This DIY magnetic memo board is a super cute way to get organized

New Year’s resolution: get organized. It’s a goal that might be easier said than done. Life gets busy, and for many of us, that’s an understatement. Luckily, there are lots of fun ways to get started on your life-sorting project, like cute calendars and pretty new planners—oh, and this awesome, DIY memo board.

With a little paint and some time, you can easily craft your own mini magnetic board for your fridge or locker. The metallic gold adds a sleek, modern accent, and a handy keeper holds chalk right on the board. This is a couple day project, what with all of the paint drying, but otherwise it’s a breeze to put together. Now to get started on that to-do list. . .

Materials:

• 6-inch by 12-inch piece of lightweight craft plywood
• Black chalkboard paint
• Metallic gold paint
• 1-inch wide adhesive-backed magnetic tape
• 1 1/2-inch wide gold ribbon
• Sponge paintbrush
• Fray check
• Gold thread
• Basic sewing needle
• Scissors
• Measuring tape
• Painter’s tape
• Chalk
• Scratch paper to cover your work surface

Craft away:

• Cover your work surface with scratch paper.
• Using the sponge paintbrush, apply two coats of chalkboard paint to one whole side of the plywood. Make sure the paint dries completely between coats. The paint may also need to cure for 24 hours after application; check the bottle to see.

• Using the painter’s tape, mark off a 1-inch stripe on the top of the board, and a 2-inch stripe on the bottom of the board.
• Apply two to three coats of metallic gold paint to the stripes you just marked off (however much you need to completely cover the chalkboard paint). Let the paint dry between coats, and remove the tape when you are finished.

• Measure and cut a 5-inch piece of the gold ribbon. Treat the ends of the ribbon with fray check, and let dry.
• Fold the ribbon in half, lengthwise (a.k.a. hotdog style).
• Measure out a couple of feet of the gold thread and fold it in half, then thread the needle and tie a knot.
• Stitch along the top of the folded ribbon to make a long tube.

• Measure out and cut two 6-inch long pieces of the magnetic tape.
• Remove the backing from one piece of the magnetic tape, and apply it to the top of the back of the plywood.
• Remove the backing from the other piece of the magnetic tape. Position the tube of ribbon along the bottom of the back of the plywood, so it hangs off the edge. Apply the magnetic tape so that the ribbon is held between the tape and the plywood.

• Condition your chalkboard by lightly rubbing chalk over the black surface.

• Store a piece of chalk with the board by slipping it into the ribbon tube.
• Hang your board on your fridge or other magnetic surface, and use it to leave handy notes and reminders.