How To Make a DIY Dry Erase Calendar To Match Your Decor

Learn how to make a pretty DIY dry erase calendar to match your room decor with this step-by-step tutorial. It works better than a traditional white board!

For quite a while now, I have been looking for a dry erase calendar to put in my office. Even though I have all kinds of digital calendars and reminders, I miss having a physical calendar hanging on the wall. It’s just so easy to be able to look up and see what I have planned in one glance.

The problem is that I haven’t been able to find what I want. A dry erase calendar that is big enough to see from a distance and goes with the decor in my home office.  And of course, I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on it either.

Then I saw this paint chip calendar on Pinterest and knew I had found the answer…a DIY project!  Of course!! Why didn’t I think of that?

Although I think the paint chip idea is really cool, I decided not to go with that exact solution for my office.  I don’t own that many paint chips in the right color, and I didn’t think my local paint store would be happy with me cleaning out all of theirs.

What You Need

Instead I chose to use the leftover wallpaper from my office as the background. (That makes sure it will go with the office decor).

I also had a 16″ x 20″ frame* lying around, which is big enough to be seen but still fits in my office. Of course, you can use whatever size frame you want…as long as your background paper will fit.

I considered all kinds of options for creating the squares – cutting squares out of fabric and gluing them on, using my Cricut machine to cut adhesive vinyl to size, using washi tape to create grid lines on the paper. But in the end I went for the easiest solution…a black Sharpie pen and a ruler.

Finally, to be able to write on your dry erase calendar when you’re done, you’ll need a dry erase marker*.

Step 1. Cut The Background Paper To Size

a. Remove the back of the frame.

b. Place it on your background paper.

c. Trace around the edges with a pencil.

d. Cut the paper with scissors, trying to keep it as straight as possible. If the edges aren’t straight, it will be much harder to create straight lines for your calendar.

2. Figure Out The Line Spacing For The Days Of The Week

Measure the long side of the paper you just cut. In my case, it was 20″ wide.

If you are also using a 20″ frame, you can use the same measurements I did and skip down to the next step.

Starting point: 3/8″

Distance between lines: 2 3/4″

If you are using a different size frame, follow these steps to figure out the line spacing:

a. The days of the week will be going across this side so divide this number by 7. For me that was 20″ divided by 7, which equals 2.86.

b. Round it down to the next quarter inch. For me that was 2.75 or 2 3/4″. This will be your distance between lines.

Next we’ll need to figure out where to start drawing the lines so that the calendar is centered.

c. Multiply your rounded number by 7. For me that was 2.75 x 7 = 19.25.

d. Subtract this number from the original length of the paper. For me, that was 20″ – 19.25″ = 0.75″ or 3/4″.

e. Divide this number in half, and that will tell you how far in to start from the edge. In my case this was 3/4″ divided by 2 which is 3/8″. This will be your starting point.

3. Mark The Lines For The Days Of The Week

Mark the ends of the lines on both sides of the paper. Don’t draw the lines yet…we’ll do that in a later step.

a. Lay your ruler down along the top side of the paper, making sure you are measuring the long edge.

b. Measure to the Starting point number from above and mark it.

c. Then starting from the Starting point, measure out the distance between lines and mark it.

d. Keep measuring and marking the distance between lines until you get to the other side of the paper. You should end up with 7 equally sized sections that are centered on the page.

e. Repeat steps a to d on the bottom side of the paper. Your marks on the top and bottom edges should look like they line up.

4. Figure Out The Line Spacing For The Weeks

Measure the shorter side of the paper you cut. In my case, it was 16″ wide.

If you are also using a 16″ frame you can use the same measurements I did and skip down to the next step:

Starting point: 3/8″

Distance between lines: 2 1/8″

Width of top line: 5/8″

If you are using a different size frame, following these steps to figure out the line spacing:

a. Determine how much space you want to leave at the bottom of the calendar. I decided to go with 3/8″ to match the space around the sides of the calendar from the last step. This will be your starting point.

b. Determine how much space you want to leave at the top of the calendar. I decided to go with:

— 5/8″ to write the days of the week above the calendar. This will be the width of the top line.

— 2 1/4″ to write the Month name at the top of the calendar.

c. Add all of the numbers from a & b together to come up with a total. In my case, it was 3/8 + 5/8 + 2 1/4 = 3 1/4.

d. Subtract this total from your measurement above. In my case, 16 – 3 1/4 = 12 3/4

e. The weeks of the month will be going down this side and you’ll need 6 of them., so divide the number from (d) by 6. For me that was 12 3/4″ divided by 6, which equals 2 1/8″. This is the distance between lines.

5. Mark The Lines For The Days Of The Week

Mark the ends of the lines on both sides of the paper. Don’t draw the lines yet…we’ll do that in a later step.

a. Lay your ruler down along the side of the paper, making sure you are measuring the shorter edge.

b. Measure to the Starting point number from above and mark it.

c. Then starting from the Starting point, measure out the distance between lines and mark it.

d. Keep measuring and marking the distance between lines until you have 6 rows marked.

e. From the last mark, measure up the width of the top line and mark it.

f. Repeat steps (a) through (e) on the other side of the page.

6. Draw The Calendar

Start by drawing the outside edges of the calendar.

a. Line up your ruler with the 2 starting points on the bottom edge of the calendar (the long side). Use the Sharpie to draw a line from one starting point to the next.

b. Next line up your rule with the outside marks on one side of the calendar. Use the Sharpie to draw up to the last mark which should be where the days of the week will be written (not all the way at the top of the page).

c. Draw the other side the same way, remembering to stop when you get to the last mark.

d. Line up the rule so that it joins the 2 open lines together. Draw a line that joins them. You should now have the outside edges of your calendar.

Then fill in the middle lines and the days of the week.

e. Now you can fill in all of the middle lines. Line up your rule with each end mark and its corresponding one on the opposite edge of the paper. Then draw between the outside lines with the Sharpie.

f. Finally, write the days of the week in the top row.

7. Finish The Calendar

Now we’re ready to put the frame back together.

a. Lay your paper in the frame with the calendar facing towards the glass. If you are planning on hanging it, make sure that the Days of the Week side is at the top.

b. Put the back on the frame and your calendar is done.

c. All you have to do now is use the dry erase marker to write the the month at the top and the dates. Don’t forget to switch to the dry erase marker for this step!

If you do happen to write on the glass with the Sharpie, it will come off with Goof Off*…I learned this one by experience!!

One of my favorite parts of this project, is how easily the dry erase marker wipes off.

Just grab a Kleenex or paper towel, and it comes right off.

I actually think this part works better than real white boards…they never get this clean this easily.

My new calendar fits right in with my office decor.

I like it so much, I think I’m going to make another one so I can plan two months in advance 🙂

Have comments or questions on how to make a DIY dry erase calendar? Tell us in the section below.

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