75 Holiday Blog Content Ideas for Organizers

1. Fall Bucket List
2. Holiday Bucket List
3. Christmas Buck List
4. Fall Maintenance Checklist
5. Winter Maintenance Checklist
6. 10 Ways You Can Prep for the Holidays Now
7. Thanksgiving Checklist
8. Halloween Checklist
9. Christmas Checklist
10. Hanukkah Checklist 
11. Ways Your Company Can Help Clients and Potential Customers During the Holidays
12. Ways to Give Back During the Holidays
13. Sustainable Holiday Swaps to Make in Your Business
14. Sustainable Holiday Swaps to Make in Your Home
15. Greeting Card Organization
16. "x number" of Spaces You Should Organize to Prep for the Holidays
17. Pumpkin Patches in Your Area
18. Sustainable / Green / Eco Halloween Ideas
19. Sustainable / Green / Eco Thanksgiving Ideas
20. Sustainable / Green / Eco Christmas Ideas
21. Sustainable / Green / Eco Hanukkah Ideas
22. Giving Tuesday Post
23. Recycling During the Holidays
24. What to Declutter Now in Order to Prepare for the Holidays
25. Local Places to Make Donations to During the Holidays
26. How to Get Organized for Halloween
27. How to Get Organized for Thanksgiving 
28. How to Get Organized for Christmas
29. How to Organize Halloween Decorations
30. How to Organize Thanksgiving Decorations
31. How to Organize Christmas Decorations 
32. How to Organize Hanukkah Decorations
33. Ways Have, Give & Show Gratitude During the Holidays
34. Holiday Gift Guides
35. Utilizing a Personal Concierge During the Holidays
36. Tips to Getting Organized in the Fall
37. Tips to Getting Organized in the Winter
38. Tips to Getting Organized in the New Year
39. Ways to Save During the Holidays
40. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a Halloween Party
41. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a Thanksgiving Party
42. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a Christmas Party
43. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a Hanukkah Party
44. Last Minute Tips for Hosting a New Years Eve Party
45. Small Business Saturday Post (celebrated the 1st Saturday after Thanksgiving)
46. Clutter Free Gift Ideas
47. 5 Last Minute Things to Organize This Weekend: Last Minute Holiday Organization
48. Setting a Holiday Intention
49. 10 Last Minute Things to do to Get Organized for the Holidays
50. My Container Store Gift Wrapping Favorites
51. First Day of Fall: Time to Purge and Organize
52. 5 Services to Outsource During the Holidays
53. 15+ Ways a Personal Concierge Can Help You Stay Sane During the Holidays
54. Professional Organizers #1 Tips for a Stress Free Holiday Season (poll fellow NAPO members or other organizers you know)
55. Professional Organizers / Concierges Must Haves
56. 8 Things We Forget To Do During the Holidays
57. 15+ Tips for an Eco-Friendly Holiday Season
58. 5 Ways to Get Organized for the Fall
59. 5 Ways to Get Organized for Thanksgiving
60. 5 Ways to Get Organized for The Winter 
61. 5 Ways to Get Organized for The New Year
62. Professional Organizers' #1 Tips & Tricks for Getting Organized for The Fall
63. 20+ Holiday Helpers To Make The Holidays Go Smooth
64. 21 Tips and Tricks for Getting Organized After the Holidays
65. The Importance of a Holiday Binder
66. Apps to Help You Stay Organized During The Holidays
67. 5 Money Saving Tips for The Holidays
68. 15 Ways to Spread Acts of Kindness During The Holidays
69. Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar
70. Organizing Advent Calendar Starting in November
71. 7 Ways you are Grateful 
72. 7 Ways to Help Small Businesses During the Holidays
73. How to Keep Pets Safe During the Holidays
74. How to Organize a Gift Wrapping Station
75. How to Budget for the Holidays

Photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/pine-leaves-and-christmas-balls-on-a-green-background-5485110/

13 Things You Can Do Right Now to Start Prepping For The Holidays

Now is the time to start thinking about the holidays. As a professional organizer and concierge company, we know a thing or two about the holidays. They get insanely busy for us and we absolutely love every second of it. Below are 13 things that you can start doing now in order to prep for the holidays and get an early head start. Remember, do what you can when you can. If it is not in the cards for you right now or this year, then skip it. 

