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Between soccer practices, playdates, work events, and school drop-offs, our family’s schedule is packed to the brim—more so than I’d like it to be if I’m being honest. And, up until very recently, the logging of it all existed in one place: my brain. As you might imagine, as a working mother of two, this is not the most effective or equitable way to run a household. In fact, there had been quite a few instances of missed practices or double-booked evenings due to the overwhelm of it all. I finally reached a breaking point and admitted that we were in desperate need of a way to organize our lives and that I shouldn’t be the only one doing it.
The invisible workload—doctors appointments, sports registrations, reading and responding to school communications—is the unseen labor that mothers oftentimes take on without even noticing. It can be a lot. So, after reaching the point where I was totally burnt out, I decided it was time to make an effort to change it.
I had heard of Hearth Display—the newly launched (and continuously sold out) digital family organization system—and I was interested in what it offered. I was looking for a tool that would go beyond the standard family bulletin board. Because, who really looks at those things, anyway? And, as a former design editor, I’m pretty selective on what I bring into my home (and especially what I hang on the walls), so I was also drawn to the aesthetics of it. So does the Hearth Display live up to the challenge of saving our family logistics while looking good, too? Read on to learn what I love about the design, how it functions for us, and how it truly helps equalize the mental workload.
We like
- Thoughtfully designed to blend in with your home decor
- Encourages children to get involved in household work
- Helps equalize household labor
- Has a variety of frame colors
We don't like
- Involved installation (depending on your preference)
It Looks Pretty Good When Not In Use
So, let’s start by talking about the design, because that’s the first thing you see when it’s not in use, and that element really matters (to me at least!). You don’t want it to draw too much attention or have it look too tech-driven. The fact that it’s sleek and discreet sold me. The device, which retails for $599, is 16.5 inches wide by 26.7 inches tall, so it’s about the scale of a medium-sized art piece. It doesn’t take up too much wall real estate, but you probably want a decent amount of space to hang on the wall so it has room to breathe.
When not in use you can turn on privacy mode and choose a wallpaper image to display. Currently, you can select a photo from your own library to show on the screen. I was feeling artsy when I set it up, so ours has a pic I took of a Gerhard Richter photo at the SFMOMA but I love that you can also display family pics on it at any time. The frame comes in three different colors: light wood, matte white, and matte black. I went with the light wood.
It Has Multiple Installation Options
Admittedly, installation is probably the most involved part—depending on your space and needs. You can hang the device two ways: You can either use the provided cord and plug it into a nearby outlet (and be done in seconds) or have an electrician come and wire it through the back for a cordless look. Because we didn’t have a nearby outlet on the wall we wanted to hang it on and we have a toddler running around the house, we opted for the cordless option. It was important to have it in a high-traffic area, so the wall between the kitchen and dining room made the most sense and was the placement I was pretty set on.
Hearth also offers two recommended heights, one that children will be easily able to access and one that is raised a bit higher. I have an eight-year-old and a 21-month-old, so while I would have loved to do the shorter height for my eight-year-old, I didn’t want the baby to have easy access to it (he loves to move furniture around the house and flocks to screens like a moth to light). So, I went with the higher one—my daughter does have to use a little stool but we figured for our family this was the best option. Once it’s all ready to go, you simply turn it on, scan the QR code, and start adding family member profiles.
Time To Get Organized
It’s pretty straightforward to get the Hearth Display up and running. Once I created profiles for everyone (my littles included), they appeared at the top of the screen. From there, I used the companion app (which allows you to manage profiles and calendars from your phone) and started adding in our regular occurring routines and events. Each member of the family has their own calendars, which you can view all together—so at any time you can glance and see who has what coming up and when. You can add events manually on the screen, through the app, or sync your calendars to Google Cal. I started adding things like recurring practices, upcoming school events, and even nap times to my kids’ calendars. My husband and I decided to sync our Google cals, as well. In addition to the calendar management, you can set day and nighttime routines and to-dos. For example, my daughter’s evening routine includes feeding our dog, wiping down the table after dinner, homework, brushing teeth, and bed. It comes with a few suggested tasks for this but you can customize as you see fit.
For the to-dos, you can add one-off tasks (for example, taking the car in for a service) or recurring (clean room every Wednesday) to the respective family member. You toggle between calendars, to-dos, and routines at the bottom of the screen—it’s super easy to move between them and see at any given time assigned tasks.
Overall, Hearth Display provides exactly what I was looking for in terms of calendar management and organization. What’s more, it’s allowing all family members to become more active in household happenings. So, I’m not juggling literally all of it. The device has also helped my daughter stick to her routines and stay on top of chores—hooray. That is an element that I find so useful, as it fosters independence and awareness around household duties. If you’re looking to ditch our dry erase board and equalize your household upkeep, I would definitely recommend adding a Hearth Display to the mix. It will make your life so much easier.
