2024 Holiday Tips Pt.2

 

The holidays are fast approaching and here are some things that you can do this week to start prepping for the holidays

🌿 Buy Halloween candy

🌿 Plan for Fall / Halloween / Dia de los Muertos activities, parties and teacher gifts

🌿 Book end of year appointments &  doctors appointments

🌿 Get Halloween costume

🌿 Plan Friendsgiving

🌿 Clean your chimney

🌿 Stock up on gift cards or start putting money aside for holiday expenses

🌿 Begin to organize your garage, attic & basement

🌿 Book holiday travel

75 Holiday Blog Content Ideas for Organizers

1. Fall Bucket List
2. Holiday Bucket List
3. Christmas Buck List
4. Fall Maintenance Checklist
5. Winter Maintenance Checklist
6. 10 Ways You Can Prep for the Holidays Now
7. Thanksgiving Checklist
8. Halloween Checklist
9. Christmas Checklist
10. Hanukkah Checklist 
11. Ways Your Company Can Help Clients and Potential Customers During the Holidays
12. Ways to Give Back During the Holidays
13. Sustainable Holiday Swaps to Make in Your Business
14. Sustainable Holiday Swaps to Make in Your Home
15. Greeting Card Organization
16. "x number" of Spaces You Should Organize to Prep for the Holidays
17. Pumpkin Patches in Your Area
18. Sustainable / Green / Eco Halloween Ideas
19. Sustainable / Green / Eco Thanksgiving Ideas
20. Sustainable / Green / Eco Christmas Ideas
21. Sustainable / Green / Eco Hanukkah Ideas
22. Giving Tuesday Post
23. Recycling During the Holidays
24. What to Declutter Now in Order to Prepare for the Holidays
25. Local Places to Make Donations to During the Holidays
26. How to Get Organized for Halloween
27. How to Get Organized for Thanksgiving 
28. How to Get Organized for Christmas
29. How to Organize Halloween Decorations
30. How to Organize Thanksgiving Decorations
31. How to Organize Christmas Decorations 
32. How to Organize Hanukkah Decorations
33. Ways Have, Give & Show Gratitude During the Holidays
34. Holiday Gift Guides
35. Utilizing a Personal Concierge During the Holidays
36. Tips to Getting Organized in the Fall
37. Tips to Getting Organized in the Winter
38. Tips to Getting Organized in the New Year
39. Ways to Save During the Holidays
40. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a Halloween Party
41. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a Thanksgiving Party
42. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a Christmas Party
43. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a Hanukkah Party
44. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a New Years Eve Party
45. Small Business Saturday Post (celebrated the 1st Saturday after Thanksgiving)
46. Clutter Free Gift Ideas
47. 5 Last Minute Things to Organize This Weekend: Last Minute Holiday Organization
48. Setting a Holiday Intention
49. 10 Last Minute Things to do to Get Organized for the Holidays
50. My Container Store Gift Wrapping Favorites
51. First Day of Fall: Time to Purge and Organize
52. 5 Services to Outsource During the Holidays
53. 15+ Ways a Personal Concierge Can Help You Stay Sane During the Holidays
54. Professional Organizers #1 Tips for a Stress Free Holiday Season (poll fellow NAPO members or other organizers you know)
55. Professional Organizers / Concierges Must Haves
56. 8 Things We Forget To Do During the Holidays
57. 15+ Tips for an Eco-Friendly Holiday Season
58. 5 Ways to Get Organized for the Fall
59. 5 Ways to Get Organized for Thanksgiving
60. 5 Ways to Get Organized for The Winter 
61. 5 Ways to Get Organized for The New Year
62. Professional Organizers' #1 Tips & Tricks for Getting Organized for The Fall
63. 20+ Holiday Helpers To Make The Holidays Go Smooth
64. 21 Tips and Tricks for Getting Organized After the Holidays
65. The Importance of a Holiday Binder
66. Apps to Help You Stay Organized During The Holidays
67. 5 Money Saving Tips for The Holidays
68. 15 Ways to Spread Acts of Kindness During The Holidays
69. Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar
70. Organizing Advent Calendar Starting in November
71. 7 Ways you are Grateful 
72. 7 Ways to Help Small Businesses During the Holidays
73. How to Keep Pets Safe During the Holidays
74. How to Organize a Gift Wrapping Station
75. How to Budget for the Holidays

Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/pine-leaves-and-christmas-balls-on-a-green-background-5485110/

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! May your day be peaceful, merry and bright. 

