by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, Kids' Furniture, School Gear, Storage + Organization, Tips + Tricks
So many parents have learned over the past few years that setting up a study space at home is more important than ever. Maybe you homeschool, maybe your kids just need a dedicated space for homeworkr, or maybe they’ve got virtual tutoring or other...
by Lisa Barnes | Back to School Shopping, Living
I’ve become a bit of a pro at picking out dorm room essentials — and separating the must-haves from the nice-to-haves from the not-going-to-haves if I’m paying for it. Having sent two of my three kids off to college already, it’s become clear...
by Christina Refford | Back to School Shopping, Fashion
A reader reached out this year to ask for a few of our favorite cool plus-size clothes for teens, to help get her own teen daughter up to speed for back-to-school. And we are happy to oblige! Considering school will be starting up again soon, we know our teens will be...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
When we put together our picks for the coolest backpacks for preschool and kindergarten each year, we think about how exciting it is for little ones to pick what may likely be their very first school gear ever. They seriously geek out overall school supplies of...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, Tips + Tricks
With back to school coming up, I’m sharing some of my favorite personalized label ideas to help keep you organized, keep you sane, save you money (whoo!) and even keep the peace if you have more than one kid. (Parents of two or more, you know what I’m...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
When we look for cool backpacks for teens, it’s not enough for them to just be, you know, cool. As kids head to middle school or high school— especially after a whole year at home more or less (sigh) — they need bigger, sturdier backpacks, better shoulder...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
Each year, in our annual back to school shopping guide, we always love tracking down those cool lunch box accessories, water bottles, bentos, and other fun goodies that help make opening that same old lunch box every day a little more special. Only last year… we...
by Kate Etue | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
It’s kind of amazing that we’re searching for the best small appliances for dorm rooms these days — with our own teens in mind! It’s like we blinked and our team went from back to school shopping for preschool backpacks to sending some of our...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, School Gear
Hi Cool Mom Picks, I know you’ve tested so many lunch boxes every year and I was hoping you could tell me what you think really are the best lunch boxes. I want something I don’t have to get rid of at the end of every year! And it should be sturdy and...
by Kate Etue | Back to School Shopping
Laptop sleeves may not an item that’s generally on your back to school shopping list, especially if you have younger kids. But then, this back to school season isn’t like any other. Whether kids are embarking on hybrid options that require them to go to...
by Kate Etue | Back to School Shopping, Health, Fitness + Wellbeing, Tips + Tricks
The past few weeks, my Instagram feed is full of my friends’ adorable kids in their back-to-school outfits… complete with fresh, new face masks.I’m so proud of these kids for being responsible about in-person schooling, and for parents for insisting...
by Liz Gumbinner | Back to School Shopping, DIY
Finding all of these free sight word printables for kindergarten instantly brings me back to those sweet early days of school, sniff. Now that I have a middle schoolers and a brand new high schooler (OMG) I remember how scary it could be to send your kid off to...