My Houston Holiday Bucket List

I thought I would round up some of favorite things to do in Houston during the holidays. I am not sure if I will get to partake in all of them this year, but here are various ideas for you.

• Look at lights in River Oaks
• Cut down our Christmas Tree at Holiday Acres
• Houston Zoo Lights
• Ice skating at Discovery Green
• Houston Ballet's The Nutcracker
• Trans Siberian Orchestra
• Dickens on the Strand
• A Christmas Carol at the Alley Theatre
• Moody Gardens Festival or Lights or Dickinson Festival of Lights
• A Grinch Christmas at Jones Hall
• Magical Winter Lights
• Mayor's Holiday Celebration
• Christmas Village at Bayou Bend

Photo by Lezu Photography

Happy #GivingTuesday!

Hey! Today is #GivingTuesday. For those who don't know, it is a global day of giving.  It happens on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. For the past several years I have tried to gather toys for MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital. This year has been the best year yet. YAY!!!

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2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

Pocket Magnifier: Great to use for hard to read items or out in nature.

Peeler: We have this peeler and love it. It seriously peels so well.

Multi Tool: A multi-tool is always handy and I'm loving these fun colors.

Dubs Earplugs: I got these a couple of years ago and they are perfect for blocking out all kinds of noises.

Glass Nail File: I think this is such a beautiful nail file. I don't carry one around with me usually, but should.

Eyebrow Razor: I have never used these, but hear great things about them.

Charcoal Sheet Mask: Sheet masks are such a fun thing to do with a group of people and I love the way my skin feels after using them.

Cocofloss: I read about this floss in Fast Company and it gets great reviews.

The Little Book of Tidying: I recently purchased this book and it is a quick, fun read with lots of tidying / organization tips.

Cocktail Muddle: I love the look of these muddlers and you can personalize them.

Citra Sipper: This would be great for kids and adults alike.

Nail Clippers: A good pair of nail clippers makes all of the difference and these are supposed to be great.

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All photos from the links provided for each item

Shop Small Saturday with Eco Modern Concierge

Today is Small Business Saturday. Today we are going to our favorite tree farm that we go to every year, Holiday Acres,  to cut down our Christmas tree. Are you shopping small and local today? For every Eco Modern Concierge gift certificate you purchase today I will give you a 15% discount. Just email info@ecomodernconcierge.com by midnight central time to reserve your gift certificate. They make great holiday gifts and can be emailed or sent by mail! 

Happy supporting local!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I am grateful for so much in my life. Hope you have a wonderful day!


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Photo by Simon Maage on Unsplash

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Pet Supplies

Feeding Bowls: I have these bowls for our dog and they are perfect. The stainless insert comes out.

Bird Feeder: I love that this bird feeder suctions to glass and what a lovely thing to have in a kitchen window.

Fish Bowl: I have seen these for years and actually had the bird feeder version of this and it is a unique fish bowl.

Cooling Pad: Summers in Houston are brutal, so cooling pads are such a good idea for pets especially during the scorching months.

Dog Coat: This is super cute and will keep your dog nice and cozy.

Cat Scratch Post: The second I saw this I immediately thought of all of my cat friends.

Customizable Dog Cookie Cutter: For when you make those homemade treats. 

Pet Basket: I clipped this out of magazine awhile ago and have loved it ever since. 

Dog Toy: I saw this Oprah magazine and thought it was such a cute toy. Our dog would probably destroy it in a matter of minutes.

Travel Water Bottle: I also saw this in Oprah magazine and loved this water bottle compared to others I have seen through the years. 

Pet Camera: To spy on your pets when you are away. 

Barkbar Dry Shampoo: This is a new product at Petco that I recently bought for my dog. He didn't like it, but it smells great. 

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All photos from the links provided for each item.

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Organization Gifts

Reusable Bags: I love mesh bags for all kinds of things from toting around office supplies to travel supplies.

New Order Book: This is a great organizing book. Full of all kinds of tips and tricks.

Blind Cleaner: Jump start on your spring cleaning with this blind cleaner.

