How to Contain & Donate Toy Clutter Before the Holidays

Toy clutter can be such a daunting thing with kiddos in tow. It often seems like the toys never stop coming in. Especially when you have friends and family members who are constantly gifting toys to your kiddos. We see with our professional organizing clients all the time how hard it can be to organize toys on a regular basis. 

• Let them know why you are decluttering. Most people declutter toys because there are more toys than there is space. Many kids often respond well to decluttering by letting them know that the toys will be donated for kids who do not have as many toys as them or will go to a new home for some else to play with. 
• Let kids be involved in the decision making process of decluttering. From deciding what to keep / giveaway to where things should live. Some parents like to do this, while other parents would rather not have kids involved in this process.
  
• Make it fun. Put on music or make decluttering into a game. 
• Keep questions simple and have piles ready. Keep or giveaway? Do you use it &/or play with it? Do you love it? Be sure to have a box, bag or bin ready to put these items in and make sure they are properly labeled. 
  
• Have the kids sort all like items together. This way they can really get a feel for and be able to see exactly what they have. 
• Use labeled bins. Once they have decluttered let them put into bin, baskets or whatever you choose to use so they know where things need to go back to when they are one playing with them.
• Compromise. Inevitably kids will want to keep something that you don't want them too, so compromise on maybe them giving up more items in order for them to keep that one item. 
• Host a garage sale or put items up for sale online. Let the kids keep the proceeds from the sale. Maybe even encourage them to put some money in a save, spend and donate buckets. 
  
• Let them decide where to donate items to. Go through a list of local charities, churches, organizations, etc. with your kids to find the place they would like most donate to. 
• Celebrate. After the process is over reward yourselves for your hard work on accomplishing a big project. 

How do you contain toy clutter?

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Fall 2021 Bucket List

Now that it is officially fall there are several things that I definitely want to do since it is our first year of being parents. Now that our sweet son is more aware of things I definitely want to integrate him into traditions we already have and start new traditions. 

• Go to a pumpkin patch
• Go to the zoo and ride the train
• Sensory play with leaves and gourds. This is just something random I saw online, so I thought I would try it with our little one.
• Outdoor movie. This is a must every year.
• Add some new Halloween decor.
• Try a new fall or holiday themed cocktail. 
• Make a pie. I have never tried to make a pie from scratch, but this year may be a good year for that.
• Go on a hay ride.
• Go to a new fall festival.

What is on your fall bucket list?

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

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3 Interior Design Decisions That Make Organizing Spaces Harder

There are so many architectural and interior decisions that are not always beneficial or helpful when it comes to actually organizing and making a space functional. Sure it looks pretty, but it is not always helpful for day to day living. When we are organizing client's spaces we try really hard to make it as functional as possible and when clients want it we try to make it aesthetically pleasing then we will do that as well. You can have form and function, but really to make a space sustainable then it needs to have function above all else. 

• Corner cabinets that are deep and unreachable from the sides. They are not effective because no one wants to bend over and struggle to get things out of those cabinets. If a lazy susan will fit properly in the space, we often install them to gain height and function. Also, we often install pull out drawers to help make the space more functional and so the clients can get things out easier. Or we use bins that have rollers on the bottom to make it a tad easier. If you have no other choice store things in areas like that, that you do not use often. 
  
• Architectural designs that don't make since and are not functional. We have seen some crazy things through the years and what we are seeing in some pantries are architectural design elements that are pretty, but not functional. When organizing we need function over form / prettiness. You can have both if it is done right. If a bin can fit in within that design then we often use it in that way or we unpackage things like paper towels to utilize it. I attached a photo for your reference. 
  
• Spaces with no pantries. I can't tell you have many times we walk into kitchens that have no designated pantries. We have to create one often with a freestanding shelving unit, free standing cabinet, coat or linen closet or with an existing cabinet. I attached a photo of us transforming a coat closet in an apartment into a pantry. We added shelving, an over the door rack to maximize space and bins for organization. 

What other design decisions make organizing spaces harder?

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Houston Professional Organizer // Montrose Client Closet Organization Before & After

We have been working for this professional organizing / concierge client for several years and have helped them through many life transitions from break ups to moving to getting married to having a baby. I always love when we get to help clients and see how things have grown and changed through the years. This closet project was after they moved into their new house. It took several hours and organizing is not always as easy or as fast as it looks. That is a very common myth with organizing. 

