The Posh Blog

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.

Can you believe it, the back to school sales are in full gear!?  My daughter will be starting kindergarten this year… boo hoo, hoo!  So I wanted to be sure to get her custom labels with her name on them ordered in time for school.  Mine just arrived last week and I was so excited!  I was labeling her water bottle, thermos, lunch box, and more. She thought they were really cool too!  Now there is no more fighting about which cup belongs to which child in my house! Each has their own dishwasher safe stickers on their cups. 

I have: iron-on labels for jackets and clothing; stickers for cups, notebooks, or anything really; shoe labels that go inside the soles of her shoes; and metal tags I can attach to a backpack or bag.  They are so cool. 

There is still time to order labels for your child before that first school bell rings.  There are two companies I have ordered labels from and that I recommend and they are Lovable Labels and Mabel’s Labels. I have been extremely satisfied with my purchases from both companies. Both companies offer a “Back to School Pack” that are a great way to get started. 

Here’s to the start of an organized year!

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.

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.