When we think of fall, most of us thinking of the sunny days of late September and October. We idealize the brightly colored leaves and the golden glow that seems to be everywhere all at once. But Autumn of course, extends well into December when the days seem to grow darker and colder by the minute. Yes, there’s the excitement of the Winter holidays, but in the long days in between all of the holiday festivities, it can get dreary. The key to get through? Romanticizing the season as much and as often as you can. For us, that means making home as cozy possible.

So, we turned to a couple of home and happiness experts (moms of course!) for their top cozy fall home hacks. Here, Brittny Button, interior designer and furniture designer, and Kim Gravel, TV host, entrepreneur, and life coach, offer up 10 ways to keep your home warm and comfy throughout the entire fall season.

From Brittny Button

Add Some Ambient Lighting. I’m obsessed with ambient lighting, especially with the time change, it gets darker earlier, and that can be challenging. I love LED battery-operated pillar candles. I have these on a timer and they come on once dusk hits. Some I keep on all day to brighten dark areas of the home. I also add more table lamps and spot lighting to paintings and sculptures. It crafts a subtle glow within the home.

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Strategically Placed Heating Pads. I hide them in some of my children’s favorite spots on the couch or the chaise they enjoy relaxing on. It adds more coziness to their spaces and much needed warmth for our cuddle time.

Faux Fur Throws. Faux fur blankets look incredibly real and are really functional to bundle up in! It’s that they look lush and are icons of fall style!

Seasonal Decor that Incorporates Kiddo’s Artwork. It adds some laughs and humor to the season. My daughter’s version of drawing a maple leaf is very sweet. I showcase this by placing it in a frame, or placing my son’s turkey sculpture on the center table!

Build a Craft Library with Plenty of Inventory. With lots of holidays from school and more time around the house for my kids (plus the added bonus of extended family and friends visiting) I always have crafts and art supplies on hand! Having different options to keep them occupied is key. The $2 clearance section at Michael’s has lots of art supplies, experiments, coloring sets, and craft materials for a range of kids ages and interests. Stock up to keep their boredom at bay and your sanity in tact.

From Kim Gravel

Cinnamon Simmer Pot. Boil water with cinnamon sticks, orange peels, and a little vanilla to make your whole house smell like fall. 

Apple Slice Oven Hack. Bake a few apple slices with cinnamon for ten minutes. It smells like fresh pie without the work. 

Sweater Pillow Trick. Pull an old sweater over a throw pillow for an easy and cozy update. 

Mini Wreaths on Cabinet Knobs. Hang small wreaths or bows on kitchen cabinet handles for a subtle, festive touch. 

Candle Glow Upgrade. Place candles in front of mirrors or glass trays. It doubles the glow and instantly warms up a room without adding more candles. 

Blanket Drop Zones. Roll or fold throw blankets into baskets in commonly used rooms. It looks styled and encourages snuggling. 

Warm Light Switch. Swap out a few bulbs for warm white. It’s the quickest way to take your home from bright summer to cozy fall. 

Layer Your Textures. Mix knits, faux fur, velvet, and flannel. Even just swapping pillow covers makes a huge seasonal difference.

Faux Fireplace Vibes. Don’t have a fireplace? Group candles of different heights inside your fireplace or on a tray. Instant cozy focal point. 

Crisp-Fall-Air Trick. Crack open a window for 5 minutes in the morning. That burst of cool air resets a room and makes everything feel fresher.

The post 15 Cozy Fall Home Hacks To Get You Through the Darkest Days appeared first on Mom.com.

It’s finally fall and while the temps may still feel a bit warmer than we’re used to, we’re definitely ready to embrace everything cozy and convenient. Give us all the quick and easy fixes and shortcuts, so we can spend more time having good, old-fashioned fun with our kids and indulging in fall-spiced self-care moments.

School is in full swing now and we’re settling into our routines, figuring out what works and what doesn’t, and leaning into products that help make school mornings a bit easier. And for those evening hours when everyone is finally in bed, we’re stocking up on things that will help us embrace the season from the comfort of our own homes. With this month’s Editor’s Picks, we’re bringing you some of our favorite items so you can do the same.

The post Editor’s Picks: October 2025 appeared first on Mom.com.