6-in-1 Tool: This thing is always so handy to have around. I use it on all kinds of organizing projects.

Microfiber Towel: Microfiber towels are great for all kinds of things and I tote them around with me on projects.

Eco Modern Concierge Gift Certificate: Shameless plug. If you need help getting organized give us a call. EMC gift certificates make GREAT gifts.

Metal Bookplates: I use these all the time on organizing projects. They give organization projects a polished look.

Magazine Holder: I have been eyeing these since earlier this year. They are the perfect addition to any office.

Sharpies: These are always a must for various organization projects. The different colors are perfect to add color when making list or using on your planner.

Magnetic Cord Holder: Contain those cords with these magnets cord holders.

Lightening Flash Drive: This is perfect for getting all those photos off of your phone and onto your computer.

Basket: This is a stylish, inexpensive basket to help contain clutter.

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All photos from the links provided for each item

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts That Give Back

Cuddle + Kind Dolls: For each doll sold, it feeds children in need.

FEED Bag: Well it is no secret that I am obsessed with FEED bags. I love this one. It feeds 370 school meals in Kenya.

4Ocean Bracelet: This bracelet is made of 100% recyclable materials and with each purchase it helps remove one pound of trash from the ocean.

Audubon Adopt a Bird: When you adopt a bird it helps the Audubon's mission to help protect birds against climate change.

Green Goo: This travel pack will have portions of the proceeds go to various charities.

Placemats: These placemats can provide 89 sachets of oral rehydration salts.

Cheeky Plates: For every pack of plates that you buy, one meal will be given through Feed America.

Tatcha Powder: With the purchase of this item it funds one day of school for girls through the Beautiful Faces, Beautiful Futures program in partnership with Room to Read.

Belvedere: 50% of the profits from this bottle go to Global Fund to help fight AIDS.

Grounds and Hounds: 20% of proceeds support rescue missions across the country.

Kendra Scott Charm: Proceeds from the purchase of this charm go to support pediatric patients at MD Anderson. On a personal note, MD Anderson holds a special place in my heart. I bought this charm a couple of years ago.

Basket: The purchase of the basket helps support women by improving housing, putting their children through school, and helping to feed their families.

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All photos from the links provided for each item. Tatacha photo from here

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: For Dapper Gentlemen

So I am going to prefuse this post with this is a gift guide that I made for a client of mine earlier this year. The price points are higher because the budget was higher and they wanted something that was not an Apple product or electronics. They were needing ideas on what to give for their clients who are mostly men. I think these are such fun ideas and thought I would include it in my holiday gift guides. 

Away Carry-On Luggage $225: This luggage is awesome and many of my clients have it. There is a built in battery where you plug in your USB cord and can charge your devices.

Daniel Wellington Watch $229: This is watch is classic and perfect for the sales manager on the go.

Custom Dress Shirt price varies, but around $200: There are various places throughout Houston to get custom shirts made like Sid Mashburn and many will come to you to take measurements.

Age Your Own Whiskey $150 - $250: You can age and customize your own at home whiskey barrels. This is great for whiskey lovers.

Yeti Roadie Cooler $250: This is a great cooler to keep your items cold for extended periods of time. They also come in various colors. I know this has been popular for a while, but I believe they still make great gifts and are so useful.

Custom Etched Wine / Liquor Bottle price varies: There are several different glass etchers in Houston where you can etch a variety of things on wine / liquor bottles. They make great keepsakes.

Leather Dopp Kit $150 - $200: If the sales managers travel a lot this is great because you can personalize them and then fill them with products like Jack Black or Manready Mercantile, a Houston favorite.

Toolbox $125 - $250: This can be customized and you fill it with all kinds of tools because you can never have too many tools.

Wood Fire Pizza Oven $299: I know there are other pizza ovens a little less expensive, but this one constantly gets great reviews and is so fun!

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All photos from the links provided for each item

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: For Him

Campfire Stove: This is fun for any camper in your life. Plus, it is always handy to have when camping.

