Welcome to Community Spotlight. It's a space for us to showcase members of our Hearth network who are integrating organization at home, building more equitable home lives, and inspiring us to do the same.
Meet Kelly Payne. She's based in Denver, Colorado, where she lives with her husband, three kids (7, 5 and 3), an au pair, and their family dog. As you can expect, there's never a dull moment.
Using her referral link, Kelly has sold over 20 Hearth Displays. (Have a Hearth Display in your home? Join our referral program here.) We don't play favorites on the Hearth Team, but let's just say we're thrilled to be kicking off our Community Spotlight series with Kelly Payne.
Before Hearth, how did your family stay organized?
We probably didn’t! But before getting the Hearth, we used a handle of different options – we tried Cozi for a bit, the Echo Show and then we used the DakBoard, but nothing worked well.
How did you discover Hearth Display?
I think I found it in a desperate Google search, probably late at night, looking for a solution. I found it on Kickstarter and was an early funder. If I hadn’t found it I’d probably develop it myself since I was so desperate for a good solution.
What's your favorite feature on your Hearth Display?
I love that it is large and touchscreen (unlike Dakboard) so my kids can actually use it. I also love that it doesn’t have a bunch of ads and distractions like other devices.
Do you have any tricks/tips on how your family uses yours?
My kids are younger so we rely on the “Routines” function for their chores and we use the “To-Dos” function to track their stars. We have the Stars each as a “To-Do”– they can earn and lose starts based on various things and get dessert once they earn 4 stars. On the home screen when it says “3 To Dos” for my kids, it actually means 3 Stars.
When talking to friends about Hearth, how do you describe the way it has changed your family's life?
I describe it at user-friendly and something the kids will actually reference and enjoy using. To me, getting the other members of your household to use it is something that is key to relieving the mental load that so many mothers bear.
If you could invent any new feature for Hearth Display, what would it be?
I’d love an actual integrated “stars chart” function on the Hearth – ideally one that connects with the To Dos and Routines. Also, would love an easy way to keep track of dinners for the week so the other adult members in my household and I can plan. Preparing Dinners for a family of 6 arise quite possibly the worst thing about being a grownup – that, and laundry – so anything to make that easier. There are so many possibilities, I can’t wait until more features are released!