A lot of us moms practically drool every time we scroll past an influencer showing off their minimalist mom aesthetic on social media. It all seems so clean and organized and calm, and so very different from the chaos of our daily lives. And yes, we’re slightly envious. Even if we had the time to reorganize and streamline, we could never afford to achieve the same look, right? Well, not necessarily. Becoming a minimalist mom might seem intimidating at first, especially if you’re thinking about the dollars and cents of it all but, you have to keep in mind that when you’re talking minimalist, less is always more.

Mom.com teamed up with influencer and minimalist mom Miyaeva Renae to bring you 10 easy tips for minimalist parenting on a budget. Miyaeva, a stay-at-home mom and content creator, has over seven million followers on TikTok and nearly half a million on Instagram, where she has become a trusted voice in modern motherhood with her cozy minimalistic aesthetic that’s still practical for parents, no matter what stage of life they’re in. These are her top 10 tips for minimalist parenting on a budget:

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1. Keep it simple. Love, food, sleep, and comfort go further than gadgets. 

2. Secondhand is your best friend. Tiny humans outgrow things so fast, and there’s no shame in thrift finds or hand-me-downs. 

3. Choose pieces that grow with them. Like a crib that becomes a toddler bed or clothes that mix and match. 

4. Less toys, more play. A few thoughtful toys rotated often feels new without the clutter. 

5. Keep clothes minimal. A cozy little capsule wardrobe makes life easier and mornings simpler. 

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6. Borrow before buying! You’ll learn quickly what the baby actually loves (and what the little one won’t touch). 

7. Homemade > overcomplicated. From baby food to sensory play, simple DIYs save money and feel more personal. 

8. Experiences > things. Ask loved ones to gift memories, not piles of stuff. 

9. Use what’s free. Library story time, parks, and community playgroups are gold. 

10. Simplicity is a lesson too. When kids see us valuing time over things, they grow up learning gratitude. 

The post 10 Tips for Minimalist Parenting on a Budget  appeared first on Mom.com.

In 2025, it feels like nearly everything is more expensive than it’s ever been before … and the costs just keep on rising. And, well, our kids just won’t stop growing. While the costs of most basic school supplies like folders, pencils, and notebooks aren’t too pricey, kids’ clothing in particular is.

These days it seems like unless there’s a major sale happening, the graphic tees we used to pay $5 for are closer to $10 and those sweats that would run us $10 are nearing $20. Now, recently imposed tariffs are also starting to have an impact at the register as well.

As parents, it can be frustrating to say the least. We’re already spending so much on things such as food, gas, housing, and utilities, the knowledge that our back-to-school costs are likely to be higher than ever is overwhelming.

According to Scripps News, parents are expected to spend an average of $600 per child on back-to-school shopping this year. That’s no small sum for families already juggling increased costs of living, especially if they have more than one child or older children whose shoes and clothes cost a whole lot more than when they were younger. And U.S. News & World Report says that 85% of parents in the US are concerned with the impact tariffs will have on their back-to-school spending.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like costs are going to go down any time soon, and to be honest, many of us are not thrilled with the overconsumption trend and the behaviors and practices of a lot of the major budget-friendly retailers lately anyway. So as we prepare to send our own kids back to school in a few weeks, we’ve been thinking about how we can both save money and use our hard-earned cash more mindfully.

We’ve come up with five ways parents can save money on kids’ clothes this back-to-school-season. Keep reading to see our tips.

Clothing Swaps

Have friends with kids in the same age range as yours? Try organizing a clothing swap. Set a date, decide on a location (can be someone’s home or a rented space that everyone pitches in for) and have everyone interested bring their kids’ gently worn clothing and shoes for everyone else to “shop.” Of course, there’s no charge because everyone can take home as little or as much as they like. You could even get super-organized and have people bring in and set up their donations by size a day or two ahead.

If you don’t know enough people with kids, you could try organizing through a school group like the PTA or a sports team you’re involved in. Or look out for these types events on Facebook and Facebook Marketplace, and simply sign up to participate.

Back-To-School Sales

The old stand-by. Yes, we’re recommending something nearly everyone already knows about, but we want to propose handling these annual sales a bit differently than you might usually. Instead of attempting to buy entire new wardrobes during the back-to-school sales, stick to only the basics.

These sales will offer a percentage off of clothing, but they’re often not the best deals of the year. However, for items like shoes, socks, and underwear that don’t often drop too much lower at the end of a season because they’re worn all year, the back-to-school sales will often offer the deepest discounts.

Brands like Nike and Adidas are both offering 20% off select items (including some already discounted items), and the Under Armour back-to-school sale is up to 25% off. And don’t forget to check athletic stores like Kid’s Foot Locker and Dick’s Sporting Goods, which usually offer back-to-school discounts as well. Tip: we always find the best selection — even on sale items — shopping these stores online.

