Made in the USA / Houston: Ann Page Coasters

 I first got these coasters at The Cottage Thrift Shop here in Houston and thought they were so fun for parties, gatherings, etc. I immediately saw on the back that they were made in the USA, which I loved even more. Then once I started researching the Ann Page website I saw that they are actually based here in Houston! How fun is that?! Do you of you have any of these products?

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Trip Planning: Hiking

*** So I started this post almost exactly 2 years ago, but I thought I would go ahead and post it because it was a good memory and hiking when it is not scorching out is always fun. Plus, I help clients pack for trips from time to time, which includes hiking gear.

I just got back from a hiking trip to Estes Park, CO with my husband and several friends. It was really hard for me to decide what was necessary and not necessary to bring on the trip since I really don't hike in cold weather. All the hiking I have done has mostly been during the summer time. 

Here are some things that I decided to pack for actual hiking days, which it turned out I used almost everything. 

1. Map
2. Thermals 
3. Comfy pants
4. Polyester and Cotton shirts
5. Wind and rain proof jacket
6. Puffy Vest
7. Hiking shoes / socks (the socks are a must)
8. Sunscreen
9. Food (Purely Elizabth Granola or any granola that one is just my favorite, fruit, sandwiches, etc.)
10. Water bottle
11. Backpack
12. Hand sanitizer / wipes
13. Toilet Paper
14. Sunglasses
15. Camera
16. Pencil and Pad
17. Map

Bring band aids. One of the friends that we were with got really bad blisters. Thankfully, I didn't get blisters that bad. The first day we hiked I think 9 miles maybe a little more and my feet were killing me. Be sure to have the proper shoes and socks, which I think mine were great it was just the whole walking for 9 miles in one day thing that my feet didn't like. 

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Spring Cleaning: Items You Forget to Clean

Spring cleaning has been in full effect at our house. There are all kinds of areas that get neglected because we, well, forget about them. Here are some top areas you may forget to clean.

• Doors
• Door knobs
• Light switches
• Refrigerator coils
• The trashcan
• The fronts of cabinets
• Kitchen appliances
• Pillows
• Toothbrushes
• Headphones
• Channel changers
• Lamp shades
• Books
• Blankets
• Baseboards
• Picture frames
• Dishwasher
• Washing machines
• Fans
• Electronics
• Inside of the refrigerator 

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Made in the USA: J.W. Hulme

One of my favorite made in the USA products is J.W. Hulme. They are made in Michigan. My husband and I each have a duffel bag and love them. This is the one I have and it is actually pretty large. It is gone up a lot through the years. The grey canvas duffel in the picture is my husbands and I can't find it on their website any longer. I have been giving my husband several of their items for years from a shell pouch to passport cover and other items. There are very well made and super durable. I always thought the leather duffel was beautiful, well all the leather products are beautiful. I love the style and durability of many of their travel products. The items can be pricey, but they often have discount codes and sales. These duffel bags are perfect for weekend getaways. Do you have any J.W. Hulme products that you love?

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Concierge's Must Have Item: Amazon Prime + The Benefits of It

One of my FAVORITE sites I go to far too often is Amazon. I use it all the time for clients and personally. More times than not I can find what I am looking for on there at a reasonable price. Prime is wonderful! Free 2-day shipping on many items when you pay an annual price, you can't beat that.  To overnight Prime items is really inexpensive as well. This is definitely a concierge's must have item.

Besides quick shipping there are also many other benefits like video streaming, music streaming, ebooks, no rush shipping credit, unlimited photo cloud storage, and early access to some daily deals. 

If you use smile.amazon.com for qualifying purchases a portion of your order goes back to a charity of your choosing from their list. How cool is that?!

Are you a lover of Amazon Prime? What are some of your must have items?

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Client Busy Mama: Toddler Closet Organization Before & After

You may remember this post from February where I did a baby closet organization project. Well, that same day I also did a toddler closet. These 2 closets were so much fun because, come on, how cute is mini little girl's clothing?! Everything that was in this closet needed to stay in the closet.

Here is what I did:

• I moved the big items out. Then eventually back in.
• Less used items went to the top.
• All current clothing went towards the front of the closet arranged by size. 
• Bigger clothing sizes went towards the back of the closet.
• Diapers and wipes in the bin needed to be easily accessible, so they stayed in the bin on the ground.

**Sorry for the bad phone photos. You can also see part of this organization project on Veronika's Blushing as well.

Before:

After:

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Made in the USA: Hedley & Bennett Aprons

Are you a fan of Hedley & Bennett aprons? I stumbled upon them several years ago and can't get over how cute & functional they are. I personally don't have one, but I gave my husband the Squid Ink one a couple of years ago and he loves it. He uses it in his workshop. What he loves about it is that it can hold several of his tools, pencils, tape measures, etc. I love the variety of styles & colors and that they are made in the USA! Plus, they have cute kids ones as well. I really need to get my hands on one for myself sometime soon.