Chalk it Up

With school in full swing for most kids, I can’t help but think about the most iconic classroom item: the chalkboard. Since the invention of chalkboard paint, the use of chalkboard in the home has exploded. And while it gives any room an undoubtedly cool, vintage vibe, every time I see one I can’t help but wonder are they all that practical.

More often than not, it seems chalkboards are only used for the first week or so — if that — and then never used again. So here’s a rundown of the common ways chalkboards are used in the home, along with whether or not they’re a good fit.

1. Grocery Lists. Unless you have a photographic memory or snap a picture of your chalkboard every time you walk out the door, isn’t it easier to write your grocery list — or any shopping list for that matter — on a piece of paper you can take with you? And yet, this is one of — if not the — most common way I see them used.

2. To-Do Lists. Great for if they’re around the house. That way you can easily cross them off and see what must be done next without ever wasting paper. But if your to-dos are outside the house, isn’t it more efficient to write them on piece of paper — or on your phone — to take with you and cross them off as they’re done?

3. Chore Charts. If you have kids, it’s an awesome idea. They can easily see what they most do, and you can switch up tasks without wasting paper.

4. Calendars. If you have many different people in your household, having a chalkboard calendar showing where everyone is when can be a bonus — especially when you’re the chauffeur who must arrive on time. Of course, as more and more applications are being developed for phones and computers it may be easier for some — or many — to use those instead of the old-fashioned written versions.

5. Messages. General notes such as who called or be back soon are great for chalkboards. But aren’t love notes and sweet nothings better fit for a piece of paper you can save. Maybe I’m just a sentimentalist. Or a pack rat.

6. Brain Storming. If you work from home, having a chalkboard for writing out ideas would be a big bonus. That way you don’t waste paper and can quickly erase any bad ideas as if they never popped out of your head. Not that bad ideas are, well, bad. They’re what lead to the good ones.

7. Drawing Space. This is by far the best use of a chalkboard in my humble opinion. To let kids imaginations run wild.

Did I miss any key chalkboard uses? What do you think of chalkboards in the home?