Consignment Stores

When you have younger kids, it’s always worth making a trip to your closest kids’ consignment shop to take a look. Oftentimes these stores will have a large selection of gently used items at steep discounts. Sometimes, you’ll even find never-worn clothes or shoes with tags still on them.

Once Upon a Child is a national chain with lots of locations, but there are also stand-alone consignment shops that specialize in children’s clothing in many towns and cities. If you can’t find any near you, try Goodwill or look for a local Salvation Army thrift store. Alternatively, there are some online kids’ consignment shops that ship nationally, like Bounce MKT, and ThredUp has kids’ clothes as well.

Clearance Racks

Chances are, your kids go back to school in August or early September. In most of the country, the weather is still quite warm this time of year. So instead of shopping for cool-weather clothes, hit up the clearance racks of summer clothes.

You can buy a few things in their current size to get them through the first month or two of school and buy clothing a size or two bigger that they’ll be able to wear the last couple months of the school year when they’ll inevitably have outgrown everything they wore this year. At popular stores such as Old Navy, Target, Gap, Kohl’s, H&M, and others, you’ll often find these end-of-season clearance items for a few bucks apiece.

Tax Holiday Shopping

Although they can be inconsistent, many states have tax holidays on essential goods and school supplies in the summertime. If you live in a state where clothing and shoes are taxed, shopping during these days can save quite a bit, especially when combined with other savings from regular sales.

Dates vary, and depending on individual state budgets, tax holidays may be paused from one year to the next, but it’s a good thing to look into before picking up your back-to-school haul. You can check the tax holiday schedule on the Federation of Tax Administrators website.

The post 5 Ways To Save on Kids’ Clothes Before They Go Back to School appeared first on Mom.com.

If your kids are starting to whisper about being bored this summer, Michaels’ free craft sessions — with in-person, take-home, and live guided sessions — could just be the boredom-busting solution you’re looking for.

My kids and I all love going to Michaels, honestly, sometimes even when we don’t need anything, because it’s so fun just to browse. We never fail to get inspired by the creativity on display. And it’s that very creativity that kids love that led Michaels to introduce Camp Creatology and Safari Saturdays.

The two summer craft “camp” offerings from Michaels are in-store, virtual, and at-home program options that keep kids busy — and help exhausted parents survive the rest of the summer. All of the craft “camps” are totally free, and the in-store sessions even include free supplies.

Here’s the scoop on Michaels’ free summer crafts:

Camp Creatology

Camp Creatology runs weekly and offers a free on-demand or live, guided craft class that kids can use to follow along to create the craft of the week. The craft supplies can be purchased ahead of time, or kids can improvise with art supplies they have on hand.

Safari Saturdays

Safari Saturdays, on the other hand, are free in-store programs occurring every Saturday in July from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at local Michaels. You can see a full list of the stores running Safari Saturdays and search for stores near your location.

All of the supplies for Safari Saturdays are free, and no registration is required. Parents or caregivers can just pop into the store and have fun crafting together.  

Both Michaels’ crafting options sound like the answer all tired parents are looking for (not that I’m speaking for myself here or anything…).

If you’re curious about some of the upcoming crafts that Michaels will be featuring through Camp Creatology, you can take a look at some weekly crafts, along with some other suggestions for at-home boredom busting from Michaels.

The post Michaels’ Free Summer Craft ‘Camps’ Are Boredom Busters for Exhausted Parents appeared first on Mom.com.

As I was searching for birthday cakes for my upcoming teen daughters’ birthdays, my sister let me in on a little secret birthday hack she has been using:

You can get ridiculously cute custom cakes and cupcakes from Walmart for only $15. I honestly didn’t believe her until I tried it myself — I ordered a custom cake for my daughters and was able to choose the frosting color, piping design, filling, and cake flavors, and even with some custom add-ons, I spent less than $20.

I was amazed that I had never realized how great Walmart’s custom cake bakery section could be. I did some digging and found some of their other ready-to-go birthday cakes that all cost less than $15.

Disclaimer: The birthday cakes may differ by location, of course, and the $15 price is for a 6-inch cake, which is designed to serve up to 12 people.

The post 9 Custom Walmart Birthday Cakes You Won’t Believe Only Cost $15 appeared first on Mom.com.