Here is what we did:

• Sort clothes by his & hers and then by type & color.
• Switch hangers where necessary.
• Fold jeans on shelves.
• Pair shoes together. 
• Separate and fold items in drawers like socks, underwear, bras, workout, pjs and t-shirts.
• Better utilize the shelves. 
• Go through bins and baskets. 
• Organize!

Before: 

After:

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6 Productivity Tips and Hacks

Staying productive is such a hard thing to do for many people. We constantly coach productivity and organizing clients to help them be productive and stay on task. Everyone learns and does things differently. Here are 6 simple things you can do stay more productive. 

• Create to-do lists and break big tasks down into smaller, manageable tasks.
• Set daily goals of what you want to achieve. Start with your most important or difficult task first. Commit to achieving one goal a day.
• Use the Pomodoro technique where you set a timer and work for 25 minutes and then break for 5 minutes. 
• Use app & website blockers that blocks you from getting on certain social sites and apps while you are working. 
• Have an accountability partner or business mentor you can talk to about your goals and check in regularly. 
• Use iPhone's screen time controls to help you increase productivity. 

Photo by fauxels from Pexels

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How to Organize Your Bathroom

Bathrooms are areas that we use everyday and can often become a mess extremely quickly because they are areas we get ready in, brush our teeth, shower, get dressed, and the list goes on & on. Here are some ways that professional organizers like myself organize bathrooms.

• Take everything out of the bathroom: This way you can really see the space you have to work with.
• Get rid of old and expired items: No need to keep items you no longer need, use or that are expired. 
• Sort like items together: This way you can see if there are any duplicates and get rid of them or distribute them to other rooms of the house, see what you may need to replace, etc.
• Organize: Organize bathroom products so you know where you would like them to be placed. 
• Contain: Use organization products to help you contain your bathroom items.
• Buy product after you declutter: This way you are getting the proper containers to fit the items you actually have and use.

How do you organize your bathroom?

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6 Tips for Balancing Virtual Schooling

Are your kids still doing virtual schooling this year? If so, below are some tips that may be helpful. I know most kids are doing in person this year, but there are schools that are offering virtual school. I know some people already have virtual school down to a science, but others may need a little more help. It can be a hard and daunting thing to deal with as a parent and child. We have helped countless clients get organized for the new school year. 

• Set up a consistent routine. This is essential in staying on track and making sure you have a plan in place. 
• Plan the night before. If something is needed for school the next day make sure it is ready to go on your desk or work area, prep your meals the night before so you are not scrambling, set up clothes out, make sure your spaces are organized, tidy and ready to go for the next day, etc.
• Use apps or a physical calendar to keep track of important deadlines, meetings, due dates, etc. Having important tasks written in one area or designated areas is great so you can make sure everyone is on the same page. 
• Create systems and encourage sticking to them. Creating systems in all areas always helps, but especially when you have a lot going on. Taking the time to set up systems and processes will reduce future stress, amount of work, questions asked, and time it takes to get things done.
• Outsource. If you are feeling spread too thin hire help to help you be your most productive self. It reduces stress and can be a huge time saver. This could be hiring someone to come into your home, buying pre made meals for dinner, outsourcing various household tasks to get done, etc.
• Give yourself grace. Not all things will go as planned and be perfect. Give yourself and do the best you can. It’s probably not life threatening and everything tends to work out in the end. 

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5 Things to Purge This Weekend

 

• Take out menus. You can look everything up online and since COVID so many restaurants are still not fully open and have limited menu options. 
  
• Water bottles. We all get water bottles randomly, at free events, etc. and many of them we never use or don't like keep the ones you like and get rid of the rest. We often use these water bottle organizers in client's homes. 
  
• Organizers that don't fit properly in drawers. Lots of people often buy organizing solutions that are one big item with divided slots to put things like silverware and utensils in, in drawers, but they are often not the right size. I suggest buying individual drawer organizers so you can customize your drawer based on what you are putting in it. 
• Gifts from others you don't like. Most people get rid of gifts that others gave them because they think "what if they come over" and don't see it. Truth is most people NEVER ask that person about the gift they gave them. If you don't like it, donate it!
  
• Clothes that no longer fit that you are "saving" to fit in. Many people hold onto clothes for many, many years that never fit. By the time they do fit most of them have gone out of style. Many people want to go shopping for something new and fabulous when they loose weight and no longer care about the old clothes.

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Professional Closet Organizing Questions

Being a professional closet organizer there are various questions we often get asked when it comes to organizing closets, since it is one of our specialities. We are based in Houston, TX, but travel all over. Being a closet organizer in Houston is similar to other places, but some answers to questions may be different because of different regions and climates.

