The Posh Blog

This is it!  Only 4 days of shopping left.  If you’re braving the holiday crowds to finish up your holiday shopping here are the three things you must know before you go, oh plus one bonus tip!

1. Make your list and check it twice.  There is nothing like getting home after a long day of shopping and realizing you have forgotten one last thing!  Avoid the unneeded stress by taking a few minutes in advance and making a list of the people you need to get gifts for.   Take it to the next step by jotting down some gift ideas for the person and possible stores where you can find the gifts you are looking for.

 
2. Map out your shopping trip.  Check your list and decide which stores you will need to go to and make a game plan.  Can you do all your shopping at one two shopping centers rather than driving around to several different locations?  Save time and gas by planning your trips wisely.

3. Don’t forget to take care of yourself.  Wear comfortable shoes so you can shop without having to think about your aching feet.  Unload any unnecessary items that might be weighing your purse down.  Also, bring a bottle of water and a snack like a granola bar, cheese stick, or nuts to give you a little energy when you need it. 

 
4. BONUS TIP. Don’t forget any coupons, coupon books, our rewards cards that you might have.  You may have received some coupons by e-mail from a store and you might need to print them out and bring them.  Or you may need to go through your mail for any that have been sent to you. 

Here’s to a happy and easy shopping trip!

Copyright (C) 2009 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

By now you have probably already begun to receive a flurry of cards in the mail from your friends and family.  Smiling faces and beautiful cards are such a sweet treat during the holidays.  But, if you haven’t so much as put the first thought towards your holiday cards, relax, there is hope for you yet!

1. Mailing deadline.  If you’ve been keeping up with my 18 Days of Holiday Organizing posts you probably already know that the deadline for First Class Domestic Mail is December 21st.  So if you have your cards in the mail by the 21st they are supposed to arrive by December 25th.  So there really is still time to get your cards in the mail.  See my previous post Three Must Have’s – Holiday Shipping  for more tips for getting your cards to the right location.

 
2. Send Out Cards.  This is an awesome card sending service that I learned about this year.  You can choose a card from hundreds of designs, write your personal message in the card, enter the address and then hit the send button.  Then Send Out Cards does the rest, from printing your card, addressing your card, putting a stamp on your card, and getting it in the mail.  It is amazing!  They send a real card for you.  You can even add your own pictures!  You can see more details on this at Send Out Cards.

 
3. E-cards.  If you are rushed for time you can also send an electronic or e-card.  You can visit Blue Mountain  and Hallmark . Many of these services cost a small fee, but the fact that they are so easy to do may be worth it!  You are also being environmentally conscience by not sending something that will most likely get tossed in the trash. 

 
4. Buck the system.  If the holidays have you so stressed out that you just don’t know how you can get holiday cards out then perhaps you should opt for New Year’s Cards or Valentine’s Day cards.  This has been a long standing tradition in my household and we get many comments from friends and family who love this.  They have told us they can enjoy our card more because it is not arriving at the same time as 50 other cards.

Don’t be afraid to get some help this year with your holiday cards.  Whether you send them electronically, use a system like Send Out Cards to help you get them addressed and in the mail, or you just put the cards off until the New Year, give yourself a break if you need one.

I hope you enjoyed the bonus tip, today’s blog should have been: Four Things You Must Know About Holiday Cards! 

Good luck and happy card sending!

Angela

Copyright (C) 2009 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”  I don’t know about you, but I think it’s the busiest time of the year!  Decorating, shopping, parties to attend, cards to get out, and oh gifts to ship! 

Here are my “Three Things That You Must” Know this holiday season regarding shipping.

1. Know your shipping deadlines.  Whether you are sending cards or packages if you want them delivered by December 25th you need to know your shipping deadlines.  These of course vary depending on whether you are sending things via U.S. Postal (First Class, Priority Mail, etc.), UPS, or Federal Express.  But generally, if you are sending something within the US from the US Post Office the deadline for standard First Class packages is Monday, December 21st.   You can find shipping deadlines for Domestic, International and Military Mail on the USPS website by clicking here. 
You can also follow this link  to UPS where you can calculate the expected shipping time of your package and get a cost estimate.  UPS  also indicates that for ground delivery with the “worst case” scenario you should ship by December 16th, but adds this would be rare.  

 
If you are shipping with Fed Ex Ground you need to have your packages to them no later than December 17th.  But there are many options that can push your deadline closer to December 25th visit the Fed Ex website  to see a complete list.

 
2. Packaging requirements.  Depending on who you are mailing with be sure that your package meets requirements.  Some companies do not allow you to wrap boxes in white or brown paper, don’t allow string or twine, and some require you to use their boxes.  Be sure to visit the web-site for UPSP  , UPS, or whoever you will be shipping with to find out about packaging restrictions.

3. Correct Name and Address. If you are taking the time to mail something special be sure that you have the correct address.  If you are hand writing the name and address use a Sharpie marker so there is no chance of the address smearing with water.  Also, be sure to revert back to your grade school years and print neatly and legibly.  Finally, including the full zip code will help ensure your package arrives safe and sound.  You can enter the address you are shipping to at the US Postal Service web-site  and it will give you the full Zip + 4 digit Code! 

Getting your packages mailed early should reduce your time in line and give you more time to get all those other things done like wrap the presents, bake cookies for your child’s school, pick up the dry clean, finish decorating….you get the picture.

Happy shipping!

