Featured in the New York Times

My company was featured in the New York Times!!!!  It is a very exciting thing for me and I am absolutely thrilled! I provide a variety of services: eco-consulting, personal assistance, organization and pet-sitting, among many other things.

Read the article here: http://nyti.ms/vDm4oP 

Missoni for Target

One of my favorite brands, although I usually only buy their items at resale shops, is Missoni. They have finally made an affordable line for Target and I can't wait to stock up on some more items from them. I just love all kinds of things that they make. Besides being well made, they are fun to wear and use.


Photo courtesy of: shefinds.com

What professional organizers want you to know : Article

Below is a website courtesy of O Magazine of some of the top things organizers want you to know. As I do agree with much of it, as a professional organizer there is so much more to it as well.


http://www.oprah.com/home/Organizing-Tips-from-Professional-Organizer-Linda-Rothschild/


Comment if you have any questions for me.


Photo courtesy of: luxury-idea.com

Gallery M Squared

Bryan and I finally found a place to have our wedding reception. It will be at Gallery M Squared. We are both super excited and super relieved that we found a place that we LOVE and that is relatively inexpensive compared to other venues in Downtown Houston. We love how eclectic and fun it is, which totally fits are personalities and styles. 


Photo courtesy of: http://houston.culturemap.com/mapdetail/m2-gallery/

Austin City Limits Festival (ACL)

Right now I am in Austin about to attend the Austin City Limits (ACL) Festival (this was a scheduled post). I have been attending this festival for many years. Any one who knows me knows that I LOVE music and going to festivals, concerts, etc. Although many of the artists I have seen before, I am still looking forward to seeing a lot of bands that I haven't seen before like Fitz and the Tantrums, Kayne West, etc. One thing that I do dread about the festival every year is the heat. Since we are in Texas it gets extremely hot with the exception of last year it was a little bit cooler. I will keep you updated on how the festival was.

Photo courtesy of: top40.about.com

Top 10 Wackiest Pet Names

Every time I tell people the name of my dog they give me a very puzzled look. His name is Rothko (after Mark Rothko the artist and some character from World of Warcraft that my fiance chose). Here is a top 10 list of the wackiest pet names of 2011 http://www.breedtrust.com/blog/top-10-wackiest-pet-names-2011. Some of these I don't think are too wacky, but are cute.


Photo courtesy of: BreederTrust.com

Freecycle

I use the website Freecycle a lot of times to either get rid of things or to get certain things. You post what you are getting rid or looking for and many of times people will respond. One thing that I like to use it for is getting coupons. I know it is the craze now, but I have been using them since I was on my own and during my college days. Freecycle is a great resource for all kinds of things. It is very similar to Craigslist except the items on there are FREE. You can't beat FREE!


Photo Courstsey of: Freecycle.org

Backing up information

I have many clients that are trying to put much of their information onto their computers to help eliminate with all the paper they have laying around thus eliminating clutter. One thing to keep in mind if you do transfer documents onto your computer, is to be sure and back up your information at least once a week on an external hard drive. I try to back up my information on an external hard drive as much as possible because I am constantly updating existing documents and adding new ones, as well as adding new music to my iTunes, which is backed up each time I do my time machine back up. This way I know that I am never without any documents that I may need because they are on my external hard drive and I can always transfer them onto another computer if need be.

Josie Maran Cosmetics

It took me a long time to find make-up that is environmentally friendly and that I love. I finally found it a while ago called Josie Maran Cosmetics. I am obsessed with this brand and LOVE all the products that I have tried. They do cost a little more than your normal drugstore cosmetics, but completely worth it. I am conscious about what products I put on my body because I do not want a lot of unnecessary chemicals and toxins on my body. I do not where a lot of make-up so am willing to pay more to make sure I am protected in the best ways possible and Josie Maran Cosmetics helps me do that.

