Kelly Tirman » products

How Much Stuff Do You Schlepp Around?

kellytirman — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:00:43 +0000

Schlepp: To carry, to lug to tote. Isn’t that what we do with all our kids stuff whether we like it or not?

Diaper stuff, snack stuff, toy stuff, stuff for swim class, stuff for soccer. Bottom line our kids have a lot of stuff.

Well, I guess that is why Trumpette created these Schleppbags. If you are in the market for a BIG bag, these will carry all your kids stuff and anything else that life with children might throw in your way.

Question – At what age do you think kids should start schlepping their own stuff?

Discloser: Trumpette was kind enough to provide me with the 94115 bag. This allows me to pretend that I still live in Pacific Heights. A neighborhood that I haven’t actually lived in since I was single, kid free and didn’t carry that much stuff.

About Kelly Tirman

Kelly Tirman is the mom behind kellytirman.com and serves as Sr. Manager of Operations for Walmart’s Global eCommerce User Experience, Insights & Analytics teams. Kelly’s blog focuses on sharing ideas on urban living; including general lifestyle, raising multilingual children and organic beauty.

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Baby Products for the Urban Minimalist – 0 to 3 Months

kellytirman — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:25:06 +0000

Confused on what you REALLY NEED for your baby? Don’t have a ton of space in your urban dwelling? Here is a complete list of products that should get the typical urban minimalist through the first three months.

Moses basket – Even better than an empty dresser drawer; a moses basket is a perfect place for an infant to sleep. It is also easy to move from room to room which is great since the average newborn sleeps roughly 16 hours a day.
Puj Tub – Finally a infant bathtub that isn’t awkward and is easily stored out of sight no matter how small your place is.
Baby wash – This baby wash from Nurture My Body is organic and leaves your baby smelling divine. It is a tad on the pricey side but use it sparingly and it could last you a good 3 months.
Organic JojoBABY Oil (basically organic jojoba oil) – use this to give your baby a massage. Jojoba oil is much better for your baby’s skin (and the environment) than traditional baby oil or baby lotion.
Mother Love Diaper Rash & Thrush – An all-natural herbal salve for diaper rash and it also great for soothing nipples. Buy one jar for baby and one jar specifically for your boobs.
Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat – This car seat has a removable all-weather boot with blanket flap that keeps baby warm during our crazy cold San Francisco summers. This product also doubles as a “bouncy chair” while you are in the house.
Graco SnugRider Infant Car Seat Carrier Stroller Frame – A lightweight stroller is a must! When folded it is small enough to hang on the back of your front door.
Kimono tees – Sometimes onesies can be a pain in the butt. These work day or night and don’t have to be taken off to change a diaper. You are probably gonna want half a dozen of these suckers.
Cotton pants – For wearing with the kimono tees when it is too cold to only wear a diaper. You are probably going to want 3-4 pairs.
Monthly onesies (0-12) – These onesies are perfect for taking pictures in. Wearing them will also eliminate questions from strangers asking, “how old is he/she?”
Moby Wrap with SPF 50+ – Not only will keep the baby calm this wrap will double as a wrap/shawl for yourself. This product will literally give you back your hands and allow you to get things done. With a little practice this will allow you to breastfeed and ride public transportation at the same time.
Organic Cotton Cloth Diapers – Instead of using these as diapers use them as burp rags and changing pads.
Muslin swaddles – These ones from aden + anais are large enough to ensure a good swaddle and can also be used as a burp cloth, nursing shield, stroller cover or portable crib sheet. Plus they are super soft and get better with each wash.

But what about a diaper bag?
Many hospital (example: Kaiser) will often provide you with a diaper bag, besides as a chic urban professional you must probably have a dozen or so over-sized purses cluttering up your closet. Use one of those! If not, swipe one of your husband’s backpacks/messengers bags. If you still insist that you NEED a “diaper bag” I suggest a Skip Hop Duo because it fits nicely on a stroller.

How about diapers? Should I buy cloth or disposable?
If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area I suggest you checkout Earth Baby’s Diaper Service. They deliver compostable diapers and wipes right to your door and pick-up your soiled ones.

Note(s):

Make sure you swipe the following items from the hospital prior to your departure.
If and when the time comes that you feel you NEED something that is not on the above list (example: a huge ugly baby swing) try picking one up on craigslist.

About Kelly Tirman

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Ten Products to Swipe from the Hospital After Having a Baby

kellytirman — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 01:24:44 +0000

To set the record straight I am not condoning stealing. I am pretty sure (except for the blankets) the hospital has no problem with you taking the left over supplies from your room. You paid for them right? Leave them behind and you’ll just have to shell out more money at the store later.

Wash Basin – Good for giving the baby a sponge bath until the umbilical cord comes off. Great for washing bottles as well.
Diapers – You will be neededing a lot of these.
Thermometer – Instead of registering for one just keep the one from the hospital.
Surgical Scrub Brush/Sponge – The scrub brush is perfect for washing baby’s scalp. I used it for my first child for over a full year. Also great for cleaning your toddler’s grumby nails.
Peri Bottle – Grab one for you and one for the baby. Great for your private parts and works well for rinsing shampoo off a newborns head.
Bulb Syringe – For all those baby boogers.
Large Maxi Pads – Trust me you will need these. Doesn’t matter if you have a c-section or vaginal birth.
Disposable Panties – Do you really want to ruin your good underwear?
Newborn Hat – Perfect for those first few short weeks when a 0-3 month sized hat is just too big.
Receiving Blankets – Multiple uses and provides a great memory.

Note: If you didn’t get a chase to swipe a receiving blanket from the hospital you can purchase them here.

Question: What did you swipe from the hospital? Did you find anything useful that I didn’t include in the above list?

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Finally an Infant Bath Tub that’s Perfect for City Dwellers

kellytirman — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:41:43 +0000

Living in the city without a garage (or even a storage closet) often means living a minimalist modest lifestyle if you want to or not. With my first child I tried to use a traditional plastic bath tub however I was at a complete loss on where to store it and began to dread bath time since using the tub was so awkward.

This why I think the Puj Tub is pure genius.

Since it is made from a soft foam that folds and conforms to almost any sink, the Puj Tub cradles and protects the baby during bath time. When bath time is over, you just toss the water out of it, unfold it and hang it up a hook behind the bathroom door. Finally an infant bathtub that isn’t awkward and is easily stored out of sight no matter how much storage space you have.

And believe it or not you can buy it from Walmart.

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Ivey Still Likes Ella’s Kitchen

kellytirman — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:32:32 +0000

Ivey might no longer need to eat baby food but that doesn’t seem to stop her from eating her favorite items from Ella’s Kitchen.

For example, last night while we were hanging out with our neighbors, one of the kids happened to leave their sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apple, blueberries briefly unattended – next thing I knew Ivey was helping herself to it (see picture above).

Recently they added a few new favors to their assortment and they were kind enough to send us samples of the following:

There is just something about the quality of the ingredients and the convenience of the packaging that makes Ella’s Kitchen something both Ivey and I can agree on. They taste so great that I find myself eating them as well. They are the perfect dose of healthy organic fruits and veggies! The packaging is perfect for when you running out the door plus they are MUCH better for you than a nasty V8.

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