5 top time-management techniques from the experts: Can they work for parents? | Spawned Ep 122
With a new school year here, on this episode of Spawned, we’re taking a close look at 5 popular time-management techniques from experts, to compare them, debate the merits, and describe how they can work best for parents. If you’ve been wrangling a...
5 great printable academic calendars to get you organized for the new school year
I’ve done some browsing to find some of the best printable academic calendars, or as you may call them, school year calendars. You know — the ones that start in August or September, when the school year does, and go on through next summer. Because...
12 creative ways to display kids’ artwork, from DIYs to clutter-saving services
One parenting conundrum that seems timeless: the search for creative ways to display kids’ artwork. From the preschool doodles and finger paint portraits to the kindergarten collages, to the papier maché sculptures that would look just perfect…where,...
A professional organizer’s top back-to-school organizational tips for the real world | Spawned Ep 119
While we’re enjoying a little time off for summer, we’re updating some of our greatest hits Spawned episodes you might have missed — starting with “organizer for the real world” (as we call her), Laurie Palau of Simply B Organized. She...
Over-scheduled kids: 7 questions to ask your child to help prioritize activities and bring more sanity to the family
Raise your hands if you may have an over-scheduled child. It’s not a judgment or a criticism. I get it — it happens. Our kids have lots of interests, their clubs or sports or lessons require big commitments, or maybe we just really need the kids scheduled...
6 ways to simplify your tech life on your smartphone or tablet
It’s probably no surprise that decluttering — your home, and your life in general — can really help keep stress levels at bay. Whether you go full KonMari on your closet or just purge your kids’ toy bins from time to time, being able to access what you...
40 things parents can REALLY do while the baby sleeps. (No, not sleep.)
How many times have you heard this: Sleep when the baby sleeps. Oh man, did I want to throttle everyone who gave me that TOTALLY SMART BUT UNATTAINABLE ADVICE when my kids were newborns. Mostly because I was tired. But also because there’s just so much to do...
Fun metallic desk supplies to help glitz up your work space
Take a quick peek at these fun metallic desk supplies and if you’re feeling the winter blahs like I am, you’ll know exactly why I’ve been scouring the web for them. I know that in a few short weeks we’ll have a little more daylight, but with...
7 simple, sanity-saving tips for moving homes when you’ve got kids.
The holidays were a blur for me, and not for the usual reasons. I recently moved into a temporary 7-month rental while we do some much-needed home renovations to our home. And oh boy, after 13 years in one spot, was it a doozy of a move. Not only did I have to pack up...Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz!
We started Cool Mom Picks in 2006 to help make life cooler, easier, more organized, 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).
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