 -What are the benefits to getting your closet organized? Endless! But here are a few, less stressed, saves time because you are not constantly looking for items, saves money because you know what you have and are not going out and buying additional items, added storage because you can usually have more room in an organized, etc. 

-How often should people get their closets organized? Maintenance is key, really you should constantly be maintaining. Some clients we go to weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly.

-When is the best time to get your closet organized? From the moment you move into a new home and if you are already in your home or have been there for years there is no right time, you preferably just need to start!

-Who can benefit from getting their closet organized? Everyone. You reap the benefits immediately, your partner because unorganized closets can be a point of contention for many because everyone is stressed, late, etc. If you or a loved one in your household happen to pass having an organized closet can help you find certain items that are needed of sentimental value, etc.

-So you’ve organized my closet, what happens to the items I don’t want/need anymore? Personally at Eco Modern Concierge, as of right now, if you want them donated we donate them for free, if they can fit in our vehicle, on behalf of clients. Client's sometimes donate to their church, give to friends, family or coworkers, some try to sell online or at local resale shops. 

-What are some tips I should keep in mind after my closet is organized? Maintain, purge often, go through your closet seasonally, have a spot designated for repairs, dry clean and alterations.

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6 Tips for Balancing Virtual Work / School and Distractions At Home

Professional organizers often get called to help with time management & balance. Since this past year has been really challenging, we have gotten a lot of requests to help working from home and virtual learning at home. Balancing work / school and all the distractions that go along with it can be extremely frustrating and often times we do not know what the perfect balance is. Secret: there is no perfect balance. Here are some tips to help with the balance:

• Have a designated area where work and school takes place.
• Be upfront and honest with everyone in the household and include them in the decision making process. 
• Take breaks.
• Have designated times when things like TV & play can happen. 
• Have fun, educational activities planned that you will can all look forward to. 
• Have something to look forward to at the end of a long day like a hobby, favorite meal, sports, a movie, etc. 

What are some ways that you combat working from and learning from home and all the distractions that come with it?

Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels

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5 Things to Organize This Weekend

• Files. Go through all your files and get rid of ones that are outdated, you no longer need, or you no longer use. Recycle, shred and trash what you can.
• Cords. Does anyone else have a box of random box of cords that you have no idea what they go to? If yes, then it is time to go through them and get rid of what you haven't used in years, you have no idea what they belong to or what you no need. 
• Table linens. If you no longer entertain and have an overwhelming amount of linens then it may be time to get rid of some. Only keep the ones you love and use. 
• Office supplies. Do you have an excessive amount of office supplies? Go through them and donate ones you don't need or want to various organizations, schools or someone you know that could use them. 
• Exercise supplies. Who has unused exercise equipment and supplies? If you have a sweat suit that has never been used in 2 decades than it is time to get rid of it. 

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Houston Professional Organizer // Why We Love Track Systems

Since it is summertime and garage season, professional organizers are on the mind for many people. We ENCOURAGE clients to contact us in the winter for garage organization, but inevitably many clients often want to organize their garage in the summer because they are using it more. Garages are often being used more in the summertime because it often holds all things outdoor related like bikes, pool supplies, toys and all the things, so people are getting in there more and more. Then they become frustrated because the garage is a mess and they can't get to everything easily or find what they are looking for. 

There are a couple of things that make garage organization efficient and easy and one of those things is using a track system. Using track systems helps to efficiently get things off the ground easily and make more room in your garage or space. 

Here are some track systems that we often use:

• Elfa track system
• Rubbermaid fasttrack
• Gladiator gear track system

Do you have a particular track system you like to use?

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3 Productivity Tips for Working From Home | Houston Professional Organizer

Raise your hand if you are still working from home ✋We have helped endless clients get organized in their various spaces to help them better work from home. Professional organizers have been on overdrive the last year and half too because a majority of companies went to work at home situations, so as a professional organizer we have been been helping clients figure out their various work from home situations. Some people are now either going back to into the office or doing a hybrid work from home / go into the office situation. 

• Master to do list: write everything down that you need to do. Try to focus on 1-3 things to accomplish a day. That way you do not set yourself up for failure.
• Use the Pomodoro technique: set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on tasks for those 25 minutes. Then take a 5 minute break. Using the Pomodoro technique helps you stay focused on things that are important and need your undivided attention. 
• Use site blockers: it blocks you from going to various websites like social media. This helps you stay focused and get things done!