1. Create a holiday binder to keep all holiday related things together: calendars, gift lists, mailing supplies, meal plans, give back, volunteering, etc.

2. Create a holiday budget. To help with overspending during the holidays, here are some things to consider: shopping, events, giving, cards, house to-dos, meals, mailing / shipping supplies, etc. 

3. Make lists: shopping lists, gift lists, to-do lists, holiday bucket lists, Halloween to-do, Thanksgiving to-do, Hanukkah to-do, Christmas to-do, lists of all the things you need to do around, etc.

4. Print blank calendar pages and begin filling it with school commitments, holiday events, appointments, etc.

5. Book appointments: hair, house deep clean, carpet cleaners, window washers, light hangers, organizers, decorators, concierges, photographer, self-care, any other services you know you will use during the holidays.

6. Book reservations. If you know you want to go to special places during the holidays go ahead and make reservations, if you can. Book date nights, lunch or dinner with friends or any dates you know you may need a break.

7. Arrange for pet care. If you know you will be traveling make sure you have pet care all lined up. 

8. Book travel plans. Transportation, lodging, activities, and anything else related to travel.

9. Book doctors appointments. The end of the year is one of the busiest time for doctors offices, so go ahead and get those dates booked. 

10. Take advantage of sales for holiday events & experiences during the holidays.

11. Start purchasing gifts & begin wrapping. Consider experience gifts like memberships, spa treatments, things to do, etc.

12. Review your address list. Update your addresses for people you know that have moved or for people that their card came back from the previous year. 

13. Purchase gift cards for stores you know you will shop at during the holidays in order to help you budget during the holidays.

ecomodernconcierge.com

 

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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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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4 Tips to ReOrganizing Your Closet For Working From Home

Are you still working from home? Have you gotten into the slump of wearing the same old thing or defaulting to all loungewear? As a professional organizer, we are still getting a ton of requests from clients to help them organize their home offices, closet and various other spaces to help them work from. They still want to be presentable for any regular meetings, zoom call, etc. Below are 4 tips to reorganize your closet when working from home. 

• Put 3 outfits together with jewelry and all. This way if you have to get on an unexpected video conference call you are ready to go. 

• Purge work clothes. Now is a great time to purge work clothes, hose, shoes, etc. that you no longer love, doesn't fit, has holes, is in bad condition, etc. 

• Have your most used clothing items front and center and easily accessible. Less used items should be in harder to reach areas of your closet. ​This way you have your go tos easy to access and know exactly what you want and like.

• Start a donation pile. ​​As you declutter your closet have a donation pile easily accessible. So you can drop off or schedule a donation pick when places begin opening again. I like to use a bag or basket on the floor of my closet under my hanging clothes that way if I try something on and don't like it, I can just toss it in there. 

What tips do you have for reorganizing your closet for working from home? Are you starting to go back into the office, will you do a hybrid or will permanently be working from home?

ecomodernconcierge.com

10 Benefits of Joining Professional Organizations for your Business

Through the years I have joined various professional organizations in the concierge fields and professional organizing fields. When I was first starting out, I didn't really realize how beneficial it would be to join these various organizations. I knew it was important, but didn't really realize just how important it was until I did end up joining them. I have been a member of NAPO, National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals for over 10 years now. I originally started my business in 2005 and wish I would have joined NAPO back then because I didn't know what I was missing until I joined. Several years ago I joined The National Concierge Association as well. Here are some of the many benefits of joining a professional organization:

1. Education. The education that NAPO offers is far beyond what I would have thought and they are constantly adding classes as well. I am part of several other professional organizations like WISE who also offer great education resources. 
2. Connections. When you join various professional organization the people you meet is wonderful. Everyone has different backgrounds, specialities, etc. You for sure make some friends for life. 
3. Networking. The great thing is that there are always plenty of networking opportunities when you join various professional organizations. They can sometimes lead to new business or potential new opportunities that you may not be expecting. 
4. Resources. There a ton of resources from education to templates to how to market and navigate your business and the list goes on. 
5. Vendors. You often meet great new vendors, companies, services and resources that you can do business with. 
6. Additional business revenue. You have the opportunity to bring in additional business revenue my applying to teach classes, meeting people who connect you with others that can lead to new business, education and networking to provide you the means to create additional business resources like templates, classes, coaching, etc.
7. Opportunities. You often get press opportunities or opportunities to work with organizers in various states or regions. I have been asked to be on podcasts, set on panels, etc. because of the connections I have made. 
8. Ideas. You can get unlimited ideas from others, the educations, resources because of being part of various professional organizations. I see things that other mention that I want to implement into my business mainly through the classes I take.
9. Collaborations. You have the opportunity to collaborate with various businesses, colleagues, etc. just from using their services or have common interests or goals, etc.
10. Conferences. Conferences are often a wonderful thing to attend if you can because the education is awesome, the networking is so fun and helpful and it great to meet people who specialize in various areas of your particular field. 

