Kathleen Harris
Kathleen is the editor of RealSimple.com. Her current obsessions: making the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, acrylic tables, Instagram, and Love It or List It. Have an idea? Share it: kathleen_harris@realsimple.com

Recent Posts By Kathleen Harris

The Top 10 Questions on the Internet

You know the phrase, there are no stupid questions. I’m not sure I 100% agree—asking certain people certain questions can quickly deduct points from your hip/smart/savvy IQ. Yes, I found it endearing when my mom asked me, “What’s the Harlem Shake?” If a twenty-something coworker asked me that, I would think she has her head in the sand. But, lucky […]

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How Do You Organize Gift Wrap?

Today Crate & Barrel is launching a new brand of organizing, cleaning, and laundry products. My favorite? The gift wrap organizer. If you, like many, don’t have a spare closet to take over, this simple cart would do the trick. What I love most is the perfectly sized space for rolls of wrapping paper and the ribbon tension rods–it just may in fact […]

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How to Share the News With Your Kids

As the devastating story of the bombing at the Boston marathon unfolded, I turned on the TV news. Then I realized I have a 2-year-old. I wasn’t sure what kind of images to expect on the screen—something that could potentially scare or scar him, even at this early age. I wish Kid President had a nightly news broadcast. But until he […]

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1 Simple Change: Why Boston’s Mayor Demands a Gun Plan

Gun control legislation hits the Senate floor today, in what many are anticipating to be an emotionally charged debate. We have held our own debate at 1simplechange.com (more than 2,000 readers have submitted their ideas, have you?), and reached out to many notables to get their take on what needs to happen to help keep our kids safe. The responses range […]

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Need Decorating Help? Go on a Virtual Date with a Designer

Stuck in a decorating rut? It’s not surprising. It’s too easy to get overwhelmed by the magnitude of 1) sticking with a style 2) knowing how furniture and accessories will fit together 3) picking out a paint color 4) finding someone to help you and 5) paying for it all. Tastemaker.com launches today—and with it, the promise of affordable, personalized […]

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Leaning In vs. Lying Down: Where Do You Stand?

This week, our managing editor, Kristin van Ogtrop shared her thoughts on Lean In the ubiquitous book by Sheryl Sandberg. Her conclusion? She’d rather stand up straight instead. Read the piece here: http://bit.ly/12amQIG. And here’s how you reacted.

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Real Simple Visits The White House

Real Simple food devotees are no stranger to the high-quality, good-for-you, quick, and easy nature of our recipes. But now, we are bringing our simple meals to America’s table. Real Simple is working with Let’s Move!, the Partnership for a Healthier America, and USDA’s MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to a trove of healthy, delicious recipes. […]

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What a Mother Who Lost Her Son to Gun Violence Wants to Change

As Kristin announced earlier this week, Real Simple launched a powerful online forum with All You, Health, and Essence magazines that simply asks: What 1 simple change would you make to help keep our kids safe in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. We want to hear from you (submit your #1simplechange)! We also reached out to incredible voices in the […]

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How Do You Really Feel About Mother’s Day?

May seems like eons away, but we want to know: How does your family celebrate Mother’s Day?  What would you love to give this year—or get? Do any moms out there secretly hate carnations? We’d love to hear how you feel about the holiday, so please take our survey! We’ll run the results in an upcoming issue. (And we may […]

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Could You Live in a Tech-Free Home?

No microwave. No electric coffeemaker. No digital clocks. No TV. No internet. Could you do it? One San Francisco family, featured in the January issue of Sunset, has unplugged their home. Laura Jo Wegman and Donovan Corliss use a stovetop coffeemaker and rotary phone, and have transformed their home office into a home studio, complete with arts and crafts supplies for their […]

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