The Posh Blog

  It’s summer and that means it’s time to hit the water and the great outdoors.  But before you grab your trusty bottle of sunscreen there’s something you should check first.   

Just how old is your sunscreen?  If you are like my family we go through a couple of bottles of sunscreen a season.  This may not be the case in your household.  Many people have several bottles of sunscreen floating around the house and they have no idea how old they are and if they are still any good.   

When you find a bottle of sunscreen the first thing you should do is check the bottle to see if there is an expiration date.  The expiration date is typically located on the back or the bottom of the bottle.  If there are numbers but no date there is still hope.  Just today I found a link to an article in US Pharmacist that contains a table that describes the shelf life for several different brands of sunscreen.  The table also includes how to interpret what those mysterious numbers on the sunscreen bottles mean.   

What I found most interesting was that there is not an easy answer that states all sunscreen is good for a certain amount of time.  According to the table each sunscreen manufacturer determines their own shelf life.  It does seem that many of the sunscreens are good for three years.   

If you are just purchasing sunscreen one tip would be to use a Sharpie marker to write your own “use by” date.  That way you can determine how long you want to use the sunscreen.   

Enjoy the good life this summer! 

Angela Ploetz

I wouldn’t say that I am a big baseball fan, but I have been to my fair share of baseball games.  Growing up with a brother (Hey Danny) who was a baseball fan and having a husband who plays in an adult baseball league I have been to more Little League, Minor League, College, and Major League games than I can shake a stick at.  But I really didn’t pay much attention to the rules.  So recently watching a College Game, I learned that there were different types of pitchers.  There are starting pitchers and closing pitchers.   

The starting pitcher is one who can really get the game going in a positive direction with a lot of energy.  You put him in for the first several innings, but he typically can’t make it all the way to the end of the game.  He just runs out of energy and that’s when they bring in the “Closer”.  The closing pitcher is great at finishing the job and leading the team to victory!  The “Closer” is typically only good for a couple innings.   

So are you a starter or a closer?  Do you come into a project full of excitement and energy and then fizzle towards the end?  Or are you reluctant to start a job but once you do you can ensure spectacular results?  Knowing this information can really be helpful as you are planning projects, organizing or otherwise.  If you are a “starter” you may need to have someone or something that motivates you to get the job done.  If you are a closer then you may need to have someone just to help you get over the hump and get started.  Knowing where your strengths and weaknesses lie can be the key to being more productive and getting the right kind of support to help you excel.     

Are you a starter or a closer?  If you tell me what you are I’ll tell you what I am.  I’d love to hear from you.

Enjoy the good life,

Angela   

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

Happy Birthday!  Yes, we have made it to the one year mark and my second daughter has turned ONE!  I can’t believe I have survived this year with two businesses, two children, two adults, a Doberman, and lots of out of town guests living under one very small roof!  Now that we have made it to the one year mark it’s time to do a little more clearing out of the baby stuff, sad but true.  

I know this can be a very difficult thing for many mothers to do and with my first daughter I struggled with it a little more.  At that time, I knew I was planning on having a second child so I stored most of the clothes (see previous post on storing baby clothes) my daughter out grew and donated the outfits that were the “my daughter wouldn’t be caught dead in this” outfits.  Ha, ha.  But this time, I know I am not planning on having another child, so it has actually been quite liberating to fill up bags full of stuff I am donating or giving to friends.  Here are some of the things that really helped me let go of the baby stuff. 

Have you ever been hit by organizing inspiration?   It’s that fleeting moment when you realize “I need to get organized” and then you do one of two things.  You either get energized and roll with the inspiration or you say “I have too many other things to do today, I’ll get to it later”.  ARHHH!  You just lost it!  If you naturally have a difficult time getting organized and finding the time to do it then you need to seize the opportunity when ever it arises.  Even if you just start working on a project for 30 minutes, at least you have made a dent in your organizing project.   

Now this may go against some of the traditional time management techniques but if this helps you get the job done then you should defiantly seize the opportunity.   

So be on alert for one of those moments when you actually are inspired to get organized and see how much progress you can make.   

If you have a good tip that helped you get motivated, we would love to hear from you. 

Enjoy the good life,

Angela

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

One thing I frequently hear from people is that the amount of stuff they have is related to the amount of times they have moved.  You may have said it yourself.  People will say “I’ve haven’t moved in 20 years so I never had to get rid of anything”.   

I have also observed that people who move often tend to accumulate less stuff.  When I say people who move often I mean every 1-3 years.  It seems that when you know you are going to have to go through the process of lugging all your worldly possessions from one place to another you are more willing to make choices about what’s important and what is not.   

Think about it, college students are the perfect example.  They are at school for 9 months and then they return home for the summer.  I remember at the end of each school year you would drive around town and find all types of furniture, art, light fixtures, clothes and more on the side of the street that students were leaving behind.  If you drove back by in a few hours many pieces were gone because some other thrifty student had just scored a free sofa! 

