Eco Modern Concierge on Padron Marketing Podcast #StandingOut

In July, I was interviewed by Katrina with Padron Marketing about business for her podcast. In August, it went live. Go check it out here -----> http://bit.ly/2fsdmql Also, check out the other podcasts on the site from other business leaders.

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Photo by: Padron Marketing

Hurricane Harvey Donations

As many of you know Hurricane Harvey destroyed many parts of Texas. It is has been just a tad bit over a month since it made its way to Texas and caused so much flooding in and around the Houston area. My beloved neighborhood was no exception.

The outpouring amount of help, donations, and kindness from others has been beyond amazing. We have a neighbor who set up a little "store" where neighbors and workers can come get supplies, eat, take a break, etc. It has truly been amazing.

In order to help the neighbors and friends in our community a little more I started an Amazon wishlist of supplies that they will need in the coming months because this is an ongoing process. If you care to donate here is the link: http://a.co/gOeJ1JA any and all help is greatly appreciated! THANK YOU!!!

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9 Tips to Getting Organized This Fall

Since fall is approaching many people are hiring professional organizers to help them get organized for the fall and upcoming holidays. I usually get an influx of client requests because the looming holidays is stressing them out. Here are 9 things you can do to help you get organized this fall.

Purge. Get rid of holiday items you do not need. You can do this at the end of each holiday season too. Purge any summer and winter clothing you no longer wear. Also, purge any kitchen items you know you don't need.

Organize and switch up closet. If you are the type that puts their seasonal clothing away or puts it in a different area of your closet, now is the time to make the shift. Switch your clothing.

Schedule. I don't know about you, but for me and many of my clients the fall is basically non-stop from October 1st - December 31st. Make sure your schedule is intact so you have everything written down on a calendar or electronically. This helps so you don't overbook yourself. Use different pen colors to prioritize and keep it fun.

Plan. The key is to plan ahead. Make sure to meal plan, plan your projects you have coming up, plan for the holidays, etc. Planning will help you be more productive and save so much time.

Clean. I know you have heard of spring cleaning and in the fall you should do the same thing. Get that house nice and clean for the holidays.

Make lists. Make lists of everything you need to do and want to do. This can include household chores to fun things to do.

Organize and clean the garage. Fall is the perfect time to tackle that garage. Depending on where you live, it usually isn't as hot as the summer and the crisp air helps you feel motivated.

Prep the outdoors. If you have summer furniture or activities outside, clean them up and store them.
Split your firewood and prepare to use in the fireplace or a fire pit.

Organize your entryway. As you walk into your house make sure there is a place for coats, boots, bags, keys, etc. This will especially help you be organized and ready to walk out the door on time.

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Made in the USA + Eco: BEST Mosquito Spray

I have been a long time fan of milk + honey and have blogged about it several times before. Their mosquito spray is the BEST eco one I have found. I have given constantly as gifts and it is an essential if you live in Houston.  Plus, it is made in Texas! Owning a concierge company, I am always looking for great gift ideas and this is perfect.

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My Fall 2017 Bucket List

I love the fall time and from the time October hits it is non-stop go, go, go until the end of the year for us. This year is particularly busy with music festivals, weddings, bachelorette party, etc. etc. Here are some things on my fall bucket list. By creating a list I hope that it helps me stay more organized and plan my down time wisely. 

Toast pumpkin seeds. Every year we get real pumpkins and last year we toasted pumpkin seeds with cinnamon and they turned out SO good. I really want to remember to do that again this year.

Host an outdoor movie night. We used to do this a lot more, but it has been almost a year since we did an outdoor movie night, so I hope to do another one.

Go to a new dog park. Our sweet dog, Rothko, LOVES going to the park and for walks, so I want to take him somewhere new.

Run more. I hate running in the summer, which I did more this past summer than normal, but I really like running in the fall / winter because there is something refreshing about running in the cool air. Plus, I need to do more cardio.

Weekend getaway. We have a few weekend getaways planned and are going to some new places, which I am really excited about.

Open the windows. I don't know why I don't do this more in the fall, but this year I really need to remember to open the windows throughout the house more, turn off the a/c and let cool air in.

Finish our sunroom. So this has been a goal for a couple of years and something we started last year, but this year WE WILL finish that dang sunroom.

Host a dinner party. We LOVE hosting and having people over, so I really want to host a fun dinner party this year sometime in the fall for friends and neighbors.

Go on more bike rides. We love going on bike rides and I really want to bike Buffalo Bayou since it has been renovated. I did once in May, but fall is a great time to check out new bike trails.

Finish holiday shopping early. This may be wishful thinking, but I really want to have most of my shopping done by December 1st.

Organize the garage. This is totally my husbands domaine because I have organized the garage I don't know how many times, so I have finally pretty much given up, but hopefully it is something we or he can tackle this fall.