ecomodernconcierge.com

Houston Professional Organizer // Client Teacher: Closet Organization

Last year we helped this teacher get organized in her closet. She was so overwhelmed by the clothes piling up and didn't know where to start so she decided to call in a professional organizer to help her. Luckily, we were the professional organizers she called in to help her organize her closet. She is a teacher and time is very limited for her, so having help was important because most people don't want to spend their weekends getting organized if they do not have to. We worked on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day because that was when she had off from school. We work on a lot of national holidays because people a lot of times do have off.

This closet organization project we began by pulling everything out. As we pulled everything out of her closet, she decided to go through each piece of clothing and decide what keep, what to trash and what to donate. The amount of donations at the end of the day was massive. She was an amazing at purging her closet and got rid of a ton of things that she no longer liked, had not worn in years, didn't make her happy and things that no longer fit. 

Here is a little bit about how we organized her closet:

1. Pull everything out and go through every single thing that came out of the closet.
2. Organize clothing by type and color.
3. Get all shoes off the floor and onto their designated shelves.
4. Less used items went on the top shelves of the closet.
5. Since she shares her closet with her husband, we organized his clothing as well. 

Does your closet need an overhaul? Do you hate walking into your closet to get dressed each morning? If getting started sounds so daunting, take it in small steps. Maybe start with just the shirts or just shoes and then go from there. If organizing your closet still seems very overwhelming you can consider hiring a professional organizer to help you get it done faster and correctly. 

ecomodernconcierge.com

What to Wear as a Professional Organizer / Personal Concierge

When you are starting out as a professional organizer / personal concierge deciding how to present yourself and what to wear can always be challenging. Different companies do it different ways. Personally, at Eco Modern Concierge we do it several different ways and it all depends on what is going on for the day. You always need to plan ahead and figure out everything that you know your day will consist of. Like you may be organizing all day and then need to transition your outfit for a networking event in the evening. 

For organizing: almost all organizers wear workout pants and t-shirts that you can easily move around in. Whether this is branded t-shirts, an apron you wear with your logo on it or name tags that have your company info on it. Some organizers do wear jeans and other "regular" clothes, but the most important thing to thing about is movability and comfortability.  Most organizers wear tennis shoes because they are on their feet most of the day. If you are

Things to think about when organizing for clients and deciding on what to wear is:

•  Can you move around easily in what you are wearing?
• Are you clothing choices appropriate to wear in front of clients? Make sure your midriff is not showing, that your clothes are not so tight wear you can see EVERYTHING, there are no holes, major staines, etc., that the clothes are clean and not too wrinkly, etc. 
• Are they comfortable?
• Is is too load or distracting, where the client will not be able to get anything done because they can't stop staring?
• If you are working when it is hot out and you are wearing shorts, skorts, or skirts, make sure they are not too short, too tight or inappropriately showing your behind.
• Does the item wash well and can be worn on a regular basis?
• Does the item have pockets? 
• Will you logo your item? 
• You will more than likely get dirty on some type of project, are you going to be upset if that item gets ruined?
• Think of about your working conditions, will you be too hot or too cold? In Houston this is a factor because it can be so hot and humid May - November and because so many people blast the ac 
• Will you want to dress in layers? 
• Do you have comfortable shoes? 
• Will you wear compression socks or regular socks.

As a personal concierge services we have wear the same as for organizing, but we try to be a little more presentable and wear "regular" clothes as we are not always getting as dirty with personal concierge services as we are with the personal organizing side of things. We sometimes try to wear transitional items items if we know we are not going to get dirty that can go from one project to another. We often where jeans and t-shirts. If we are working events at night we try to dress nicer or according to what the event is. 

