busy Families
As you debate the best wall calendars for busy families, it can be tough to decide which is right for you. My recommendation is the Big Grid Family Organizer if you’re looking for something that’s really universal. It doesn’t have magnets, but you can use magnetic clips to hold it up if you want something on the fridge.
If you’re looking for something simple and more compact, choose the
Motherworld calendar. Even with 5 kids, I find it still works for me, although I’ve recently started preferring the More Time Moms Family Calendar a bit more.
Those wanting more individual organization should seriously consider the Plan It Calendar, although Mom’s Family Wall Calendar‘s unique design might appeal to some people too.
Finally, if you want one calendar forever, and you don’t mind not being able to look ahead then a stylish perpetual calendar is for you.
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