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Tip Tuesday: Save for the Holidays

I was reading an Angie's List article last month that came in the mail and thought they had a great idea in there that I wanted to share. In order to help save for the holidays, start buying gift cards to your favorite stores you frequent during the holidays. Purchase them weekly, monthly, every pay period or whatever works best for you. Then when the holidays role around you will be prepared financially and will not be as stressed out. As a concierge and professional organizer, I think this is a great tip and I've used it myself. I am not sure about other places, but in Houston there are often many sales close to the holidays or discount cards you can use at various stores. Happy stress-free shopping!

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5 Things to Organize This Weekend

Legos. If you have kids, or perhaps for yourself, (I LOVE Legos!!) organize them in a way that works best for you. If you need to downsize then donate them or give them to someone you know. You can organize them in soooo many different ways like by color to by set.

Laundry room. Do you have laundry products that you never use? It is time to get rid of them and streamline your laundry area. Utilize bins to organize your laundry supplies.

Pet supplies. I don't know about you, but my sweet Rothko has a ton of old toys, old treats / food, etc. that needs to be tossed. Gather all items and try to keep them together like all their toys together, their food / treats together, etc.

CDs. Does anyone still CDs? I do! My husband makes fun of me, but I love having a cd that I can take with me from one room to another, on road trips, etc. Gather all CDs together in one area and eliminate what you no longer want, like or use.

Makeup. Go through your makeup and get rid of what you don't use, what is expired or what you don't like. If you use makeup regularly than there is good chance that there is a ton of extra makeup that you don't use at all.

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Made in the USA + Eco: Josh Rosebrook

I got this Josh Rosebrook Nutrient Day Cream SPF 30 and Vital Balm Cream in my Beauty Heroes box in July and I LOVE it. I have been looking for an eco, lightweight daily moisturizer with SPF. This stuff is great. It is made in the USA, is eco and is in a glass bottles, which is awesome.

What are some of your favorite eco beauty products?

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How to Organize a National Night Out for your Neighborhood

I know I have posted this info a couple of years ago, but thought I would post again. For the past 2 years I have organized National Night Out for our neighborhood and I wanted to share with you some things that I have found helpful when planning a National Night Out event. Most states celebrate National Night Out in August, but in Texas and some other states it takes place in October when the weather is cooler. This year it is on October 3rd. I organized it for the neighborhood I grew up in over a decade ago and when we moved into our new house I decided to take this on since many of the neighbors rarely get out and go to neighborhood events. 

• Get the word out. I first get the word out about the date it will be by writing a blurb about it in our neighborhood newsletter, word of mouth, etc. I also send out an Evite to get an idea of how many people will be there. 
• Post to social media. Then I post on our Facebook site and NextDoor site (like Facebook for neighborhoods).
• Donations. Ask for donations and get neighbors to bring a side dish. We have had generous neighbors donate all the hot dogs. We also have had several local businesses donate items. 
• Ask for help. Then I start rallying the troops (other neighbors) to help with the event. This includes set up, cooking the food, etc. Unfortunately, in the past I was not able to make our neighborhood night out and have relied on others more than I normally would. Don't hesitate to ask for help from others are usually willing to help if they can.
• Call local officials. We start calling local officials to see if they will come out and greet neighbors. Call your local police department, fire station and city hall members. Usually there are requests that you can fill out online. Neighbors really like it when they can talk to someone from the city and express their concerns or express their gratitude. 
• Set up early. There will always be those people who show up early, so prepare everything about 30 minutes early. For us there isn't a lot going on and it is pretty simple, so it won't take long to set up.
• Enjoy. Mix and mingle with neighbors and enjoy hanging out with them.
• Clean up. Bring 2 bags one for trash and one for recycle. This makes clean up easy. 

Things we have prepared for the evening: 

• Local officials to stop by.
• Crafts for kids. We will have card making with the Halloween / Fall foam cutouts (picture below and I got them in the $1 bin at Target) and DIY pinecone bird feeders. 
• Our neighborhood Certified Emergency Response Team (CERT) team members to talk about emergency preparedness.
• Give away raffle items that local businesses donated. 

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5 Time Saving Tips

Do you feel like you are constantly strapped for time, especially since we are entering the holiday season? When professional organizing and doing concierge work I try to advise my clients on the little things that can help them save time and be productive.  What are some of your time saving tips?

• Fold / hang laundry when it is finished drying. Don't procrastinate, just get it done.
• Prep the night before. This is a life saver many of days for me. I really like to make sure I have everything I need for work ready to go and I set my clothes out the night before for work.
• Go through mail when you get it out of the mailbox. Toss, recycle or file whatever needs to be done with the mail.
• Put things on your calendar right away. Whether this is your physical or electronic calendar.
• Meal prep for the week. This way there is no thinking "what are we going to do for dinner?"

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Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day! Time to celebrate hard workers everywhere.

Eco Product: Moth Traps

Moths can be such a pest. I was browsing on Amazon and saw these moth traps and loved that they were eco moth traps too. I use them in my pantry and cabinets and have had them for months and they work great.

They are: 

• Made of recycled material
• Pheremone technology 
• Are non-toxic
• 100% organic

What are some of your favorite eco products?

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