Photograph courtesy of: ethicalstyle.com

Loving Eco

With all the websites I subscribe to that send daily deals, one the I really like among many is www.lovingeco.com . They feature all eco products from clothes to make-up. If you refer friends you also get a discount. Go and check it out and be on your way to switching to more environmentally friendly products.

Gorgeously Green

Since I run an eco-friendly company there are many eco sites that I love, but I especially love this one when it comes to all things green:www.gorgeouslygreen.com. Sophie Uliano who has wrote several books by the same name is passionate about living a green lifestyle. I have used many products and services that she has recommended and LOVE most of them. I highly encourage you to check out her website.

Engaged

I got engaged exactly a month ago today and couldn't be happier. After 4 years of being together it was about time. Of course I have been getting asked a ton of questions right away. When, where, how, etc.? All of which I had no clue about right then, but now we are thinking Nov. 2012. So many of my blog posts throughout the next year will probably be about wedding stuff and the processes I am going through and how to stay organized. I will try not to post too much because I know it will be boring. I am on a very strict budget since we are paying for things ourselves and I never knew how much a wedding cost. I am very quickly finding out.

Hector and the Search for Happiness

What is happiness? This is a great book about a man on the search for happiness and what it means. It is just a fun, easy read, but makes you put into perspective what happiness really is and you do not need a lot to be happy. Right now in my life I am extremely happy.

Paper vs. Electonic

As a professional organizer I help people make decisions on a daily basis. One thing that many people have struggled with recently is deciding whether or not to go paperless. Yes it does help the environment, which of course is what I stand for, but there is also some benefits to not going paperless depending on what it is. For me personally it is really hard for me to get rid of the paper bills even though I pay most of mine online because I always want to have documentation.

By having documentation of certain things like when bills are paid, concert tickets, etc. this gives me a piece of mind in case something does happen where I need that documentation. For me I have needed documentation several times and I was glad to have the paper copy. I am always afraid of "losing" something in cyberspace. I think I will eventually switch to paperless as I am able to receive all confirmations with bill, purchases, etc. through email.

With that said there is a difference between me and many of my clients. I know when having too much paper is enough and know when to recycle. There are very few things that I keep on paper they include bills and notes mostly. This is because I like to see these things in paper form. I keep them neatly stored in file cabinets or binders in order to minimize clutter. I go through mail immediately upon receiving it and usually end of recycling most of it.

I encourage many of my clients to go paperless because they have such a hard time with paper and it becomes a lot of clutter, which can affect how they operate and feel. I use online clouds like Dropbox with many of my clients to reduce paper usage and share files.

ReNew and ReDux Fashion Show

I have been involved with the Women's Home for many years now. On Thursday, August 25, 2011 they are having their annual ReNew and ReDux Fashion Show that supports The Women's Home. It is for a great cause and I have seen most of the clothes already and they are awesome! Tickets are $35 for standing room and $55 for seats.

Photo courtesy of: The Women's Home

Back to School Organizing

Back to school organizing can be quite the chore for those of you who are either in school or have children who are in school. Here are some tips you can follow:

• Establish a routine. By establishing a routine this can help you be more productive and less stressed.
• Set up a clear system. Whether this system is how you will organize your paperwork in a binder or how will handle your workstations at home.
• Establish a command center. This will be a place you will have your calendar, pens, paper, etc. This will be the go to place for all of your school needs. Be sure to keep your command center organized as this makes being productive a lot easier.

There are of course many other things that you can do, but these are just a few that I think are really important.

Photo courtesy of: www.mysouthborough.com

Detoxing your business life

Lately for me I have been all about detoxing my life, especially in the social media aspect of my life. I have just been getting rid of things that are really not necessary or that don't matter as much to many anymore. I am having to let go of things that remind me of the past in order to make room for new things/ memories.

I have been spending a lot less time online and spending more "me" time. I am purging of things that bring negative energy my way and cause me stress. Unfortunately, but at the same time fortunately, this has included friends as well. I feel much lighter and happier in my life. Next is detoxing my life using Dr. Junger's CLEAN cleanse. I will keep you posted on how that goes once I use it.