If we have to change and we are not near our houses, we often go to the gym because it's easy to change there and they have showers if need be. 

As a personal concierge and professional organizer it is always necessary to have good hygiene. 

ecomodernconcierge.com

5 Things to Declutter this Weekend

Clutter is what causes so many people stress and becomes a spiral of disorganization often. This weekend here are 5 simple things you can declutter. 

Expired items. Get rid of anything that is expired in the pantry or bathroom. 

Old receipts. If you do not need them for tax purposes, than get rid of any old receipts. 

Cords. If you do not know what they go to or if they do not have a purpose, get rid of it.

Socks with no match. If you have been hanging onto the same socks with no matches for ages, it's time to let them go.

Essential oils. With the craze of essential oils currently, we see all the time essential oils that were bought and never used or used a couple of times and then clients didn't like them. Time to declutter them. 

Photo by Taylor Heery on Unsplash

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5 Commonly Used Products Lately | Houston Professional Organizer

Here are some commonly used organizing products that we have used on organizing projects lately. What are some of your favorite organizing products? You can find all these organizing products at ecomodernconcierge.com/shop

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8 Common Mistakes When Designing a Closet

As a professional organizer we see a ton of different closet designs. Some are really good and some are really not that great. As professional organizers there are so many times that we say how much we wish contractors, design professionals and home owners would consult with us before designing a closest. 

Here are some common design mistakes when it comes to designing a master closet:

1. Not enough long hang. I can't tell you how many times that we go into a closet and there is not nearly enough long hanging space in an area. Many women have a ton of dresses and long hanging space is necessary to make things fit properly. 
2. Not using dead space properly. A lot of times there is dead space randomly in a closet whether that is up high, in a corner, on the side of a bay, etc. In order to maximize storage try to use every little bit of space. 
3. Shelves not deep enough. If there is shelving above a closet rod or somewhere in the closet it is usually not deep enough. You want it to be deep enough in order to be able to utilize the shelf with some type of basket or bin if one is needed. 
4. Shelving is not adjustable. If you have a wall of shelving, often times we see that it is not adjustable. It is really beneficial to have adjustable shelves inside of cabinet or if there is a wall of shelves. 
5. Rod not out deep enough for hanger size. The average adult size hanger is around 15-17". If you want a non messy look then make the closet rod come out to at least 14" deep.
6. Bad lighting. If your closet has bad lighting you will not enjoy it and it will more than likely not spark a lot of happiness and joy when you walk into it. 
7. Not enough shoe storage. If you have a lot of shoes plan a space for it. I promise it will be helpful. 
8. Not planning a place for jewelry, socks, underwear, t-shirts, etc. If you know you will wan to be some or all of these items in your closet, then plan for it. 

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One Thing to Set Up in Your Office Now as a Small Business Owner or Anyone Who Pays Taxes

It is the beginning of a new year and there is one thing that you need to set up now as a small business owner or anyone who pays taxes, a tax folder. As receipts and anything tax related come in throughout the year, put it in this file. That way at the end of tax season you have everything you need in one place. I have been doing this for years and years and it is SO helpful at the end of the year. I can't tell you how many small business owners and people we help every year that can't find all of their tax info they need to file taxes so we come in and help them get organized and makes things more efficient. 

ecomodernconcierge.com

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels

9 Items to Get Organized in the New Year

There are constantly new products coming out in the organizing world. As professional organizers, we are constantly on the hunt for what is new, aesthetically pleasing, functional, etc. These are some products that I know many clients will love in 2021 and beyond. Many we have already used before and already love. 

Rolling cart storage: I love the color of this cart and it is perfect in a beach house, playroom or under a console table where you need more room or storage. 

Metal stacking bins: These are new and I thought they were so fun. Great for a craft room or playroom.

Cleaner and sweeper holder: I saw this on Simply Organized and thought it was such a great idea. It is a docking station for cordless vacuum. 

Magazine file: I use these on projects all the time and love them. 

Xbox game console organizer: If you need to corral your game system this organizer will help everything stay contained and organized. 

Narrow space saver: This is perfect for skinny spaces like beside a washing machine or dryer.