Grill Daddy Grill Brush:I plan on giving this as some gifts to guys who like to grill.

HyperChiller: My husband got this last year to help make iced coffee quicker, but then I found that it works great for non chilled wine too. Win, Win!

Patagonia Bag:I have been eyeing these bags for a while and love that they are durable and water resistant. I just love Patagonia in general.

Fishing Caddy: Several months ago I went to an event the person who created this was pitching the idea to Daymond John in order to win a business plan competition.

GoPro: I know this has been on many gift guides before, but I got this for my husband for his birthday to take with us to our aunts wedding and he loved it. It is compact and has great quality. When we got to Puerto Rico it wouldn't work and Amazon overnighted a new one to us. It was pretty amazing because it was storming in the area and we were on an island off of the mainland.

Google Home: I have seen this on many gift guides too and never had any interest in it, but we received it as a gift last year and we LOVE it. We mostly listen to music with it, but it has all kinds of technological capabilities. It is perfect for a tech person in your life.

Anti-theft Backpack: My husband loves backpacks and this one looks great, especially for when you are traveling.

Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker: I know there are 2 coffee products on here, but many of the guys in my life LOVE coffee. My husband recently purchased this and loves it. It is super handy and great to use when you are in a hurry in the morning.

Oyster Knife: Any oyster lover knows that an oyster needs to be shucked the right way or you will get a lot of grit. Having an oyster knife helps.

Clock: I got this alarm clock for my husband many years ago and it is such a sleek addition for any modern lover.

Drill:So many guys love tools and my husband said this was the most useful one for him.

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All photos from the links provided for each item

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: For Her

Worktop Saver: This glass worktop saver is great for so many things. You can use it as a cutting board, to display or as a trivet. It is odor resistant and stain resistant.

Hair Straightening Tool: This hair straightening product is supposed to help straighten your hair with various temperature settings depending on the type of hair you have. I really want to try it out sometime soon.

Shiatsu Pillow Massager: I saw this online and it gets rave reviews, so I thought I would give it as gifts. I mean who doesn't like a little massage.

3 Tier Electric Food Steamer: For some reason I can not always steam vegetables the way that I want to, so when I saw this I thought it would be perfect. Plus, it gets great reviews.

Popcorn Maker: I got this for my mom and mother-in-law last year and they were huge hits. It is super easy to use and it has a warranty, so you can just call if anything goes wrong.

Christmas Memories Book: This is such a sweet book to give to someone as a gift. It is great to document all of your holiday memories.

Swan Planter: I saw this initially on this blog and thought it was just a fun, inexpensive, quirky gift.

Fermentation Crock: I initially read about this in a magazine and thought this would be great for anyone who is all about healthy living. Fermented food is so good for you.

Lego London Bus: Well I HAD to put Legos on the list because I love them. I really hope to get this one!

Serene House Diffuser: I bought this diffuser during the Nordstrom anniversary sale and so glad I did. I love that it is sleek and matches the aesthetic of our house. Plus, I diffuse essential oils all of the time.

The Original Duck Boots: I bought these last year for myself and my mom and absolutely love them. They are comfy and keep your feet warm in the winter.

Spiralizer: I know this has been on so many gift guides before, but I really love the one I have and it is so easy to use. It makes meal prep such a breeze.

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2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Eco Products

Beauty Heroes Box: This is currently the only subscription box that I get and love it. It is always full of all kinds of eco beauty products.

Vivo Bento Box: I have had these boxes for many years and they are perfect for any lunch, picnic or snacks on the go.

Reusable Sandwich Bags: These are great to eliminate the use, or as much use, of plastic baggies. They are perfect  for sandwiches, snacks and travel.

Reusable Lint Roller: No more tearing off papers. A lint roller that can be washed off and reused.

Mosquito Spray: My absolute favorite mosquito spray out there.

Essential Oils: I have been using essential oils for many years and love them. Theives, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg have been on heavy rotation this holiday season.

Clean Cubes: These are great to use for all kinds of things. Personally, I use them for organizing projects to sort and for recycling items.

