Organization
Does your refrigerator look like a total disaster? Calendars, to do lists, the grocery list, babysitter phone numbers, etc.. It is a nightmare! I hate it. I found an app that has totally organized all of this random STUFF and put it into one place that is completely organized. Cozi is an app that you share with the whole family. I can put things in my calendar, or my wife can create a grocery list or to do list and I can see it. If I am driving by the grocery store, for instance, I can pull up our shared list and do the shopping for us so she doesn’t have to worry about it. We can combine all these different calendars—like school, sports, doctor’s appointments, etc. in one place—and it’s color coded so you can tell what is what. We can all share it—including my son! I can also sync it up with my Google or Outlook calendars. Everyone can know what everyone else is doing and what needs to be done—it’s so awesome!
Cozi – FREE – For Apple Android and Blackberry – http://www.cozi.com/
Music
Music is a staple in my life. I have to have it. It relaxes and soothes me; music makes me happy. There are tons of different great music devices out there—we all have at least one or more—I know I do! This one I LOVE for my home. It allows me so much versatility. I can place these wireless speakers anywhere in my home. Put one in the kitchen, the bedroom, the bathroom, the basement, even the nursery. I can then control it from my device (Android or Apple). I can pull up different songs for each room—if my son is in the basement, I can put on some Bruno Mars for him. I can have Salsa going in the kitchen, and if I had a nursery (and a baby) I could be playing lullabies in there all at the same time. Everyone can be happy!
Sonos (Available at Sonos.com and other retailers) – http://www.sonos.com/
Play 3 $299
Play 5 $399
Bridge $49
If you can’t afford the Sonos system, another less expensive idea is to get these new HMDX Jam Plus Speakers. They are different from the originals in that you can pair them together to create a stereo sound. They are tiny–so you can hide them in any room you are in. Just connect them to your device via bluetooth and you are ready to go. You won’t be able to have different ones in different rooms and play different songs, but these are portable and have a great sound. This way I can have great sound anywhere I go.
HMDX Jam Plus, $59.99 – Available at hmdxaudio.com and other retailers – http://www.hmdxaudio.com/
Great Videos
I love to shoot videos. I shoot them of my family and my friends. I love to create cool videos for work and for fun. I love when I am finished shooting something and editing it that I can share it publicly or privately to family and friends. I need a place that I can shoot, edit, add effects—like having a video studio at my fingertips where ever I am. There are no 6 or 15 second time limits like other services so don’t worry you can’t pure the while birthday song on video at ur kids party. Socialcam is an app that allows you to shoot, edit, add effects, and store your videos. But if you really want to keep a copy you’ll want to make sure you backup your videos from your phone to your computer.
Socialcam – FREE – Android and Apple devices – https://socialcam.com/
A Great Night’s Sleep
I travel a lot! And it is SO hard to get used to a hotel room. All the noises in the hallway, elevators, people talking, teenage girls giggling, etc. It’s also difficult because I often times can’t get my mind to stop going and going. I did not think much of this item when I first got to test out, but I have to tell you, I love SleepPhones! They are awesome. They are these soft polartec fleece headbands that have speakers in them. They come in both wireless that are more expensive and wired. They are really comfortable. So I can listen to my favorite music or some tranquil sounds to calm me down and lull me to sleep.
SleepPhones – $39-99 – http://www.sleepphones.com/