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Photo by Grant Lemons on Unsplash

Utilizing a Personal Concierge During the Holidays

This time of year is super busy for so many people and you can get overwhelmed really quickly. I have many clients here in Houston who use me for various daily tasks and the holidays are no exception. Hiring a personal concierge is easy there are several in Houston and all over. Here are some things that they can help you with.

• Gift Research. I often times get hired to research various gifts, but have an extensive list of go to gifts that I like to give or that I know are a hit. Here in Houston there are various stores I know that I can find the perfect gifts.
• Shop. This is one of the biggest things I get utilized for during the holidays. There are so many gifts that get bought and given 
• Help Decorate. Sometimes you just can't do it all and need help. 
• Donation Drop Off. There is a ton of giving back during the holidays and I often drop off donations for others.
• Organize. Since I am a professional organizer, I often help with general organization in businesses and around the home. This really helps clients destress and not worry as much during the holidays. 
• Gift Wrapping. The key is to find stores like Kuhl-Linscomb that gift wrap for free, but if not then use a personal concierge. I often do this for clients and have so much fun.
• Shipping. I ship a TON during the holidays. The key is to ship early when lines are not as long. Many of personal concierges charge by the hour, so shipping early can save you time and money. 
• Write, Address, Stamp and Mail Holiday Cards. This gets outsourced a lot because usually when people send out holiday cards they send out a lot. 
• Corporate Gift Buying. Lots of companies give gifts to employees, clients and colleagues and this is something they use concierges to assist them with. 
• Party Prep. This is a big one because so many people host holiday parties. 
• Book Travel. A ton of people travel during the holidays and a concierge can help with flights, hotel reservations, car rental, booking activities, etc. 
• Grocery Shop. So many groceries to be bought during the holidays. 
• Guest Prep. If you have guests coming into town a personal concierge can help with prepping for their arrival from getting rooms organized to arranging pick up for them to buying gifts. 
• Basic Errands. I help clients with all kinds of basic errands they just don't have time to do. 

Virtual Concierge Help
I have had others hire me to help them with holiday tasks virtually as well. Here are some holiday things that I often get asked to help with virtually.

• Buy and Ship Gifts. If there are items that can be purchased and shipped online, then that is what I help with.
• Order and Mail Holiday Cards. This often times can be done anywhere.
• Arrange for Professional Services. I often help arrange for services like house cleaning, organizing, catering, etc. to come in and help during the holidays. 
• Book Travel. Just like above this is something that a concierge can help with.
• Send Alcohol and Flowers. I arrange for bottles of wine and liquor to be delivered for clients. As well as, flowers and plants. 

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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of my clients, colleagues, family and friends.

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Made in the USA: Christmas Memories Book

I first saw this Christmas Memories Book in a local Houston store and loved it. I love that you can document your memories and keep it simple. The format is easy and meant to last for years and years to come. It is made in the USA! As a concierge and personal assistant, I am constantly looking for unique gifts to give clients and to buy on behalf of clients. This one is perfect for the upcoming holiday season.

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Christmas Cards and Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve!! Here are the Christmas cards that we sent out this year. We got mostly picture cards, especially since most of our friends have kids now. I actually really enjoy them because a lot of times they are from people we rarely see. 

Hope you have a very Merry Christmas, if you celebrate. 

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Volunteering and Giving

Like I mentioned in the #GivingTuesday post, volunteering is something that I like to do when I have the time. During the holidays there are always organizations that are looking for volunteers. I know that the holiday season is almost over, but that doesn't mean you can't volunteer for various organizations. Check out volunteermatch.org, volunteerhouston.org or visit your favorite non profit. I volunteered for NAMI Houston gift wrapping at Barnes and Nobles (found through volunteermatch.org) and also I volunteered in crafts section for the MFAH Breakfast with Santa event. 

You can also give to various organizations. There are tons of non profits, but ones that I am fond of for personal reasons are Texas Children's Hospital and MD Anderson Children's Cancer Center. Either organization would love donations with products http://bit.ly/1doqyzZ & http://bit.ly/18ALzVh or monetarily http://bit.ly/1bVtQOk & http://bit.ly/19gzxnB. I also love giving to the World Wildlife Fund and the Nature Conservancy.

