Merry Christmas!

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

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5 Things to Organize This Weekend: Last Minute Holiday Organization

Christmas is just days away and you are scrambling to get everything done.

Here are 5 things you can organize this weekend:

Plan. Set out dishes you will need, clothes you know you are going to wear, make to-do lists with top priorities, etc. This will help things go so much smoother.

Get rid of all old food in the fridge. Do a quick scan of your refrigerator and get rid of anything that is expired, you don't need or leftovers that have just been sitting in there.

Spot check the guest room. If you have guests coming over make sure the room is tidy, you have clean sheets for them, extra hygiene products, etc.

Use Amazon Prime &/or Amazon Prime Now. If you haven't finished your shopping yet utilize Amazon to get your last minute gifts in or give clutter free gifts like experiences, tickets, etc.

Delegate or outsource. If you know you will not be able to get everything done, delegate to others &/or outsource what you need done.

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Photo by Sam Beasley on Unsplash

Made in the USA + Eco + Stocking Stuffers: Juice Beauty Lip Moisturizers

When my husband I were at Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) this past year we forgot to bring chapstick. The weather has been so inconsistent and I try not to leave without some form of chapstick because I hate when my lips are dry. We ran into Whole Foods and got some, but quickly learned it was disgusting, so when I was in Anthropologie across the street I got these Juice Beauty lip moisturizers. I love them. There is one that goes on clear and the others have some tint to them. I would buy again. I love that they have eco ingredients, have spf and are made in the USA! Do you have a favorite lip moisturizer? 

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My Top 3 Wishlist Items

There are 3 things that I have been searching for, for many, many, many, many years for a reasonable price and can't seem to find it. Here they are.

Velvet Underground and Nico original album with the actual peeling banana sticker. I have been wanting this for I don't know how long, probably since I was in high school. About 10 years ago or so I was in Half Price Books in Rice Village and they said an original had just let their store for $50. I was SO pissed I wasn't there sooner. I am still on the search......

Photo from NPR

LeeWards Advent Calendar. This is a very nostalgic thing for me because my grandparents have this advent calendar and I remember it so vividly during the holidays from when I was a child. I have been searching for this for a decent price for years. I love the colors and the excitement of putting a new ornament on the calendar during December. I keep thinking I will find it at a garage sale, estate sale or resale shop, but still haven't.

Photo from eBay

James Avery Dr. Pepper Charm. I love Dr. Pepper and have had my James Avery charm bracelet since I was a little girl. I stopped collecting the charms as much because they became super expensive. I still think one day I will find this Dr. Pepper charm for under $100.

Photo from Worthpoint

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My Container Store Gift Wrapping Favorites

I first saw The Container Store display their gift wrapping at the end of October and loved so many things, but the last thing I needed was to buy a whole bunch of new wrapping supplies because I have so much already. With that said, since I am a concierge and do many personal assistant tasks for clients all over Houston, I get to buy a ton of wrapping supplies. That is just as satisfying :). I love to see what my clients pick out. Below are some of my favorite picks from this season.

Christmas Stripe Wrapping Paper: I love the simplicity and colors of this wrapping paper.

Modern Gift Tags: These are fun gift tags and are great if you are going for that modern look.

Green Yarn Ribbon: This green yarn also comes in white and reminds me of when I was younger and gifts were wrapped with it.

Alpine Wrapping Paper: I think this is just such fun wrapping paper.

Nutcracker Tags: These are just classic holiday gift tags.

Star of David Wrapping Paper: Love this paper for my clients and friends celebrating Hanukkah.

Stripe Boxes: I really like that these boxes are inexpensive and cute. They also come in all different sizes.

Holiday Sweater Tissue Paper: I usually like the sweater patterns, so it is no surprise that I would like this tissue paper.

Treat Boxes: I really like these treat boxes to give your homemade treats to others in.

Santa Sack: There is usually a need for large items that can't properly be wrapped or there are not bags big enough, so that is when sacks come into play.

Trees Wrapping Paper: I am always a fan of the simple trees wrapping paper.

Green and Red Shred: I love to put shred into gifts that I am shipping and this shred makes it a little more festive.

Navy Ribbon: When I saw this ribbon in store I loved it. It is great for Hanukkah gifts or to use after the holidays.

12 Days Tin: Need to send homemade goodies? These are super cute.

Santa Gift Card Holder: If you are giving a gift card this is a fun one to use.

Plaid Wrapping Paper: You can't go wrong with a classic plain wrapping paper.

Sleigh Ride Bag: I love this fun bag.

Gold Holiday Sentiments Tissue Paper: Sometimes I like to wrap gifts in tissue paper and I like this one.

Red and White Ribbon: I really like this ribbon because it is simple and festive.

Gift Card Box: You can always use gift card boxes.