Majestic Pure: I read many years ago that castor oil is great for lash growth and I really love this stuff because it comes with the wands.

Recycle Bin: I have had this recycle bin for some time now and love it! It is compact and matches our kitchen appliances. I labeled the lids aluminum, plastic and glass. Our paper is in another bin.

Baby Washcloths: I gifted these to a friend and they are perfect for an eco baby.

Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser: Apparently I put this on my gift guide last year, so obviously I love it. I love almost all of Tata Harper's product. Worth every penny.

Eucalan Delicate Wash: I have been using this wash for years and it is great for all delicates and at less than $4 a bottle.

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All photos from the links provided for each item

2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Made in the USA

Bondic: I gave this to my husband last year and it really works. It is a liquid plastic welder that bonds things together.

Lewis Bag: For the martini lover. You put ice in the bag and then bang it with a mallet to crush it up.

Facial Hair Remover: I have seen so many people rave about these, but I have never tried them.

Ladies Pink Whiskey Glasses: I know I put Manready Mercantile products on here last year, but I really love this store.

Zippo Lighter: You always need a lighter whether you are a smoker or just love to burn candles.

Goode Company Pecan Pie: Some damn goode pecan pie. The perfect hostess gift.

Ulu Knife: Perfect addition to any kitchen.

Glass Pitcher:Simon Pearce has some absolutely gorgeous products.

Cocktail Napkins: I also included Hibiscus Linens last year and LOVE all of their products.

Ceramic Beaker: I first saw this in a Texas Monthly issue and thought it was so beautiful.

The Body Deli:I have several clients that use The Body Deli products and turned me onto them.

Bag tag: I also saw this maker in Texas Monthly and instantly swooned over all the leather goods.

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All photos from the links provided for each item

Thanksgiving / Friendsgiving

Are you hosting Thanksgiving or a Friendsgiving?  We try to host Friendsgiving every year, but as we get older life gets in the way. This year we ARE going to do it and make sure it happens. Thanksgiving is my husband's favorite holiday, so I want to make sure he has a GREAT one. This book is easy to read, funny and outlines why it is important to stick to traditional Thanksgiving meals. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

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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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How to Get Organized for Thanksgiving

I wrote this post last year, but thought I would repost.

Thanksgiving is only a few short weeks away so now is great time to start planning for it if you haven't already started.

• Create a Thanksgiving binder. This binder will hold everything you need from to-do list to meal plans. There are all kinds of checklist that you can search for online that will give you time lines of Thanksgiving prepping. I am not going to reinvent the wheel this year ;) and figured you could just do a quick search. 
• Write a to-do list. Make a list of everything you need to do this includes what you are cooking, linens you will be using, dishes you will be using, decorations, guests, gratitude notes, games, etc.
• Declutter. If there are dishes or decorations you have been hanging onto for years and you no longer have a use for or you just don't like them. Donate them. Decluttering will help you feel less stressed.
• Meal Plan. Plan what you will be serving and what dishes guests will be bringing.
• Create a grocery and liquor store list. Make a list of everything you will need from the grocery and liquor store, this includes food, flowers, beer, etc.
• Schedule to clean your house or hire a house cleaner. Get it on the books at least 2-3 days before guests arrive that way you won't stress too much about it.
• Order your turkey and buy non perishable items. Try to get items ahead of time that you know you can get especially canned or frozen items.
• Plan to finish 2 days before Thanksgiving. Obviously you will not have all of your cooking out of the way, but plan to wrap most everything up on by the Tuesday the week of Thanksgiving. This will give you ample time to think about all of the things you may have forgotten about. Make sure to set the table ahead of time as well.
• Label. Set out all serving dishes about of time and label what will be going in them. Make labels for the meals if you want guests to know what is in them. Make name tags. 
• Plan for to -go containers. I love these Reynolds Heat & Eat containers, which are in a blog post coming up. 
• Accept help. If you someone sees that you are overwhelmed and offers to help you, accept it! It will be a relief in so many ways. 
• Relax. Go get reflexology, pedicure, a massage or something to help you relax. 

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