Here are some organizations that are always in need: 

• Toys for Tots
•  Habitat for Humanity
•  Blue Santa
• Local Hospitals
• Food Banks

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DIY Tinsel Pom Poms

I saw these tinsel pom poms at Target that I really wanted them, but they were kind of expensive to me at $4 for 2. I decided to make my own. I just got a strand of tinsel garland 15ft for $3.50 and made about 25 pom poms. I just cut about 2"strands, made a circle and stapled them together to make poms. It was super simple and easy.

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Christmas Cards

I love sending cards in general, but here are the Christmas cards that I sent out this year to family and friends. I put a lot of detail into my cards, so it feels like it takes me forever to write them. I've noticed most of the cards that we have been getting this year are picture cards with printed messages on them. Since most of our friends now have children there are always pictures of the kids. Since not all the post offices by us will hand cancel, I went to a different one that does on Greenbriar and Richmond. (which on a side note: the people at the Greenbriar and Richmond post office are really nice and not rude)

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Eco Holiday Tips

So I had every intention of writing more blog posts this month, but honestly work has been crazy and I just haven't felt like writing on here when I get home. I know this little post may be coming a little late, but here are some eco holiday tips you can follow. 

• If you shop online try to get a majority of your items from the same place so you can reduce the amount of packaging you use
• Make your own gifts i.e. scarves, mittens, jellies, pastries, etc.
• Plan your shopping trips so you don’t have to drive as much and ride your bike whenever possible
• Bring your own bags
• Try wrapping gifts with the comics section, reuse old paper maps, and spare scrap pieces of cloth
• Send holiday cards by using cards made of recycled paper or send e-cards
• Buy vintage gift items or gifts cards to reduce on the amount of packaging
•  Buy LED lights for the outside of your house and tree
• If you are using candles during the holiday season buy soy or beeswax candles
• Make or reuse your old decorations or if you must buy new ones buy from resale shops
• For parties buy or cater locally
•  Don’t use disposable plates, silverware, etc
•  Stay home instead of traveling
• Carpool whenever you can, especially if you will be making a lot of trips to the store

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After Christmas

Christmas is about so much more than just gifts for me, along with many people, but I thought I would share with you some of my favorite things that I received this year. Besides Bryan coming home because that was definitely my favorite thing. 

KitchenAid Mixer that was a joint gift to Bryan and I from my mom. Bryan's parents also got it for us, but  we returned the mixer they gave us and got some pots and pans instead. We had this on our wedding registry and really wanted it, but finally got it for Christmas (2 actually!). We can't wait to start baking and seeing what all this mixer can do.

LEGO VW Bus gifted to me from Bryan's parents. I have wanted this for a while and finally got. I finished it in about 6 hours and there are all kinds of neat things inside the bus.

Hurom Juicer  gifted to me by Bryan. It was a total surprise because we had set a dollar amount to spend on gifts for each other and this far surpassed our limit. I love this juicer and I have used it so much already. 

My Ideal Bookshelf gifted to me, along with some things, from my aunts and uncles. This book is filled with the favorite books of many different people from authors to filmakers. An interesting read.

Kaweco Pen gifted to me by Bryan. I love this pen and it great to carry on the go.

Wedgewood China  was gifted to Bryan and I by my grandparents. My great great aunt gave us some of this china when she was moving into a nursing home and we have been slowly receiving the missing pieces. We both love this china.

We also received some gift cards from my dad and we have already used some. 

I am so grateful and appreciative for all the things that Bryan and I have received and love all of it. 

Photos courtesy of: Amazon, LEGO, Replacements.com

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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!

Photo Courtesy of USPS.com

Merry Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve!!

Please enjoy Hallelujah by Rufus Wainwright 

Photo Courtesy of: USPS.com

All I Want for Christmas......is You

This is my husband, Bryan, and I's first Christmas as a married couple and unfortunately he is working and will not be home until Dec. 26. This is our life right now and we make do. Not ideal, but we make it work and I am lucky to be able to spend Christmas Eve with my in-laws and Christmas Day with my family. Of course I can't wait to see Bryan on the 26th. 

I leave you with a great video of The Roots, Jimmy Fallon, Mariah Carey and children singing All I Want for Christmas Is You with classroom instruments. 

Jimmy Fallon, Mariah Carey and the Roots

Photo Courtesy of: Rifle Paper Co.