As the mom of a 1-year-old, I’ve been inundated with parenting advice over the past year. It seems like as soon as you’re pregnant, everyone and their mother believes it’s their responsibility to offer advice, warnings, and suggestions. Some of this guidance is helpful, but some of it is… not.

There are a few classics every parent has heard — you know, “sleep when the baby sleeps,” that kind of thing. A lot of this advice just isn’t practical or realistic, and it can be incredibly frustrating to hear when you’re in the throes of it with a newborn.

Of course, there are a few pieces of parenting advice that are true lifesavers. Here are some of the tips that actually help:

Sleep in shifts

If you can swing it, sleeping in shifts can be the best thing you do for yourself and your partner. Newborns notoriously sleep in short bursts, but that’s not really ideal for parents. It sounds crazy before you have a baby, but a stretch of four or five hours of sleep straight can help you feel like a new person. If you’re a single parent (or someone who has to do a lot of solo parenting), see if you have a friend or family member who can spend the night once in a while to let you get some shut-eye. Alternately, you could hire a night nurse/nanny or a postpartum doula to give you a little reprieve.

Create a command center

The first few days home from the hospital can feel like a complete blur. You’re exhausted, you’re overwhelmed, and things can feel a little out of control. If you’re OK with chaos, you might thrive in this kind of situation. If you’re Type A, though, chaos doesn’t fly. This is where a command center comes into play.

My husband and I inadvertently created a command center without even intending to — we had an empty bookshelf in our living room (we were planning to put outside on the street but our daughter was born early) where we stored diapers, wipes, bottles, my breast pump, nipple pads, and more. Nearby we had a note pad where we could quickly jot down to-do list items: Order groceries, start a load of laundry, schedule pediatrician appointment, etc.

When my doula visited for a postpartum visit a few days after we came home from the hospital, she told us she always recommends this kind of setup to her clients. “It doesn’t have to be a long-term solution,” she explained, “just something that works for right now.” And it doesn’t need to be cute or aesthetically pleasing!

Take the damn stool softeners

If you ever think, “I’m sure I’ll be able to go to the bathroom without issues after giving birth,” you’re wrong. No matter how your labor and delivery goes, the last thing you want is to feel like you’re in labor all over again when you have to poop for the first time. Taking stool softeners, like Colace, eases the experience of going to the bathroom while you’re still healing.

While you’re at it, you might want to stock up on gas relief pills as well. As your uterus contracts back down to its original size and your organs move back into place, you might experience some uncomfortable gas pains (I know I did).

Don’t overdo it

Once you’ve been home for a few days and gotten a slightly longer stretch of sleep (I’m talking 3 to 4 hours), you might feel ready to take on the world. For me, this happened around 10 days postpartum. All I wanted to do was take a long walk outside in the beautiful spring weather… but a nurse reminded me not to overdo it.

“A lot of moms have a burst of energy and end up doing too much,” she told me. “It can be easy to overdo it in the moment, but then you’ll get home and feel totally drained.” As she told me this, I was reminded of my friend who walked a mile to and from her son’s two-week pediatrician appointment and found herself spending the next two days recovering. So even if you’re feeling great, remember that your body is still going through a lot. Prioritize rest — you’ll have plenty of time to get out and about in the weeks and months to come.

Accept the help

If you have a hard time asking for help, the postpartum period could be challenging. Try to prepare yourself not only to ask for help but to accept help when people offer. Before you give birth, make a quick list of ways people can help — and who you’d feel comfortable asking for help. Let’s take meals, for example: Maybe you’d be happy to have your in-laws drop off a meal, but you’d prefer your friends to just send a gift card for your favorite delivery app. Here are some other suggestions for ways people can help: picking up groceries, coming over to help tidy up, babysitting older kids or pet sitting for a few hours, taking the car to the car wash, or other daily tasks you could use a hand with.

Lower your expectations

A lot of people expect to be super-parents the second they get home with their newborn baby. You might have dreams of a perfectly clean house, nourishing home-cooked meals, cute loungewear, photo-worthy family moments — let it go. Lower your expectations for yourself. It’s OK to wear the same milk-stained pajamas for three days straight. It’s fine to let laundry pile up and not have the tidiest house. Do what you can, but don’t kill yourself. Spending time with your newborn is more important than deep-cleaning the kitchen.