All photos from The Container Store

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Made in the USA + Stocking Stuffer: J.R. Watkins Salve

I first heard of this J. R. Watkins salve from my aunt who said it was a miracle worker on infections. During Hurricane Harvey I had gotten a small cut on my foot from slipping and falling. It was aching and my aunt gave me some of this salve, so I put it on overnight and literally almost all the pain was gone the next morning. So now I LOVE this stuff. Plus, it is made in the USA! I love having new tools in my concierge toolkit. It can help with cuts, burns and scrapes. This will make a great stocking stuffer.

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10 Last Minute Things to Do to Get Organized for the Holidays

Christmas is a little more than 2 weeks away and you are scrambling to get things done. Here are some small tips to keep you on track and less stressed.

1. Amazon Prime. Amazon is great for so many things gifts, household items, etc. 
2. Make a master to do list of thing that needs to get done. Delegate tasks to different individuals in your household. You can't always do everything by yourself, so ask for help.
3. Create a timeline of what needs to be done and when. This will help you get a grasp on what exactly needs to be done and then you can figure out what things you can get done a what days. This helps you eliminate things that aren't necessary and prioritize properly.
4. Don't overbuy. When you are stressed and don't know what to do, people often times tend to overbuy. Try hard not to do this by looking at your master list. This will save you many and stress of buying too much. 
5. Make some food ahead of time and freeze. There many things you can pre chop and freeze, make ahead of time, etc. Pie crusts and cookie dough are common things to make ahead of time and freeze.
6. Hire professional help. If you have so much to do and not enough time it may be worth your while to hire a professional like Eco Modern Concierge ;). Hiring professionals can often times save you lots of time and money. Houston has lots of options for concierges and professional organizers. 
7. Set up a gift wrapping station. This way all of your supplies are all in one place and aren't scattered throughout your house. 
8. Treat Yourself. I know you are probably thinking oh gosh I have to get SO much done, but really take a break and go get a pedicure or go to a park or do something where you can relax. This will help you focus on what you need to do with more clarity.
9. Focus on the true meaning of the season. It's not always about gifts and being perfect.
10. Take a Deep Breath. If you don't get everything done that is ok. So what? What is the worse that can happen. 

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Client Big Family: Office / Playroom Before & After + Tips

I met Christine from Samsill at the National Association of Professional Organizers conference this past April. She had reached out to me about providing me products for an office organization project and I was happy to accept. I was sent 5 Pop n Store boxes and was able to use them on 2 different office projects. If you know me or have been reading for a while on here, you have heard me say over and over again to use what you have. Not everyone has the perfect organization system with the perfect lighting etc., etc. 

This project I did in particular was an "express organization project" as I like to call it. It was literally done in less than 2 hours and we only touched the service of things. The problem from the client is that the office is also used as a playroom for their daughter. A ton of clutter was just piling up everywhere. It is by no means perfect and there are still things that will be tweaked like downsizing toys, getting the file system in order, etc., but overall we got a majority of the desk clear like my client wanted and kept the things on there that they needed quick access too. 

We used the Samsill Pop n Store boxes, which are amazing. One holds important documents like insurance cards, kid info, etc., one holds printer paper and the other has various trinkets the little one can't get into. 

Then we did a quick rearranging of the toys and made sure the toys were out of the office area. My client wanted a chair in from of the desk, so many toys got switched around. We put stuffed animals in bins and then you will notice a pile of backpacks that will later be hung up on the walls. This area was especially super quick, but hopefully the little knows which is her section and the adult section :).

Here are a few tips to contain desk clutter real quick. 

1. Clear everything off
2. Clean surfaces
3. Put back only what you know you will need/ use
4. Put items where they go if they don't belong in the office or put them in the correct drawers, etc. 
5. Add / take away containers, etc.
6. Bask in your happy organized area

Before:

After:

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Made in the USA + Eco: Holiday Scents

I remember when I was younger my mom used to buy this potpourri, but then I hadn't used it in many, many years. One day a few months ago, my neighbor took me to Kirkland's and this was the first thing I saw when we walked in and LOVED the smell of it. I was happy to see that it was made in the USA and was eco-friendly. It is has essentials oils, is 30% recycled paper and is 100% biodegradable.  They last a surprising long time. I have one in my car and one in my 1/2 bath.

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Setting a Holiday Intention

Last year,  I read on Camille Styles, about the importance of having a holiday intention at the beginning of the season. Your intention can be so many things from giving back more to getting more organized, etc. This year my holiday intention was getting organized before Thanksgiving in order to spend more time with family, friends and doing things that I want to do. So far, I did really well at achieving most of what I wanted to do with just a few loose ends. What is your holiday intention?

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Photo by Emanuel Hahn on Unsplash