Acrylic cart: If you have been around awhile you know I have posted many uses for a cart. This one has office organizers already included with it.

Transparent sticky notes: Personally, I like using these in my planner. You will need to use Sharpie based pens or markers when writing on them. 

Acrylic hat stand: If you want to display your hats, this is perfect. 

ecomodernconcierge.com

NAPO Houston Professional Organizers' #1 Tips for Getting Organized in the New Year

Happy New Year! Hope your new year is going well so far. Being part of NAPO and NAPO Houston January is considered GO (Get Organized Month) and I asked some of my colleagues what their #1 tips were for getting organized in the new year and here is what they had to say. 

Amy Vance of Eco Modern Concierge: Start small on projects. When you start small, you don't set up yourself up for failure as much and are often able to accomplish the projects you want to. Instead of saying I want to organize my whole bedroom and closet today. Say I want to tackle this dresser or a drawer within a dresser. Tackling projects bit by bit helps you eventually tackle the whole, big project and you obtain the goal you want. 

Lisa Giesler of atimeandplace: Writing a list of things you liked and didn’t like in 2020. Write goals large and small that you’d like to accomplish. Set new routines. Find the perfect quote or scripture that inspires you to be your theme for the year.

Prathima Kodali of Sorted Nest: Have a dedicated place for everything and put everything in its place.. Create yourself a habit and stick to the habit for 21 days. Habits can be as simple as keeping the shoes back on the shoe rack, instead of leaving them on the floor , doing one load of laundry a day, or.. discarding the junk mail as it comes in the door...

Ellen Delap of Professional-Organizer.com: The single most important action every day is all about your bedtime routine. Set the same morning alarm time rise time and same bedtime each evening. A great night’s rest ensures a good mood and better productivity.

Helen Schutz of HBS Organizing: Stay on top of your taxes - set up a file folder and put important tax documents in it as they come in the mail. Also put in any donation receipt letters and paperwork from any other big ticket items such as new house, new car, property taxes paid, etc. in the tax file.

Adonna Braly of Clutter Roundup: Have a morning ritual that feeds your mind, body and soul. For your mind, you can read or journal. For your body, stretch, or do some kind of movement/exercise. For your soul, meditate, pray, or use affirmations. Whatever works for you. This starts your morning out feeling grounded and able to face anything. It gives you the umph you need to tackle your organizing endeavors!

Mary Jo Contello of Organized by MJ: Don't buy organizing products first. You should group like things, then edit/purge and then a place to store it. Last  buy a product to contain / store.

ecomodernconcierge.com

Photo by Olya Kobruseva from Pexels

Houston Professional Organizer // Gift Wrap Organization

 

We love organizing gift wrap stations! As a professional organizer, I think I love them so much because you can see such fun transformations. A lot of people have their gift supplies just all mixed in with each other or it is just very chaotic, so the transformations are always awesome. Some people have a lot gift wrap, while others have hardly anything. Having your gift wrap organize is always good because you can find exactly what you need when you need it. I find that most of my clients are usually in a hurry when they need gift wrap supplies because it is usually when they are headed out the door and need to bring the gift with them. Also, with the holidays right around the corner you want to make sure everything is all organized. We love working with this client because they are the absolute sweetest, well most all of my clients are!

We did not use any product in this area and just used what they already had. So here is what we did: 

1. We sorted like items together 
2. Rainbowed the ribbon
3. Put various bags and boxes together
4. Put tissue all together and rainbowed it
5. Got rid of anything that was torn or clearly trash
6. The drawers were long enough and deep enough that we could keep all the rolls of wrapping paper together. 

I love rainbowing a lot of areas, you probably know that if you have worked with or have seen our projects. Rainbowing when it comes to ribbon and tissue is especially helpful because usually you are trying to perfect gifts with tissue, ribbons or bows based on color. 

How do you organize your gift wrap?

ecomodernconcierge.com

Eco Modern Concierge Featured On The Zoe Report

Way back in June I was asked to contribute to an article for The Zoe Report on How to Organize Your Pantry, No Matter the Size (Or Budget). Of course I said yes! They asked because I am a professional organizer and needed quick tips. Pantries are probably one of our most requested organizing areas and we organize them ALL the time. Plus, with the holidays around the corner now is perfect time to start organizing your pantry. I love when I get asked to contribute to various articles. There are so many things you can do to help you get on organized pantry.