Take videos, not just photos

As soon as your baby is born, your phone’s camera roll will be full of photos of your little one. Don’t forget to take videos! Photos won’t capture all the tiny movements and sounds your baby makes — and they change so fast! In a few weeks or months, you’ll love looking back and seeing how much your baby has evolved since they were born. (And if you have an iPhone, turn on the “Live Photos” feature!)

The best advice of all, though? Don’t worry about other people’s advice. Trust yourself. Talk to your trusted friends and family members. Every baby is different, every mom’s experience is different, so it’s more than OK if some parenting advice doesn’t apply to you.

The post Newborn Parenting Advice That’s *Actually* Helpful appeared first on Mom.com.

Holding your infant is one of the most amazing feelings in the world. You can snuggle them close to you, inhale their scent, and feel the warmth of their little bodies. It’s so sweet and cozy… until you realize you can’t get anything done. Babies love to be held by their parents, but it can make it difficult to do, well, anything. That’s why baby carriers are so helpful.

When you’re putting together your baby registry, one essential item is a baby carrier. Baby-wearing has become very popular recently, not just because it allows you to carry your baby while being hands-free, but also because there are numerous benefits for both baby and caregiver.

More from Mom.com: 7 Beautiful Baby Products for Parents with a Clean and Trendy Aesthetic

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In the latest episode of The Breakdown with Bethany, Bethany sits down with best-selling author and equality advocate Eve Rodsky to discuss a poignant topic: the evolving roles of women in society, the workplace, and—most crucially—the home. Rodsky, known for her groundbreaking work in Fair Play, continues to challenge societal norms and offer a road map for true equity, particularly when it comes to domestic responsibilities.

The New Normal in Work-Life Balance

The conversation opened with a bold declaration from Rodsky about the future of work-life balance. “We’re not going back the same way,” she insisted. “I don’t think we’re going back to work five days a week. I don’t think that this new administration in America can push us back into the home. I really think that we’re going to continue to have a lot of progress for women.”

Rodsky’s statement reflects the seismic shifts caused by the pandemic, which not only disrupted traditional work structures but also created an opportunity to reevaluate the expectations placed on women at home and in the workplace. Her optimism underscores a broader societal movement: women demanding more agency over how they spend their time and rejecting outdated models of labor division.

Inviting Men Into the Conversation

The discussion then turned to what Rodsky describes as “mistake number one” in the feminist movement: the failure to fully include men in conversations about raising children and managing the home. “We raised our kids and didn’t invite men into this conversation,” Rodsky said. “That’s a recipe for burnout.”

By shouldering the majority of domestic responsibilities, many women inadvertently perpetuate a cycle of inequity that is exhausting and unsustainable. Rodsky emphasized that true progress cannot occur without an inclusive approach that holds all parties accountable for creating balance.

The Last Frontier of Feminism: The Home

Rodsky referred to the home as “the last frontier of equity,” pointing out how domestic spaces have been historically absent from national conversations about feminism. While much progress has been made in external spaces—workplaces, politics, and education—Rodsky argued that meaningful equity must start with the personal and extend outward.

“As we know,” she said, “the most dangerous type of oppression is silencing women’s voices.” When women’s labor and contributions at home are undervalued, it not only stifles progress but also reinforces systemic inequality in broader society.

This episode of The Breakdown with Bethany is a rallying cry for a more inclusive and equitable future. Rodsky’s insights challenge us to examine how we contribute to inequities in our daily lives and how we can better support women—not just in boardrooms but in the spaces closest to our hearts: our homes.

Rodsky’s message is clear: Progress requires participation from everyone. If we want to break free from cycles of burnout and silence, we must address the gaps in our homes and bring men into the conversation. Only then can we truly transform the societal norms that have held women back for generations.

Catch the full episode of The Breakdown with Bethany to hear more of Eve Rodsky’s thoughts on feminism, equity, and building a more balanced world.

The post ‘The Breakdown with Bethany’: Eve Rodsky on Feminism, Work, and the Last Frontier of Equity appeared first on Mom.com.

Having kids is expensive, so if parents can cut costs, they’ll likely do it. But is it possible to be a cheapskate extreme?

There are always ways to be frugal when it comes to spending money on your kids, whether it’s looking for hand-me-downs, joining a Buy Nothing group, or shopping at a thrift store.

But is there such a thing as being too frugal?

Some have called a mom who used donated breast milk to feed her toddler and old T-shirts as diapers a cheapskate extreme who has gone a little too far.

The post ‘Cheapskate Extreme’ Mom Shocks People With Her Extreme Money Saving Hacks appeared first on Mom.com.