Dictionary.com defines a nomad as:  “a member of a people or tribe that has no permanent abode but moves about from place to place, usually seasonally and often following a traditional route or circuit…”   

Does that hit the nail on the head or what?  That sounds exactly like the college student!  So how does this relate to me you ask.  We do not have to wait to move in order to give ourselves permission to release the stuff.  The nomads use the seasons to let them know when it’s time to lighten their load and you can too.  Many people pick Spring time or Fall to shed their unwanted stuff.  Choose the time that works with what’s going on in your life and your natural habits, but the key is to make it a tradition.  That’s right, make it a new tradition!  Something you carry out each year no matter what.  You could even tie it to a holiday like Labor Day (that would be funny) or St. Patrick’s Day or something that would help you remember to do it.   

If you knew you were going to be moving in a year what would you give up so you wouldn’t have to move?   

Enjoy the good life,

Angela   

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

    Mother’s Day is this weekend and that means another trip to the card shop and to find just the right gift for one of the most important women in your life, Mom.  But what do Mom’s really want?  I belong to a “mom-trepreneur” group and work with many busy women who are mothers and one thing that comes up over and over again is time.  You heard me right, or should I say, you read that right, T-I-M-E!  They want time to spend with their children or husbands and not have to worry about cleaning the house.  They want time to go to a yoga class.  They want time to read a book or even a magazine article.  They want 60 minutes to watch the Oprah show for Pete’s sakes!   

So if you can’t give mom “time” for Mother’s day, then give her time off or some time for herself.  This can be in the form of a massage, a facial, a cleaning service for a month or even just a day.  Be creative and most importantly be thoughtful.  What would she love to do if she had time and how can you make that happen even if it’s only for a day?   

A gift that is a service rather than a physical object is fantastic because Mom can get what she wants and not end up with any additional clutter.  That may sound harsh, but it’s true.  I had one client tell me that she told her family that they were not allowed to buy her anything for Christmas because she did not want any more stuff.  I had a conversation with another client about ideas of what she could do for their children for Christmas that would not be physical stuff and toys.   

So what will you do for your mother this Mother’s Day?  Let us know if you have a great idea that we can share.  

Enjoy the good life,

Angela   

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

  It’s Spring time and the change in the temperature means that it’s time to transition from long sleeves to short.  This is even true with infant and children’s clothes.  For adult clothing we typically switch out the Winter wardrobe for Spring and Summer styles, but for children, who out grow clothing on a seasonal basis things are a little different.   

I saved most of the clothing from my first daughter just in case I had another girl and low and behold I did.  Since baby clothing is sized every 3 months and my daughters were born at different times of the year, the clothing doesn’t always correspond to the appropriate season.  I have a box of baby clothes for each stage, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months and up.  So as my second daughter grows, I just go to the closet and pull down the appropriate box and start going through it.  I pull out all the outfits that are in season and put them in dresser drawers and anything that will not work gets transferred to a shopping bag to be donated.  I do have one small box of clothing that I am saving, but not many items go in there. 

 Now that I have emptied a box out, I use that box to add my older daughters out of season Winter clothing to.  I remove the label and add a new one.  Since the change is seasons is gradual and we still may need some long sleeved Spring clothing I keep this box on a lower shelf that I can reach and easily add more clothing to.   

This rotating system has worked really well for me.  If you only have one child and you want to save the clothing for your next child, like I did, let me give you a word of advice.  Purchase several boxes in advance and get them labeled now.  With my first daughter I didn’t always have the boxes at hand when I needed them and that resulted in “pile ups” until I could get a storage box.  This is a disaster!  You will quickly learn that children love to play with stacks of folded clothes that soon become piles of more work for you.   

Organizing is all about finding the right systems that work for you and support you.  My new system for dealing with my children’s clothing is working SOOOO much better than my first system did.  Oh yes, I love using the Deep Sweater Boxes from Container Store.  They fit perfectly on most shelves and are perfectly sized to hold just the right amount.

 Enjoy the good life,

Angela   

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

I just learned about this and thought in the spirit of Earth Day and clutter clearing I thought I would share this with my Austin readers.  Help make a young girls day by cleaning out your closet and donating a dress.  Read below and have a great day!

  The Specially for Children section of the Dell Children’s Hospital is seeking your help!
 
The First Annual Hungry Bunch Prom will be Saturday, May 10, 6-9pm at the Dell Auditorium at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.  They are currently seeking donations of fancy dresses to be able to provide a shopping party for the girls to come and pick out a free dress (being on treatment for cancer or a chronic blood illness can be a huge financial stressor for families so they didn’t want to add an additional, unnecessary expense for them).  
 
Dresses are encouraged to be donated by Friday, April 25. Dresses of all sizes are needed, as the program is open to patients 12 years and older.
 
