bookshelves Archives | Cool Mom Picks

Decluttering solutions: Hang these 8 things to free up floor space!

by Liz Gumbinner | Living, Storage + Organization, Tips + Tricks

As a small-space apartment dweller, I’m always thinking about ways to declutter. Not that I always achieve it, but I try! A lot of the trick, as I’ve learned, is about getting stuff off the floor that we just assume goes…on the floor. So we all know...

7 expert tips for decluttering kids rooms when all else has failed

by Cool Mom Staff | Storage + Organization, Tips + Tricks

Let’s be real: kids’ room clutter is the gift that keeps on giving. And it’s not just kids’ bedrooms that are problems — we always find the need to declutter our entryways, the kitchen, the bathroom, the garage, the area around the TV,...

7 cool playroom ideas for kids that let you reclaim your living room

by PJ Feinstein | Art + Decor, Tips + Tricks

I’ve definitely been looking for cool playroom ideas lately for my own son. Because between the art supplies in the kitchen, the Play-Doh in the dining room, and the pretend workbench and kitchen in the basement, my preschooler is quickly laying claim to our...

The Konmari Method: Does it work for families?

by Christina Refford | Storage + Organization

With daylight savings coming up, I know I’m not the only one itching to open up windows and start spring cleaning the house from top to bottom. So I decided to try out the popular Konmari method of organization from the book by Japanese sensation Marie Kondo,...

IKEA alternative: The cool new modern shelving and storage bins from Sprout Kids

by Kate Etue | Kids' Furniture

Keeping the playroom clean is a regular battle at our house, and I’m ready for a truce. But when I start to get sick of the mess, I usually turn to storage bins as my go-to method for keeping clutter to a minimum. It’s a system that’s easy enough for...

IKEA Kallax: The best storage for families gets a makeover and a name change

by Christina Refford | Storage + Organization

I’ve purchased six Expedit storage units from IKEA for our three-child house, so you can imagine my shock when I discovered that they were no longer selling what I consider their most versatile, affordable, and useful storage solution for families. Turns...

10 tips to make reading fun for young kids: Turn your preschooler into a serious book lover.

by Kate Etue | Kids' Furniture

There’s nothing quite like seeing your child pick up a book and read it to himself for the first time. And even though we’ve been known to tell our kids to putdownthatbookrightnow! when we’re trying to get them out the door for school, we secretly love...

More than 40 ideas for the coolest black and white nursery

by Esther Chen | Art + Decor

What’s black and white and chic all over? Your baby’s future nursery, of course! If you’re looking for something other than the traditional blues, pinks and yellows, we’ve got you covered. I’m a huge fan of this gender-neutral nursery...

The fun 3D shelf that’s coming right at you

by Delilah S. Dawson | Art + Decor

No matter how cool technology gets, there’s something to be said for a good old-fashioned 3D movie in which a shark tries to bite off your head. If I remember correctly, my first 3D movie was JAWS, which actually explains a lot. For my kids, it was Brave. And...

Wow, now that’s a bookshelf.

by Christina Refford | Storage + Organization

When are utilitarian storage units for kids the most stunning pieces of furniture in the whole room? When they are these gorgeously original Amsterdam Cabinets from This is Dutch. Modeled after Amsterdam’s iconic canal houses, these 78″ tall cabinets would...

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, more meaningful, and more fun for parents of all kinds.

Trivia: It was called Cool Mom Sh*t for the first two days. (Yeah, we rethought that.)

We had no idea our site would grow to become a major lifestyle network, that we'd end up sharing our finds with the TODAY Show and Martha Stewart, that we'd be able to make a real difference for so many small businesses and women-run companies, or that we'd end up with an incredible community of the coolest readers on the planet. (If we do say so ourselves).