What are some of your work from home productivity tips?

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Update on 2021 Goals

 

Below in red is an update on where I am at on some of my goals for this year. I have tried really hard to slow down and really relish in the moment with our sweet baby boy all while trying to run a small business. 

I know that 2020 was less than ideal for many people, but for us it was a pretty good year. Looking back there were definitely more positives than negatives, but there was definitely some really low, infuriating  and horrible points that I don't care to or that I have not shared yet because some of those low points are still trying to be resolved. 

Below are some of my goals for 2021 for business and personal. I wanted to put things that I think are attainable. I have list of other ideas as well, but these are things that I really want to work on and try to do. Some are going to be harder to do than others and that is ok. Many goals take time and hard work. In the words of Glennon Doyle "We can do hard things" : 

Business

Stress less over things that I can not control. The fact of the matter is that shit is going to happen that I have no control over and I am just going to have to live with it. Stressing does nothing, but put me in a bad mood and it helps me to find the good rather than the bad in the situation to the best of my ability. I still stress over things because after all this is my business I have worked hard to build, but having a baby this year there is so much that is not worth stressing over. 

Setting clear boundaries with clients. I am pretty good with this already, but some clients and potential clients need to know there are boundaries. Like I will not text back after a certain point at night, I will not always drop everything I am doing to help with their non-emergency organizing situation, I will not bump and rearrange my schedule just to accommodate them and their needs at any given moment. If you know me you know I am, try to be and probably always will be accommodating the best that I can. I really do care a lot about my clients, hence why I have been able to sustain many clients for many years. This is something I am still doing well with, with a few exceptions. I think client boundaries are important. Sometimes "emergencies" are not true emergencies. With that said, if you know us, you know we try hard to accommodate all organizing "emergencies"

Hire more people. Hiring and scheduling are 2 of the most frustrating things when it comes to behind the scenes work you don't see. I have awesome people that work for me and then some will just change their mind, have life changes, move, etc. and then it is like starting all over again. It beyond frustrates me when I am interviewing people who want to get paid big bucks, but only want to work 10-20 hours a week and have no responsibility. Well, don't we all. Tell me where to hire the awesome people who actually want to work lol. I still need to hire more people, but have hired one additional person this year, which has been a huge help. 

Slow down. I feel like I say this a lot, but it's true. I know there are busy seasons of our business that are crazier than others. 2020 forced many of us, including myself, to really slow down. During the pandemic and quarantine I got a TON done business wise and personally. Plus, I really needed a break. I want to really relish in certain business and personal moments and not be booking myself or the ones that work for me on a crazy amount of projects in one day. Hence, setting clear boundaries lol. When I slow down it always helps me to really think about things, be super organized, do creative things, come up with new ideas, and the list goes on and on. Having a baby has forced me to do this. Now that I am back to work full time. I am trying hard slow down even more in order to spend as much time with him as possible. With a few exceptions, I have not been working as many late nights and weekends like I was doing before. 

Personal

Be a good mom and wife. This year is about to change for me because I am about to become a first time mom and can't wait! I know this will present many challenges and I really want to focus on being a good mom and wife to my husband. I think I am good wife already, but I know there are definitely things that I can improve on. I think every relationship has room for improvement. I sure love being a mom. I know I and my husband are doing the best we know how. We will continue to do any and everything for our sweet son.

Take time to do creative things I love and things I love in general. There are so many creative things that I love doing like creating art for various non-profits like Valentine's cards for Texas Children's Hospital, organizing toy drives for MD Anderson, reading, writing, yoga, walks, etc. These are all things I love and feel that many have been put on the back burner or I do them in a rushed way and don't feel great about doing them. Well I don't have nearly as much time as I thought I would have right after having a baby 😂

Celebrate the small things. I don't know if it is having a child or what and I have actually talked about this before on here, but celebrating the little things and finding little hints of joy and positivity, I believe can make for happier moments in life. I think like many people, the bad and negative things really get to me sometimes. Through the years I have definitely developed some thicker skin and let a lot more roll off my back, but there are some things that are just frustrating. I can still do better at this and want it to be some fun traditions for out little one. 

Document things. Having a newborn and a year of firsts. I want to make sure I properly document everything and can't wait to document everything. I was keeping a daily journal then stopped. I need to get more video as well. I have a ton of pictures. 

