Client Fun, Busy Family: Utensil Organization Before & After

This was in my draft folder from last year that I never posted so I figured being Get Organized Month, it would be the perfect time to post. This is from a larger project I did last year for a family who was looking for a professional organizer to organize their home in a suburb outside of Houston. I loved this project because the kitchen was a dream to work in. The drawers were large and had plenty of room to organize all utensils. They did already have some organization in place, but some drawers needed a little tidying. 

Tips when organizing utensils:

• Purge what is you don't need or what is broken
• Group like items together in the drawers
• Use drawer dividers
• Use counter top crocks to hold utensils

Before:

After:

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Organizing The Eco Modern Concierge Blog: Scheduling Blog Posts

So one of my goals last year was to consistently blog for Eco Modern Concierge and schedule blog posts. I started finally doing it most consistently the 2nd part of the year and man it was wonderful. During the holidays and when I was super busy I did not have to worry about posting content. I try to have things scheduled at least a month in advance, but of course change / move things around when I need to. I am not trying to be a full-time blogger. I do it mostly for Eco Modern Concierge to stay current and up-to-date. So far, have gotten good feedback. I go over professional organizer / organizing projects in Houston,  personal assistant tasks tips & tricks, eco products, concierge must haves, Houston related content, etc.

Here is what has helped me stay organized with blog content:

• First I write down subjects / topic ideas that I want to post about. Currently I have 43 drafts of content that I want to eventually publish. 
• I choose days of the week that I want to post. For me I chose Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I totally change that from time to time. 
• I print out blank calendar pages and that is where I write down what I will be posting on what days, if I need a photo for the posts, etc. I scratch all kinds of things out and move posts, etc. 
• I follow a loose editorial calendar.
• Mondays: Made in the USA, EMC business happenings, personal assistant tasks, etc.
• Wednesdays: Organization, tips, projects, etc.
• Fridays: Eco, Houston related posts, small business highlight, gift ideas, concierge posts, etc. 
• I then gather photos or take photos for the blog.
• Lastly, I schedule the posts. 

Having calendar pages and keeping track of posts is what keeps me most organized when it comes to the Eco Modern Concierge blog. I am a visual person and like to see things on paper.

Is there any particular type of blog content that you would like to see?

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Made in the USA + Concierge Must Haves: Franklin Covey Planner Pages

Continuing with the theme of getting organized this month, I wanted to share that I went back to using my old, trusty Franklin Covey planner after years of trying different ones. They stopped making the pages I liked, so that is when I switched, but just couldn't find what worked best for me. So this year I decided that I loved the size and pockets of my old planner, so I switched back. I have only been using it for just over a week now and LOVE it! This is perfect for helping keep track of clients in Houston and virtual, concierge tasks /personal assistant tasks that I need to complete and helps me stay organized professionally and personally. The great thing is the planner pages are made in the USA! What is your favorite type of planner?

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Client Fun, Busy Family: Spice Organization

I started organizing these spices for a client that I have organized many things for, which you have seen in previous posts. Originally they were storing all the spices in a kitchen cabinet and in drawers. I kept them the same, but rearranged them by putting the larger containers in the drawer and the smaller ones in the cabinet. Since taking these photos and organizing these spices they have already been moved again to the pantry where there is a built in spice rack. 

Here are some other ways to organize spices

• On the counter in a rack. 
• On the counter in a turnable rack.
• In a wall mounted rack. 
• Behind a door on a door mounted rack.

Before:

After:

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Staying Organized on a Day to Day Basis

I decided to make another video yesterday morning on what I use to stay organized on a day to day basis. I am not the most comfortable in front of the camera, but these little awkward videos are warming me up to it a little more. What are some of your go to ways to stay organized on a day to day basis?

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Get Organized: Hurricane Preparedness

Hurricane season is here and doesn't end until November 30th. Here in Houston we are definitely susceptible to hurricanes and have had some pretty bad ones through the years. Within the past few months there have been many of rain storms and flooding here. Are you prepared for hurricanes that could be in the future?

I suggest keeping much of these items in a bin that is easily accessible and that you can go to at a moments notice. Here is a list of items that you may want to keep on hand. This is not a full list, but is definitely one with a few must haves:

• Water
• Non perishable food for at least 3 days
• Plates, utensils, cups, etc.
• Can opener
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Multi-purpose tool
• Extra car and house keys
• Whistle
• Documents with important information on it like birth certificates, emergency contact info, insurance info, medical cards, etc.
• First aid kit
• Cash
• Pet supplies
• Child supplies
• Medication
• Hand crank radio
• Pen, pencil & paper
• Solar charger for electronics
• Rain gear
• Blankets
• Extra clothing

Here are some websites that have various checklists here, here, and here.

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Client Busy Mama, Baby Closet Organization: Before & After

Last month I got a chance to organize two little girls closets and loved every second of it. Everything was so tiny and cute. I don't always get permission to photograph projects, so I was happy I got to photograph these closets. I really should have brought the good camera along, but only had my iPhone with me. A little back story, the two little girls closets I did one was a baby & one was a toddler. The one below is the baby's closet. I will do a part 2 for the toddler closet. There were a lot of hand me downs that's why you see several boxes labeled with months on them. I sorted the clothing and arranged by size & type in various sections. This closet was also used for additional storage. 

Before:

After:

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Made in the USA: Fabric Accounting Book

I am not sure if there are a lot of people who actually write down their accounting anymore, but I would totally recommend this accounting journal if you do. The columns/rows are easy to keep line items organized. I love the fabric cover and quality of the paper. I have really enjoyed using it through the years. Plus, it is Made in the USA.  I purchased this item on Amazon years ago.

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Client Hip, Fun, & Fierce Closet Organizing Project: Before and After

I thought I would post some pictures of an organizing project I did several weeks ago. As I have mentioned on here before, I am so bad at the before and after photos. Frankly, these photos are pretty shitty because I took them with my phone rather than my good camera. In other news, I am finally getting a new cellphone after almost 3 years, so hopefully my phone pictures will be much better. 

This particular client I have worked with for years. We began by purging a TON of her clothes, shoes and bags. We used what she had and stuck with the current hangers. Then coordinated the clothes by type and color. The photos really don't give the project justice, it looks really good in person. Plus, I totally have shoe and bag envy from this client. 

This client was super generous and donated all of her purging. We donated items to The Women's Home and Dress for Success here in Houston. 

Before 

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After

After

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