Green / Eco Companies & Initiatives in Houston, TX

As many of you know I am passionate about eco causes and like to support eco companies whenever possible. We are not perfect when it comes to all things eco, but try and do what we can when we can. I try to be pushy on our concierge and professional organizing clients when it comes to eco causes I believe in, but thankfully most are willing to recycle and donate when they can. Here are some various Houston eco companies. Some I have visited and some I have not. So many eco companies have gone out of business through the years in Houston, so it was hard finding new companies and ones that are still open. I have also included some Houston green initiatives that seem promising. I won't list them, but there are a done of If you know of any we should add, please share!

Eco Modern Concierge: shameless plug. We are a lifestyle management company that helps clients that get tasks done they don't have time to do or don't want to do. Our company offers professional organizing and personal assistant tasks to businesses and individuals in the Houston area and beyond. 

Rooted to Home: the owner is a zero waste activist and many of their items are by women and fair trade artisans. 

JJ Fords & Geauxcrates: these are plastic moving crates that are great to use instead of cardboard because they are sturdy and reusable. We have used these crates many of times for professional organizing and move management clients. 

Natran Green Pest Control: Natran is an eco pest control company in Houston. 

Refinement Houston: a local Houston company that sells various eco friendly products.

Pat Greer's Kitchen: Pat Greer is a plant based / vegan food chef in Houston that uses many sustainable practices and makes delicious food here in Houston. 

Cason Graye Homes: Eco friendly custom home builders in Houston. 

Green Cremation Services: this Houston company offers green /eco cremation services using low energy flame process or water cremation process.

Junkluggers & College Hunks Hauling Junk: I have used both of these companies for professional organizing and concierge clients here in Houston and they donate and dispose of many items in an eco way before trashing the rest. 

Gorman Uniform: they are doing various things like reusing hangers and using eco laundry services for their uniforms.

Some other green /eco resources in Houston:

Eco / green things to do in Houston

Green Initiatives in Houston

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Eco Modern Concierge Recently Purchased Items: Part 1

As a professional organizer and concierge based in Houston, TX I constantly purchase products on behalf of clients, so I thought I was feature some of the products that are recently purchased here on the blog. You can always find the items on the Eco Modern Concierge Shop page as well. This of course is not everything that I have purchased recently, but just a random mix of things.

Red Wine Stain Remover: If you have never used this stuff. It actually does work.

Toothbrush Heads: This is such a common everyday item because so many people have electric toothbrushes now.

LED Cafe Bulbs: Do you have cafe lights? Several of my clients who have had them for years as they burn out we have been replacing all the strands with LED bulbs.

DiscSox DVD Organization: If you still have DVDs and would like to save some space this acrylic DVD holder and sleeves is a great option.

Rocking Chair Cover: I recently purchased this for a client's country home for furniture on their front porch.

Picnic Table Cover: Same with these cover as well.

12" Boxwood Wreath: This is an item I purchased for myself because I have been looking for smaller boxwood wreaths to put in my windows inside of my house during the holidays. I was inspired by a photo I saw, but can't find that source online.

White Trays: These are actually lids that go onto the top of boxes, but we use them often as trays in clients homes.

Paint Sprayer: If you are doing any kind of painting project this is a game changer and so much faster than using a paint roller.

Chemex Pour-Over with Handle: This is the newer version of the Chemex that clients are loving.

Chemex with Lid: If you don't have the lid for the Chemex you need it.

Gray Skirt Hangers: We use velvet hangers on a ton of projects and I really like this version of the pant / skirt hangers with the medal clips.

Mens Grooming Tape: I learned about using mens grooming tape from fellow professional organizer Geralin Thomas. It works great as tape to help with wardrobe needs and also decorations.

Black Safety Pins: Geralin had also mentioned using black safety pins and this is something that we were already using and it is a great way to not see the pins if you are working on certain projects.

Clear Wreath Bag: If you want just a general wreath bag so you can see inside of it, these are great.

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Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! Go spread love today and always.

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Photo by Renee Fisher on Unsplash

Eco Valentine's Day + Past Posts Roundup

I thought I would do a round of past Valentine's Day posts.

Here are lots tips for eco Valentine's Day ideas.

Keep pets in mind for Valentine's Day.

How to Organize a Card Making Party + Give Back.

Valentine's to Texas Children's Hospital.

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Eco Modern Concierge Press in 2017: Get Organized!

Eco Modern Concierge was featured on several different blogs throughout the year. Here are a list of what was happening in 2017. My only hope is that 2018 will be just as amazing or better! 