37 Signals

There is this website www.37signals.com that a couple of different clients of mine use. It has web-based applications that link a variety of information together to make the work place more collaborative and productive. In the 37 signals suite there are 4 applications included. They are: Basecamp (project management), Highrise (contact management), Backpack (internal communications) and Campfire (chat rooms). You can use these applications to upload files, share calendars, add to-do list, make notes, keep track of time worked on projects, etc.

Photo Courtesy of: www.underconsideration.com

I'm back....

Once again I let my blogging slide and haven’t posted since February. I know there isn’t an excuse, but I have been swamped with work and some very exciting projects. For many of people it can become hard to juggle it all, which in my case I LOVE everything I do so I do my best to juggle it all. Luckily for me most of the time I know when enough is enough and I need to take a break. This is something many people struggle with including several of my clients that lead for busy lives.

Pantry Organization

Organizing your pantry can be a daunting task for many people. Below is a link to an article and how to organize your pantry by color. I organize a ton of pantries and most people like their pantries organized by like items together. Organizing by color makes your pantry a little more fun.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/dailycols/7254409.html

Image courtsey of: Chez Home Ideas

Gaining New Knowlege

I am constantly reading and talking to others in order to gain new knowledge. I find it very important because we never know everything and it is good to get new ideas from various sources. Take advantage of all the free sources that you may have in your area, whether this is small business centers, chambers of commerce, library, etc. This is also a great way to meet other individuals in various industries and network.

Taxes

It is tax time and I know that many of you dread it for various reasons. It really isn't my favorite time either because I always owe what seems to be a TON of money. Here are some ways you can save time and money:

• File your papers throughout the year so they are easy to access when neccessary
• Keep track of all your receipts for expenses (car, home, office, school etc.)
• Keep track of your mileage
• Take advantage of all of your deductions

Go to www.irs.gov to find other great tips.

Photo courtesy of: http://wei.secstate.wa.gov

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

As many of you know I am a huge music lover and go to tons of concerts and music festivals each year. Last night I saw an amazing band called Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. I was first introduced to them at Austin City Limits Festival and have a been addicted ever since. They just make you want to get up and dance. It never fails each time I have seen them, I dance the whole time. I highly recommend you check them out and purchase their music.

http://www.gracepotter.com/

Other People's Love Letters

I know that Valentine's Day has passed, but here is a book that is cute and funny called Other People's Love Letters. You can buy it on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Other-Peoples-Love-Letters-Never/dp/0307382648

Valentine's Day, Keep the Pets in Mind

Today is Valentine's Day and common gifts that many people receive are flowers, candles, candies, etc. Although all those things are nice to have be sure to keep the pets in mind when receiving them. There are many flowers that are toxic like tulips, carnations and baby's breath. Some non toxic flowers are roses, lavender, and some blossoms. Candles can harm pets if they get to close and burn themselves. Also, certain candies especially chocolates can be very harmful to pets. So this Valentine's Day keep your pets in mind. Here is an article that expands more on the topic.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/morning_news/110210-pets-of-the-week

Some eco and non-toxic options on Valentine's Day include giving succulents, herbs or native flowers. Buy fair-trade chocolates and give soy candles.

Love Letter

As many of you know I am obsessed with handwritten notes. I think that it is something that is slipping away and getting replaced with email. Personally I love receiving handwritten notes in the mail. Since, Valentine's Day is just around the corner here is a link on how to write a love letter. Although I do disagree with some points in the article like not saying "love" in a love letter.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pamela-keogh/field-notes-for-women-how_b_819888.html

photo courtesy of Pei-San Ng

Been too long.....

I know that it has been too long since I last posted a blog, but a lot has happened. As many of you know I was finishing up my Masters degree and graduated in December 2010. Much of my time the last few months was focused on school.

I hope to continue posting on a more regular basis now. So stay tuned.....