How do you organize your pantry?

ecomodernconcierge.com

Houston Professional Organizer // Client Whole House Organization Jewelry Organization

Jewelry organizing is one of those things that there is usually not a perfect solution that we use time and time again because everyone has such a different amount and types of jewelry. With this client we slowly worked through her whole house last year and one of the times I was there we worked on her jewelry. I organized all her earrings (this is only one picture, there was actually a stack of acrylic drawers that had earrings in them as well) We put a lot of the statement earrings on this jewelry organizer and smaller earrings like studs in the acrylic drawers like these. 

Here is what I did to organize the jewelry:

1. Sort all jewelry
2. Match like pairs together
3. Organize on the accordion organizer or in the acrylic jewelry drawers

How do you organize your jewelry? 

ecomodernconcierge.com

How to Stay Organized During the Halloween Season

I don't know about you, but once October hits in our business and household things start to speed up a little more than usual. We are constantly helping concierge and organizing clients during the holiday season and it is important to stay organized in order to make sure you get everything done and stay a little less stressed, including during the Halloween season.

Use a blank calendar to keep track of everything you will be doing in regards to Halloween. This includes parties, making costumes, school events, fall festivals / carnivals, etc. I know things my look different this year for some cities and states because of COVID, but it is still good to have a plan.

Set deadlines and goals for yourself. If you are making your costume &/or your kids costume, plan ahead on a calendar of when things to get done by. If you are hosting a party plan on the calendar what you need to do, days you need to start prepping, supplies, etc,.

Pick and day and time you will get pumpkins. If you are usually last minute and are a hurry to just pick something up in order to carve pumpkins or you feel obligated, then plan day you will actually go and get pumpkins.

Gather and organize Halloween decorations. Gather all of your decorations if they are spread out in different areas and organize them, get rid of what you don't need and make a list of things you want to get.

Make sure you have a plan for the night of Halloween. Will you be taking the kids trick or treating? Will you be staying home passing out candy? Will you be going out to a Halloween party? Will you be staying home with the lights turned off?

Make sure your pets are safe during Halloween. Make sure there are not plants or food within reach of them if they are prone to getting into things, make sure to keep them inside on Halloween night, etc.

Clean up your messes. Whether you are cooking, doing school projects, prepping for a party, making costumes, etc., be sure to clean up as you go.

Opt for eco options. Take reusable bags or pumpkins when trick or treating, opt for healthier candy options, buy used costumes, etc.

Have an easy dinner ready to go for Halloween night. Have something easy and quick to make for Halloween night. Growing up we always had chili and now my husband and I usually make Frito pie on Halloween night.

Organize and store everything at the end of the season. At the end of the season get rid of broken, torn or no longer wanted Halloween items. Properly store, organize and label Halloween bins, so you know exactly where everything is for the following year.

Photo by Scott Webb from Pexels

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Made in the USA: Shoe Box Organization

I know I have talked about this before, but one made in the USA products we love and use often on client organization projects is shoes boxes. These particular ones are from The Container Store and we use them all the time on projects. Besides being made in the USA, one of the things we love most about them is that they are durable and they always stack on top of each other perfectly because they have not changed the design. You can also stack them on other Container Store brand boxes in various ways. For these clients we used the regular shoe box and the boot box. 

ecomodernconcierge.com

Houston Professional Organizer // Client World Traveller: Pantry Organization

I have worked with this client for many, many years and she moved into this space in River Oaks / Montrose area of Houston several years ago, but the pantry never got organized. I do everything from professional organizing to concierge work for her. One day when she was out of town I asked her if I could organize her pantry and she said yes! When she got back from her business trip was so surprised and how everything turned out. This project cost less than $150 and made a HUGE impact. A little organizing can go a long way.

Here is what I did:

1. Got rid of expired food.
2. Sorted like foods and items together.
3. Organized everything into bins. 
4. Used a water bottle organizer.
5. Labeled. 

Here are some products we used:

• Clear bins
• Water bottle organizer
• White bins
• OXO containers (she already had)
• Can riser
• Turntables
• Label maker
• White labels

Before:

After:

ecomodernconcierge.com