Organize photos. I did this during quarantine, but slacked again throughout the year because of being busy with work and not feeling my best for the first 3 months of pregnancy. I still need to get on this.

Slow down and relish in the moment. I am putting this on my personal goal as well as my business goal because I really want to do this, this year. I am ok with missing out on certain opportunities if it means I get to spend more time with my family (my priority), take care of myself, appreciate the small things, have an overall better since of positivity and happiness and the list goes on and on. I think I have done a pretty good job of this, but can always do more. 

Some other fun, super realistic goals

Clean out my car daily. I am good at this already, but really want to be great at diligently doing it more regularly. I TRY to do it daily, but it has more likely been happening weekly. I try to start the week off with a clean car.

Take down my water cups from my nightstand every morning. Anyone else guilty of having a huge accumulating pile of cups of water on their nightstand? Doesn't happen every morning, but happens several times a week.  

Cleaning up nightly. My husband and I both made it a goal to clean up nightly by not waiting to do dishes, clearing counter tops, etc. We were semi good at this, but we are preparing for what craziness is about to come so we want to be better about this. We have started and have stuck to it so far and man it feels so good to wake up every morning to a clean kitchen or not rush clean certain areas because someone is coming over. We have done a pretty good job at this, but can always do better. It makes such a difference to wake up to a clean house.

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

Houston Professional Organizer // Pantry Organization

This pantry organization project is from a long time client and they have moved since we last organized this pantry, but I never showed it so I thought I would post about it here finally. This particular pantry has deep shelves which can make it hard to organize. This is where it has come in handy to have lazy susans. 

Here is what we did:

1. We took everything out.
2. Got rid of expired items.
3. Sorted like items together.
4. Organized items into the bins and various organization tools we purchased.
5. Then labeled.

Here are the products we used:

• Lazy susans
• Can riser
• White bins
• The white bins on the ground are actually no longer available, but these are similar just canvas and they come in stripe or plain canvas.

Below are the before, during and after photos of this pantry.

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Happy 4th of July

 

Happy 4th of July!

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

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5 Things to Organize This Weekend

If you have time this weekend start small and try to tackle some of these areas of your home. Tackling some of these tasks a little at a time will really help you not get as overwhelmed.

Utility closet. Do you have a utility closet that is full of junk or stuff just randomly gets stuck in there? It's time to get rid of things you no longer need, want, like, or that is functional. 

Decor items. Get rid of any outdated decor items you no longer need, want, like or that is broken.

Pantry. If nothing else, go through and get rid of expired items. 

Cookbooks. Do you not cook and have a ton of cookbooks? If so, it's time to cull down those cookbooks. they can take up such space and often don't get used all that much. For those that do use cookbooks. Go through and get rid of the ones you no longer like or use. 

Candles. Get rid of any candles that don't smell good, that you don't like, that don't burn properly, etc. 

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Houston Professional Organizer // Lego Organization

Who is a LEGO fan or have kids that have TONS of LEGOS? Are they constantly everywhere? I can't tell you have many LEGOS we have organized through the years. They are countless. Some professional organizers LOVE organizing LEGOS and some not so much. Since it is summertime LEGOS are probably getting more play time than usual, so keeping them organized is important if you don't want them to drive you crazy.

Here are different ways we have organized LEGOS through the years:

• By color. most of time LEGOS will not stay color coded unless you set boundaries and teach kids how you want it to be.
• All thrown in a box 😂. This is probably the most common way that clients like to organize LEGOS because they know that it will get messed up again. 
• By set. If all the pieces are still together we sometimes organize LEGOS by the set. This makes it easy when you want to go build that set again.

Here are some products that are often used to organize LEGOS:

• Clear shoes boxes
• Clear drawer pull outs
• Bin with divided bins inside of the larger bin (as pictured above)
• Ikea pull out bins
• mDesign lidded bins
• Divided lazy susan
• Colorful drawer containers

How do you like to organize LEGOS?

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Houston Profesional Organizer // Did You Know We Take Donations for you?

As a professional organizer and concierge we get asked ALL the time if we take donations. The answer is YES at Eco Modern Concierge we take donations for you for FREE!! If donations can fit in our vehicles at the end of an organizing session we will take them for you for free. We do not take construction materials, trash or large furniture. If you can and want to, we highly encourage them to donate rather than trash items. We donate to various places and charities in need. We even donate some speciality items to various charities that take those specialty items. Many charities have textile recyclers that come by so if there are clothing items that are not in good shape they can still be recycled. 

Where do you like to take your donations?

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