Angela

Copyright (C) 2009 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

Happy Kitchen and Bath Month!!!  Hooray!  Who knew October is Kitchen and Bath Month?  In its honor I have dedicated today’s Must Have Monday to the pantry. Here are some things I consider Must Have’s when it comes to keeping your pantry looking its best and helping you save time when it really counts. 

1. Snapware: Slim Flip-tops TM  and MODS TM. If you have children or a husband, you know how quickly a box of crackers can get stale if not closed properly.  Keep crackers, cereal, and other dry food fresh longer with these easy to use air tight containers. I love these containers because they are narrow so you can put many of them side by side and not lose a lot of room on your shelves.  Also the MODS are well…modular, so you can stack them if needed. The Flip-tops are perfect for cereal and much less bulky than other products that are available.  These are one of my favorite products! These can be difficult to find so if you see them in a store you may want to grab one.  I have found them at Target, you may also find them at Bed Bath and Beyond.

 2. Expand-A-Shelf: Put things where you can see them with an expandable three-tiered shelf.  No two pantries are created equally and the Expand-A-Shelf® allows great versatility in length.  Many people are afraid to use these because they feel they will lose space, but I have seen the exact opposite happen with my clients. It’s important to note that this product comes in two sizes to hold everything from small jars to wider cans and bottles.  Be sure to check the size before you purchase.  You can find these at The Container Store and Bed Bath and Beyond.

3. A designated place for things to go.  Even in a small pantry you can still have dedicated places for different types of foods to go.  Grouping all the baking goods together, the beverages, the canned goods, the snacks, and the dry goods will save you tons of time when you or anyone else is trying to find something. It will also help you to know what you have which will save you from buying something that you already had but could never find. 

Here’s to getting your pantry in shape this month!

Angela

Copyright (C) 2009 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

Did you know the first week of August is Simplify Your Life Week?  By making your life simpler you can save time for the things you really want to do. What can you do to simplify your life? 

 
1. Stop mail clutter.  Are you getting so much paper and mail you don’t know what to do?  Limit your number of magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Sign up for Opt Out Prescreen to help eliminate pre-approved credit card offers.
2. Stop e-mail clutter.  E-mail guru Lauren Halagarda recommends that if you find that you are always deleting e-mails from certain companies that you should simply unsubscribe to that newsletter. Many newsletters have an option to unsubscribe at the bottom of the e-mail.

3. Keep an ongoing grocery shopping list.  If you are in a busy household it’s hard to keep up with what everyone needs.  Keep a shopping list in the same place and add to it as you run out of things.  If someone says “we need more (fill in the blank)” you simply reply add it to the list, or you can do it yourself.  Having a centralized shopping list will save you time when it’s shopping day.

 
4. Stop putting up with time consuming things.  Are you putting up with doing something that is a big time waster?  Maybe you have been doing something the same way for years.  Have you ever wondered if there was a way to automate or just do something differently?  Sometimes making a few minor adjustments can make a huge difference.

 
5. Eliminate things you do not like to do. Is there anything you are doing that you don’t like to do?  Would it make a difference if you stopped doing it?  Sometimes we do things because we think they need to be done, but in reality it really wouldn’t make a difference if we stopped doing it.

What else can you do to help simplify your life? 

Enjoy a simple week!
Angela

Copyright (C) 2009 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.

Did you know it’s Purposeful Parenting Month?  I know as a mother I am always looking for ways to make my families time at home fun for everyone.  So what can a parent do to help themselves be a better parent?  Here are few tips based on what I frequently hear from my clients.

1. Help.  That’s right!  As a Professional Organizer I work with a lot of parents and the one thing many of them tell me is that they do everything.  Even if you have a cleaning person come in on a weekly or monthly basis there are still things that need to be done in between and one or two people can’t do it alone.  Talk to your family and get them to pitch in around the house.  Even my two year old knows how to put her laundry in the hamper, you just have to make it easy for them (especially teenagers).  Establish minimal rules of how they can help you around the house.

2. A night out!  Yes, we parents need to have a little fun too.  Get a sitter for the kids and schedule a date night or night out with friends. 

3. Family calendar.  With multiple people living in one house comes multiple schedules!  Ahhh!  Keep everything straight with a calendar in your kitchen or where ever your family tends to gather.  You can use a paper calendar or a dry erase board.  Assigning one color to each family member is also great so you don’t have to waste space on the calendar by writing names down.  If you prefer to use an electronic calendar you can print the current week and post it in the kitchen so everyone can see it at a glance.

4.  Finally, enjoy your time with your family!  Whatever it is you are doing try to make it fun.  Whether you are cleaning out the garage or going on a family trip add music, games, or stories to make it more fun.  Having a family tradition like a game night or something else can help bring families together. 
 
For the first time, I will be offering a four part Home Sanity TM Course via telephone.  This course will help busy people understand the four pillars of Home Sanity: space, paper, time, and communication.  You will leave knowing how to organize any space in your home, how to handle incoming mail, how to help get “buy in” from your family, and how to make your home run more smoothly.
Our first call will be September 2nd from 10 am CST-noon CST.  We will meet via phone a total of four times (September 2nd, 9th, 16th, and 23rd) each time from 10 am CST –noon CST.  For more information see our calendar at http://www.theposhspace.com/calendar.php To register call me at 512-252-2866 or e-mail info@theposhspace.com.
What are your parenting must haves? 

Enjoy peaceful and purposeful parenting for the rest of this month.
Angela
Copyright (C) 2008 Angela Ploetz, POSH Space  www.theposhspace.com.