• Camille Styles "How to Organize Your Holiday Gift Wrap": December 2017 http://bit.ly/2z9vMTV
• NAPO Houston "Pro Organizers' Best Tips for Holiday Happiness": December 2017 http://bit.ly/2ABZGCR
• L. Rose "Kitchen Pantry Organization": December 2017 http://bit.ly/2zaw7pK
• Padron Marketing #StandingOut Podcast "Interview": August 2017 http://bit.ly/2fsdmql
• Voyage Houston "Interview": June 2017 http://bit.ly/2rWJbIt
• Sunday Beach "Life Hacks for Busy Moms": May 2017 http://bit.ly/2rDvMpj
• Sunday Beach "Organizing for the New Year": January 2017 http://bit.ly/2BXnjCu

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Made in the USA: Good Flow Honey

I have been using this Good Flow Honey for many years and love it. I love that you can get it raw if you want also. It is made right up the rode in Austin. I know it isn't local in terms of being near Houston, but for me it is local enough and it's good. As many of you know local honey is best for you. I love that it is made in Texas and you can get it in varying sizes. Also, I think it would make a good gift as well because it is delicious.

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Made in the USA: Scotch Spray Glue

I have posted about Scotch products in the past, but the fact is I use them on a regular basis. I picked up these spray glues on a whim while doing some personal assistant tasks in Houston and saw that it was on sale, so I thought I would give it a go. It is great for scrap booking, to use on photos and general crafting projects. Plus, it is made in the USA. Have you tried these products? Do you like it?

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12 Ways to De-Stress

What are some ways you like to destress? With work and general life happenings many of times you can get so stressed out and not really know how to decompress. I love what I do as a concierge owner in Houston, but just like others I get super stressed about various things too. Here are 12 ways to de-stress.

• Art. I am sure you have seen all of those adult coloring books around, but just creating any type of art can be very therapeutic.
• Yoga.This is my #1 go-to. I love yoga.
• Meditate. This is something that has been hard for me personally, but I do feel less stress when I meditate regularly. 
• Read. I love reading and getting lost in a book.
• Go for a walk. This is one thing I really look forward to each day, although some days it doesn't happen. I love taking my fur baby on walks.
• Listen to music. Music can help in so many different ways and can be very therapeutic as well.
• Journal. When you write things down on paper you tend to release a lot of build up.
• Get creative. Do any and everything creative. Using your creativity lets you focus on less stressful things. 
• Ride your bike. This is one of my favorite things to do. I love riding my bike and just wondering.
• Take a bath. I don't do this nearly as often as I should, but taking a bath, reading and or just listening to music is super de-stressing
• Organize. When I get stressed out I often times begin to organize and for me this is stress reducing to see everything have a place of it's own.
• Drink. Kidding.....sort of. Wind down with a beer, cocktail or glass of wine this can always help.

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Made in the USA: Henna 'N' Placenta

I almost didn't post about this product because I am not a fan of it personally even though I have used it. I have seen so many people rave about this product and thought I would give it a go. I have thick wavy hair naturally and have blowed dried it more in the past year than I have in previous years, so I was hoping to restore my hair. Usually if I change up products my hair is smoother and flatter than normal. I used this Henna 'N' Placenta in the shower and then styled my hair afterwards and WHOA my hair was BBBIIIGGGG like WAY bigger than normal after I style it. So I said nope to using it again for me, but for other hair types this may be a great product for you. It did make my hair super soft though. It is made in the USA, that is why I am posting about it. You can find it at Sally's Beauty for a few bucks.

Have you used it? Do you like  it?

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Made in the USA: Mizzen + Main

Mizzen + Main came to Houston for a pop-up shop during the Super Bowl and while I was out and about for a concierge client I thought I would stop in real quick. My brother-in-law loves their clothing because they wick away moisture, wrinkle reducing, stylish and comfortable. I bought a few things for Bry for Valentine's Day and he loves them. The company is from Dallas and the clothing is made in the USA. They are a little pricy than other clothing, but worth it.

Have you or anyone you know tried their clothing? What are your thoughts?

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Top 10 Things I Get Asked to Do Most Often As a Concierge

As a concierge company in Houston, I get asked to do ALL kinds of tasks. Usually nothing is too big or too small and I will do just about anything if it is legal and I morally / ethically feel comfortable with it. There are several other concierge companies in Houston that do personal assistance & professional organizing, but not a whole lot that have an eco conscious niche. Below are some things that I get asked to do most often.

