The kitchen is the busiest room in the house.  Everyone in your family travels through it several times a day!   Choosing a kitchen memo board to fit your sense of style and taste is a necessity for this important place.

The kitchen is a great place for a combination dry-erase board plus audio or video display.  You can find kitchen memo boards that include a built-in microphone or camera so that family members record messages for one another.  Some models offer a digital display of photos when there’s no message waiting.  They come with electronic clock and calendar, or you can attach a small calendar and tablet to the board for the family’s use.

Other commercial models include clocks with message centers attached.  But if you decorated in grapes and you can only find one with cherries, for instance, don’t let that stop you!  No matter what theme you’ve used in your kitchen, there’s a way to incorporate it into a message center.  You just have to put your imagination to work.

Once you’ve got the right clock, find the right piece of wood.  You want something a couple inches wider than the clock so that you can center the clock on the top part of the board.  The length of the board should extend about twice the diameter of the clock so that you can make your message board.

Judge where you will place the clock against the board, and cut out a small hole so that the clock’s apparatus will fit through it.  You can use a jigsaw or a RotoZip.  This is necessary because you’ll need access to the back of the clock whenever it’s time to change the battery.

Sand all edges of the board, and paint it white or whatever color matches your kitchen.  Then you can affix the clock.  For the board extending below the clock, cut out a piece of cork and glue it to the board.  You can use a piece of dry-erase board instead, if you like.  Then decorate it:  If your clock has cherries on it, for example, look for cherry pieces or appliqués at the local craft store and glue them along the edges of this unique kitchen memo board.

What if you want to make something a little simpler?  Look for a cutting board that’s shaped like a big pear or apple, a shape that coordinates with your décor.  Buy a piece of cork and trim it to fit onto this shape.  Glue the cork onto the board.  Let the board’s edges show as a colorful border.

There are pushpins available in just about every style of fruit, and a whole lot of other designs.  If you want to keep it really simple, just buy a standard bulletin board, paint the frame to match your kitchen, and put your effort into finding the pushpins that match your kitchen’s look.

Some people like something a little more functional and a little less obtrusive.  The perfect type of kitchen memo board for them might be a display that’s half bulletin board and half dry-erase or chalk board.  You can find them with little shelves above to display trinkets, and hooks attached along the bottom to hang your keys.  The most important thing is to find something that serves two purposes:  It holds or displays messages, and it gives you pleasure to look at it.

The Magnetic Memo Board

Of all types of message and bulletin boards, magnetic memo boards are among the most efficient.   There are several types:  You can choose boards that are made from magnetic metal.  Other boards are cardboard or other surfaces with an underlying magnetic backing, or you can paint surfaces with magnetic particles.

The boards with silver metal surfaces are great in kitchens where stainless steel refrigerators don’t provide any magnetic function.  They coordinate with other appliances besides the refrigerator, and provide a clean-cut design for use in a busy kitchen.

People also love silver boards with satiny or brushed surfaces for use in work areas, or especially at the office where the clean line doesn’t clash with office décor.

But don’t be afraid to go let your imagination run wild with magnetic memo boards.  You can find boards with magnetic surfaces hidden beneath a thin decorative covering.  You can choose one that’s sprayed with enamel powdered paint.  You can even buy kits to make magnetic memo boards sprayed with whatever color you like.  Flannel-covered magnetic boards are popular in kids’ bedrooms or playrooms because of the colorful patterns available.

Making your own magnetic memo board is not difficult, and you can get your friends or children involved.   You are only limited by your creativity!

Try decorating a magnetic memo board for just about any area with your favorite patterned paper.  Use Mod Podge®, a popular decoupage material, to fasten it in place.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can turn just about anything into a magnetic memo board.  Choose iron metallic surfacer in a variety of metallic finishes; it can be applied to just about anything that’s paintable.  You can use a substantial corrugated cardboard or balsam wood.  Paint the entire board with three coats of the iron metallic surfacer to achieve good magnetic effect.

Another way to use the iron metallic surfacer is to create a multi-surface memo board.  Begin, once again, with a board of just about any type.  Don’t choose something too heavy, because the surfacer itself is rather weighty.  Paint the board with the surfacer, and then you can also cut out squares of cork and apply them checker-fashion on the board.  Glue a photo frame onto one corner to display your favorite picture.

If you’ve got several matching or coordinating picture frames, you can paint the backing with the iron metallic surfacer.  Replace them in their frames, and then you can connect the photo frames with art connectors.  This makes an artistic, unique grouping.

With most of these boards, you need tiny little magnets to hold your photos and cards to the magnetic surface.  They’re available in a variety of shapes and sizes.  The most popular are little cubes or posts that unobtrusively keep your items in place.   You can also find decorative round magnets, about an inch in diameter, to show off your personality.

One last magnetic memo board option is the increasingly popular but still unusual magnetic display cable setup.  The cables are metal cords weighted so that they hang straight, and they have tiny little magnets to keep your photos or messages in place.  This is a great way to display a whole lot of items, including kiddie art, in just a little bit of space.

Dry Erase Memo Boards

What features do you look for when your browsing the web for mobile dry erase boards?

Are you looking for a large or small board, do you want it to be double sided and hinged in the middle so you can quickly rotate it to your presentation on the back?

Some erase boards have double white sides or one side white and the other side cork. The size you want will really depend on the numbers of the audience.