Cynthia Fitchpatrick who is a childlife specialist and is helping to coordinate the event says, “One of the biggest reasons we are sponsoring a prom for these teens is very often these patients do not have the opportunity to go to their school proms because they are sick or may not feel comfortable attending if they are dealing with visible side effects of treatment (one of the biggest ones being hair loss).  Or they don’t live long enough to their junior and senior years when they are able to go to their proms.  It’s the first time we are doing it so we don’t have a very big prom budget so are going to rely on lots of donations.  Any assistance you could provide to help us get more prom dresses to be able to provide more choices to the girls would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your interest!”
 
If you are interested in donating a dress, bring it to the Austin Film Festival office at 1145 W. 5th Street, Suite 210, Austin, TX 78703 (Monday – Friday, 10am-6pm, 512-478-4795) by Friday, April 25 at noon.  You can also contact Cynthia Fitchpatrick at 512-671-0016  to get directions to bring them to the outpatient Children’s Blood and Cancer Clinic. (Beside the Dell Children’s Medical Center).

  Last week I had the opportunity to attend the National Association of Professional Organizers Annual Conference in Reno, Nevada.  It was a fantastic event!   The ever so dynamic Peter Walsh, seen regularly on The Oprah Show and TLC’s Clean Sweep, delivered a stellar Keynote speech that inspired and motivated the hundreds of attendees.   

So what did Peter talk about that was so earth shattering?  One thing he talked about that really struck me was about how as a Professional Organizer my job is to help my clients realize their relationship with their stuff AND that I need to help people reassess their material goods.  This being something I do already, I was thrilled that I was on the right track, but it is always reaffirming to hear this from someone with such influence and impact.   

If you have heard me speak or keep up with my newsletter or blog you know that talking about reducing clutter and letting go is one of my favorite subjects.  It is something I that I understand.  I know what it feels like to want to keep so much stuff, I understand how it feels to be suffocated by the stuff, and I also understand how it feels when the switch goes off and you realize you don’t have to keep so much stuff.  It’s an incredibly freeing and joyous feeling.   

Not only is my job to help people reduce the clutter and feel good about it but also to coach my clients on getting into the habit of only buying what they need and love.  This is such a pertinent topic right now with an uncertain economy and it being so close to Earth Day (April 22^nd).  Most people are probably really making conscious choices right now about their purchases.  They are carefully considering where they spend their money and what they buy and bring into their homes.  This is a great habit to continue even after the economy recovers.  Think of how much money you would save if you never bought anything you didn’t need or want?  Think of how much less stuff you would have to manage in your home?  Of course, if everyone did this that would put me out of a job, and that would be fine by me.    

Enjoy the good life,

Angela   

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

This week I am at an organizing conference in Reno, Nevada. As an excited traveler I was preparing by getting all my items packed. My carry-on was packed with the essential items: toothpaste, underwear, make-up, and plenty of reading material. My suitcase was very lightly packed with plenty of room to spare. I actually thought that I may be able to get everything in two carry on bags, but quickly discounted that idea so I would have space to bring conference material back home.

Fortunately, my organizing efforts paid off, but unfortunately my flight was canceled three times and rescheduled four!!! “The Airline” as we will call it, canceled 500 flights that day throughout the U.S. Needless to say, I was stuck in DFW for the night. I was one of the lucky ones who actually got a hotel room.

Lessons Learned:
Lesson 1: Pack your PJ’s. Although I had my essential make-up and toiletries I had not packed my pajamas or a second set of clothing. Not a problem if you’re traveling alone, but I had an organizing buddy who I was sharing a room with. So we got creative and got bought some lovely leprechaun t-shirts at Bennigan’s where we had dinner. Now we had pajamas!

Lesson 2: Pack some munchies. I had packed all my snacks, except for a package of gum, in my suitcase. After being at the airport for 7 and a half hours there comes a time when you want a small snack and you are tired of paying for the usual overpriced food and snacks at the airport. So next time I will pack a few of my own snacks on my carry on.

Lesson 3: Find out the location of your hotel.

After waiting in line to rebook our second canceled flight and to try to get a hotel voucher our booking agent was able to work some magic and find us a room for the night! Thank goodness!! The problem was that she called the hotel, held the room for us, and then told us which courtesy van to look for. We were too mentally drained to ask what the location of the hotel was and when we tried to get on the courtesy van he asked “which location are you going to?” We looked at each other dumbfounded. In the end we made it to the right hotel after calling them both and waiting another hour.

Lesson 4: Have a good attitude.
What struck me the most about this unpleasant experience was the attitude of everyone from the ticket agents to the people in line. Most people were handling the whole thing with patience and a little humor.

So, next time you are set to travel learn from my travels woes and be prepared for all the possibilities.

Enjoy the good life.

Angela Ploetz