Portland-based creative Rachel Hochhauser has built a career in storytelling and design. As the co-founder of Piecework, the art-forward puzzle company, she’s helped give a nostalgic pastime a fresh audience. Meanwhile, in her brand-new debut novel, Lady Tremaine—a freshly minted New York Times Best-Seller and Reese’s Book Club pick for March—she’s once again looking to the past, with an innovative twist—revisiting the Cinderella story through the lens of its so-called wicked stepmother, exploring themes of motherhood, ambition, and survival.

Amidst her work projects, she’s raising two daughters, (Bea (4 1/2) and Isabel (1 1/2), and is currently in the thick of a season defined by young children, creative work, and the ongoing effort to hold onto oneself amid it all.

Her Mother Essentials picks capture this balance beautifully. There are the genuinely useful heroes of family life—a diaper pail that can survive just about anything, a high-chair food catcher, and nearly indestructible kitchen shears. But also the objects and rituals that speak to pleasure, identity, and personal style: luxe track pants, a fancy body wash, her local library, and (naturally) puzzles for both kids and grown-ups. Read ’em and get inspired, below!

Cutco Shears. “I recently moved and our mortgage agent gifted us these as a closing present. At first I thought, ‘scissors?’ but they are truly a thing of beauty—they cut everything, don’t dull, and are nearly indestructible. Snip snip!” Super Shears, $149, Cutco.

Nuxe Gel Rêve de Miel. “I first bought this at the pharmacy in France and have religiously ordered it online ever since. It smells like santal and honey—it’s not too sweet—but the best part is it’s both a face and body wash in one.” Face and Body Ultra-Rich Cleansing Gel, $26, Nuxe.

Nagnata Motley Track Pant. “I was introduced to the bougiest version of a sweatpant when visiting family in Byron Bay this summer and I am all in. This is perfect for throwing on for school pickup and then seeing where the day takes you (i.e. mostly entertaining the idea without actually indulging in the fantasy that I will have time to exercise.)” Motley Track Pant, $360, Nagnata.

Ubbi Diaper Pail. “When we went to Australia on the above trip we forgot to empty the diaper pail when we left. Reader: our Ubbi contained the smell of 3-week-old diapers upon our return and contained it well.” Ubbi Diaper Pail, $79, Pottery Barn Kids.

Playing With Style. “I moved to a new city in 2020, then became a mother during the pandemic, then changed careers—all of which was a kind of identity shift. Meanwhile, my body changed continuously across the journey of having two kids in three years. I realized recently I had stopped buying myself clothes. Kids require so much ‘stuff’ for their little bodies and I had kind of forgotten that I can have ‘stuff’ too. (I have to remind myself the same thing about organic berries.) Now, I have fun indulging my own sense of play. TheRealReal is kind of like my competitive sport.” TheRealReal.com

Yun Hai Lunisolar Almanac. “I was gifted this daily rip-off calendar over the holidays and it has become a precious part of our morning routine—and been helpful in teaching my daughter about the admittedly confusing concept of passing time.” Yun Hai Almanac, $55, Yun Hai.

Catchy Food Catcher. “This contraption attaches to the highchair to catch falling food. It is admittedly strange looking, but when you are feeding a toddler who prefers to eat yogurt with her fists, you come to appreciate it.” Food Catcher, $49.95, Catchy.

Dino Discoteque Kids Puzzle. “My 4.5 year old is in a strong puzzle phase and I love giving them as a gift to other kids. This one is my favorite because my sister made the art and it’s a bunch of dinos boogeying down.” Dino Discotheque, $24, Piecework.

Building a Cardboard Playhouse. “My daughter and I have this tradition where every year we start a new cardboard house and she decorates it—with paint, markers, ribbon, etc.—however she sees fit. It keeps her very entertained for a few weeks and I’m happy that she is drawing on her walls instead of mine.” Easy Playhouse, $22.99, Amazon.

Puzzles For Me. “A truly wonderful evening for me is putting on a show, pouring a half glass of wine, and working on a puzzle. (There is probably chocolate, too.) My current picks are Piecework’s Pajama Party because of the striped box and Romance Puzzle because it leans into all the romance novel tropes.” PieceworkPuzzles.com

Maison Deux Blankets. “I used to think throw blankets were the ultimate milquetoast item, but then I got one of these and it is so thick it screams ‘cozy’ and ‘comfort’ at top volume. Highly, highly recommend.” Maison Deux Blanket, $199, Maisonette.

Zizia Botanicals All Balm. “Love this for me but also because it’s safe to use as a salve on my kids. I end up putting it on chapped cheeks, dry skin, lips, you name it. Perfect cure-all.” Zizia Botanicals All Balm, $18, Piecework.

Framing Things That Are Not Art To Make Them Art. “I’m a big fan of turning items that are not traditionally thought of as frameable art into art for my walls. I’ve framed Piecework’s Caesar Salad Napkins, my kids scribbles, my grandfather-in-law’s reading glasses, and more. Now it’s art. Everything is art.”

Getting a Library Card. “I always have a physical book going, an audiobook, and something on an e-reader, and this is an expensive pastime to support. I use Libby to check out books from my local library on my Kindle.” Library Card via Multnomah County Library.

Lady Tremaine. “My debut novel reframes Cinderella from the perspective of the so-called evil stepmother—inherently, it’s a story about motherhood; a little Circe and a little Bridgerton and a total do-over of the fairytale. It’s the version I wish I had grown up with.” Lady Tremaine, $27, Bookshop and Amazon.

For more MOTHER ESSENTIALS, peep our recent features with art world multi-hyphenate Dominque Clayton, food star Jing Gao of Fly by Jing, Sarah Fritsch of Studio Tigress, artist Lena Corwin, Hello!Lucky’s sister duo, doula and author Latham Thomas, Carla Wingett of Idlewild Floral, Andrea Faulkner Williams of Tubby Todd, Hana Getachew of Bole Road Textiles, artist & author Carissa Potter Carlson, actress & activist Hilary Swank, the co-founders of Hearth Display, author and organizer Aida Mariam Davis, design consultant Joyce Lee, self-care advocate Rachel Garahan, and DJ and director Va$htie Kola.