A dry erase board that will last you a lifetime is a porcelain coated steel surface whiteboard and around 6 x 4 feet is an optimal size for up to approx 50 students. Presentations, corporate events and schools are the main users of white boards.

Delivery is another cost factor that should be considered when ordering a mobile dry erase board online as most boards are to be permanently setup.

Amazon is a great place to source quality memo boards.

What about a Pink Memo Board!?

There is a huge demand for pink memo boards these days.  Pink has always been the traditional color to use for little girls, to go along with the sugar and spice and everything nice.  But pink is also making a tremendous fashion statement for grown-up princesses.  And it can be very hot!

The easiest way to make a pink memo board, of course, is to take a basic bulletin board and redecorate the frame.  Some people prefer the darker cork tiles that you find in home improvement stores.  Your choices are endless!

You can fasten the following items using staples or glue.  We recommend a hot glue gun, but you can use any glue that’s suitable for nonporous surfaces.

• Go to the local craft store and buy your favorite pink artificial flowers.  Buy enough to cover the frame all the way around the board.
• Visit your sewing supplies store.  Choose pink ruffle trimming and fasten it around the board.
• Pick out some pink gemstones!  Keep your costs in line with fake glitz from your neighborhood craft store.
• Weave some ostrich feathers, fringe, sequins, or pink pearls among any of the above items.

How about some sea shells?  Shells, of course, are mostly white, but some of them carry a hint of pink, and you can enhance that effect.  You can make a great pink memo board from shells that family members collected on vacation.  If you don’t have quite enough, supplement your supply with a bag of shells purchased at your local discount mart.

• First, decide whether to use a standard bulletin board or to create a board of your liking.  The standard bulletin board limits you to only a thin border of shells.  You can also take a 2×3-foot varnished board and glue dark brown cork tiles to it, leaving a much wider border.
• Next, dye some of your seashells pink.  Let others remain natural for interesting color variations.  An easy way to dye your seashells is with food coloring or Easter egg dye.  First you should wash the shells and let them dry thoroughly.  Then follow the package directions for dying Easter eggs.  Your shells will come out in varying shades of pink.  Set them on old newspapers or paper toweling so that they dry completely before you proceed.
• Once they’re dry, you can glue them.  Lay them out on the border before you actually fasten them in place.
• Look for a couple little flamingos or herons to attach to the corners of the board.  You can also carry on the seashell theme by decorating a small wooden jewelry chest with extra shells as an additional room accessory.  If you’re hanging this in a family room, place a dish nearby filled with additional seashells that stabilize a candle in your favorite scent.

People are also jumping on the bandwagon with pink memo boards to show their support for breast cancer research.  Buy some pink grosgrain or satin ribbon and create your own ribbons.  The American Cancer Society provides free instructions on their website for making them.  Use them as the border for your board.  This type of board is meaningful at home if you or a loved one have survived breast cancer, or take it to work to raise funds for a worthy cause.

Stainless Steel Memo Boards

If you keep forgetting appointments, misplacing shopping lists or important memos then you need a board that is placed at a prominent place, such as on your refrigerator. If you need a sturdy memo board that does not rust over time then a stainless steel memo board is the perfect assistant that will help you to display all your memos in one place.

Building your own Stainless Steel Memo Board…

A stainless steel memo board will require a degree of skill in cutting sheets, drilling holes and screwing on items so it would be better if you already have these skills. Alternatively, ask an experienced person to help you out in areas that require such skills. You can start out by buying a large picture frame from any store and then taking it to a hardware store. You will now have to ask for a stainless steel sheet, which is also available in magnetic form. If you choose the non-magnetic stainless steel sheet then you will not be able to attach magnets and will be required to drill holes to fit hooks on the board. If the hardware shop does not cut the steel to the required size then you will have to buy their standard-sized sheet and then cut it to size.

Once your sheet is cut to the size of the glass, remove the glass from the frame and replace it with your sheet. If you want to make your own border then you can stick wood, plastic, metal or any other material on the border of your steel sheet. You can stick buttons, coins, ribbons, or any other item that can be firmly stuck on the border. Make sure that all the 4 edges of your stainless steel sheet or plate are not sharp, as they could prove dangerous. You can fold over a piece of fabric on the 4 sides and stick it with a hot glue gun if they are sharp. A frame would offer better protection and also look good. If you are using non-magnetic stainless steel then you will have to drill several holes and screw in hooks or key-ring holders. However, in this design, sticking memos would be a problem and thus magnetic stainless steel would be a better choice for your stainless steel memo board.

Your stainless steel memo board is now ready for mounting. If you have used a readymade frame then you can easily keep it on a table or hang it on a wall. If you want to stick it on your fridge, then you should stick at least 4 heavy-duty magnets on the back of the frame with the help of your hot-glue gun. You can now stick your stainless steel memo board on your fridge and use it to stick memos, shopping lists, appointment cards, photographs or any other item that needs to be displayed prominently.

If you are afraid of hurting yourself while handling metal or tools then you can easily choose from a wide range of attractive readymade stainless steel memo boards that are available on the Internet. However, it will definitely be cheaper to make one yourself and you can also use your creativity while designing and decorating such boards.

If you want a long-term companion that reminds you of appointments or displays pictures of your loved ones or shows you recipes, then a stainless steel memo board is the best companion that will sit silently on your wall or fridge and yet tell you a lot. Make one yourself to express your creativity and stay happily informed at all times.

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