The Posh Blog

If moving day is around the corner for you then it’s time to start thinking about what you will need once you arrive at your new home.  There are some things that you just have to have to help make your move an easy one.  Prepare a “day of move” bag or box and include the items listed below.  Be sure the movers do not pack this box or bag and it arrives with you to the new house.

1. Scissors or box cutters.  Your move will go some much quicker if you have a box cutter or scissors for opening boxes for every person who will be helping you unpack.  This will help so people don’t have to keep running from room to room asking where the box cutter is.  Bring enough box cutters or scissors for every adult who will be helping on the day of move in.

 
2. Trash bags. Remember your moving boxes can typically be recycled or resold, so you will want to keep trash in trash bags.  Many people often run across items that they no longer want.  Fill up trash bags with items you want to donate and try to have a friend take them to a donation drop off to get them out of your new house fast.

 
3. Basic cleaning supplies.  You never know what you might find on the day you move into your new home.  It’s a good idea to have a broom, paper towels, glass cleaner, a general purpose cleaner (I recommend Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser), a dish sponge, small bottle of dish soap, a dish towel, hand soap for each level of the house, and hand towels one for each level of the house.

 
4. Sharpie and masking tape.  Use your Sharpie marker and masking tape to label trash bags as: trash, donate, recycle, etc.  A sharpie is also handy to have around to relabel boxes if needed. 

 
5. Toilet paper.  Need I say more?  Bring a least one roll for each level of the house.

These are just a few items you should not be without on the day of your move.  Don’t forget patience and your sense of humor.  Being prepared will help you from making too many extra trips to the store on the day of your move.

Here’s to an easy move!

Angela

Copyright (C) 2008 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

It’s summer, so what are the items you must have in your pool or beach bag?  Here’s my list of things your pool bag should not be with out.  Having a fully stocked pool bag will help you relax and enjoy your time in the sun.

1. Sun Screen- Obvious?  Not so fast.  It took us a while to figure out we needed to keep sun screen both at home and in the pool/beach bag.  You hate getting to swim lessons without any sunscreen.  It’s also a great idea to write the date that you purchased the sunscreen on the bottle with a Sharpie Marker or even better is to write the “use by date”.  Each sunscreen manufacture is different, but you can find out how long each type of sunscreen is good by reading my previous article Sunscreen Guidelines. 

 
2. Water Proof Bag- This is essential so you can keep your wallet, keys, and cell phones safe from a leaking water bottle, sunscreen, or a big splash of pool water.   You can use a Gallon Size Zip Lock storage bag with the slide Lock.   You can also find some great sturdy bags in the travel section of The Container Store like their Clear Zipped Envelopes. 

 
3. Trash Bag- It never fails.  You’re out and about at the pool or a picnic, you just wiped your child’s chocolate covered face with a wet wipe and there is no trash can in site. I stash a few plastic grocery bags in my pool bag.  They always come in handy. 

 
4. Wet One’s(R) Hand Wipes- After a day at the pool or beach refreshments are always a must, but even with chlorinated water it’s best to have clean hands before handling food.  I keep a container of anti-bacterial hand wipes in my bag. The anti-bacterial gel is great too, but I feel like the wipes work better with sticky kid’s fingers. 

 
5. Adventure Tote from L.L. Bean. I love this bag!  It is a must have for the Summer.  The large size holds a lot while the exterior pockets keep everything organized.  See my previous article The Best Summer Bag.

Here’s to a fun and relaxing summer!

Enjoy,

Angela

Copyright (C) 2008 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

Photo from L.L. Bean

Last year I had summer bag envy from my friend Tracy who had THE ultimate summer bag. She had the X-Large Adventure Tote from L.L. Bean and it is awesome! If you are planning any trips to the pool, beach, swim lessons, or even soccer practice this is a must have bag. It is large enough to hold towels for four people. The tote also has six exterior pockets which allow easy access to the summer essentials you need at your finger tips. You can keep sunscreen, diving sticks, handy wipes, sunglasses, and water bottles in these outside pockets. They help you to keep your items separated and using them keeps you from loosing items in the bottom of your bag. The exterior pockets are awesome and are one of the key features of this must have bag!

This bag is available in three different sizes. The X-Large is extremely large and can get heavy fast. But if you limit it to towels and swim items it is a great light weight bag for the summer. The large tote and the medium tote would be more ideal for day to day usage. I was able to get my bag about a month ago, but I have recently learned that these bags are sold out in three of the five colors. They still have the bags available in a few colors in select sizes but you need to order fast. If you can’t get one this year put it on your list for next May. It’s a great summer essential!

Here’s to an organized summer!

Enjoy!
Angela

Copyright (C) 2008 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space www.theposhspace.com.

Hooray!!!  It’s Summer!  Can you feel the excitement in the air?  You see the teens driving around town with graduation messages written on their cars.  This is an exciting time.  Whether you have a child graduating, your moving, or your just ready to adopt that summer mind set now is a great time to get organized.  That’s right!  Summer can be one of the most popular times to get organized, but remember you can’t tackle your entire house in one weekend.

Here’s what you need to consider when planning a weekend organizing project:

1. Be realistic.  Be realistic with the amount of time you are really willing to put into the project. If you have a birthday party and an evening bar-b-que to attend the chances are you may not have much time to get organized.  Take a good look at the scheduled activities you have that weekend and determine how many hours you think you can actually dedicate to organizing.  Don’t forget to take out some time for lunch or dinner; you can’t be productive if you don’t have any energy.  Also, take into account the non-scheduled activities (especially if you have children) these are unexpected interruptions from children, neighbors, spouses, or phone calls. How much time are you actually left with? 
2. Choosing your project.  Choose your project with the amount of time you have in mind.  Here are some examples of how long a typical project can take:  Kitchen, 10-12 hours; Pantry: 5-7 hours; Closet, 4-8 hours; and Home Office, 25 hours and up.  Of course times will vary based on the size of your space but these are some general guidelines based on my experience working with clients.  Keep in mind this time does not include shopping, painting, any repair work, or dropping off donations.
3. Shop last.  Remember don’t shop for solutions until you have some answers.  After you have reduced your belongings and you are left with only the stuff you need, use, and love then it’s time to start looking for containers and storage solutions to fit your needs.

 What project will you work on this weekend? 

Here’s to an organized summer!

Enjoy!

Angela

This weekend I had my daughter’s birthday party.  She turned two and I wanted to keep it low key with family and a few friends. Despite the Texas heat, we had a blast!  At every party I always have a Sharpie marker handy so people can write their name on their cup.  You know how it can get; every plastic cup or can of Coke quickly begins to look alike.  This year I was armed with my handy Sharpie marker and wrote children’s names on their juice boxes.  But for the adults, I purchased “It’s My Solo Cup” from Solo .  You simply peel a label off the cup and then scratch your name on the cup.  They were fantastic!  People absolutely loved them and no one got cup confusion! 

These cups are a must for your next party, especially with July 4th and other fun summer activities coming up.  I found the cups at Target and the cost was similar to standard cups.  But so worth it!  You can visit the Solo web-site to see the cups and to print a coupon. 

An end to cup confusion…that’s the good life!

Happy party planning!

Angela

Copyright (C) 2008 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.