1. Organization Projects. I do a ton of organization projects through the year whether it is home, office, closet, storage units, etc. They are all usually a ton of fun.
2. Errands. I get asked so often to do just general errands. This includes, but not limited to, grocery runs, dry cleaning, postal services, gift shopping, etc. 
3. House sit ins. I do this for people who can't be home for the electrician, painters, cable people, etc. 
4. Help with events. I am not an event planner per se, but I do get asked to facilitate and assist with many events through the years. Many of times it is event prep, pre-plannning and logistics. I do also help secure locations for clients, etc.
5. Recycle drop offs. Surprisingly, not all of Houston has recycle pick ups, so I get asked to take recycling to recycle centers a lot. 
6. Research. I research a lot of things for clients on a regular basis and it includes dining options, traveling recommendations, local services they need help finding, business research they want outsourced, etc. 
7. Travel arrangements. I make travel arrangements for clients pretty regularly because a good chunk of my clients travel often. They usually need help finding out what to do, where to eat, etc. 
8. Eco knowledge. Although this isn't a specific task in particular, many of my clients do like that I have an eco niche and am eco conscious. I get asked about ways to green their home / business and products to use, etc. 
9. General personal assistant tasks. I get asked to do a lot of general personal assistant tasks like making calls, filing, bill pay, errands, book appointments, buying tickets, etc. 
10. Scheduling. I get asked to do a ton of scheduling whether this is spa services, client appointments for business executives, in home services, office services, meetings, etc.

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Made in the USA: Sterilite Mini Trashcan

This is another made in the USA trashcan post. I recently had to pick up a small trashcan for a client who wanted to store potting soil inside. She wanted something that could stay outside with a lid and would not rust. The Sterilite Utility Garbage Pail was the perfect mini trashcan to store the soil in. I got it at Berings in Houston. The plus was it is made in the USA. Having a concierge company and being a personal assistant in Houston I have a few go-to places where I can find just want I am looking for and knew exactly where I would find what I was looking for. 

Do you have a favorite trashcan? Not the most glamorous topic, but it's a necessity in every household. 

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The Number One Benefit for a Concierge

There are so many different benefits to being a concierge, but the number one thing for me is, the relationships I get to build and the people I meet. Over the past 11+ years as a concierge in Houston,  I have met so many great individuals and it couldn't make me happier. I am so lucky that I get to work with and meet so many awesome people who bring such a variety of perspectives to the table. I love that I have built so many relationships with clients. Even for those that I haven't worked with for years, many will still refer others my way, which I couldn't be more grateful for. I have worked on so many different professional organizing, personal assistant and eco consulting tasks through the years. Every day I learn something new from clients. Although they are utilizing my services to help them in various areas of their life, I learn SO much from my clients. It is such an awesome feeling to constantly learn from clients. At the end of the day the most rewarding and number 1 benefit of being a concierge for me is the relationships I build with my clients.

What is the number one benefit of the job you do?

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Eco: Organic Gardening

I am by no means a gardener, but do have a strong interest in it. My mom has an amazing green thumb and can basically bring any dead plant back to life. Last month we just replaced some things that died in the freeze this year and I planted some seeds of beans and carrots and a tomato plant. I love this book and they have some great tips on how to garden organically, using things you already have or doing it in an inexpensive way. Having a concierge company, I have researched a TON of landscape and gardening companies throughout Houston and I manage a lot of these types of services for clients.

What are some of your gardening tips?

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Made in the USA: Behrens Trashcan

Surprisingly, I have bought several different trashcans throughout the years for clients and personally, which is a pretty random thing to by on a regular basis. Having a concierge business you never know what you will get asked to buy. I am always a fan of the metal trashcans because they are usually made in the USA and pretty durable. I have found these Behrens at several different stores throughout Houston. Do you have a favorite trashcan you like? 

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10 Qualities of a Concierge

I thought I would outline some qualities of concierge. Concierges are so many different things to different people. Below are some qualities that most concierges possess and this is definitely not all of them.

1. Super Organized. You have to be super organized or you will get chewed up and spit out real quick. 
2. Part Magician. Because we can often times do the impossible. ;)
3. Be Honest with Your Clients. You have to be honest with your clients because, if not, karma is coming to get you. 
4. Provide Excellent Customer Service. This is an absolute must.
5. Problem Solver. Don't say I can't. If you are not sure about something, be honest and tell clients you are looking for the best solution. More than likely there is a solution to most problems.
6. Strategist. You are constantly strategizing whether it is finding ways to handle things or planning out your day. 
7. Open Minded. Be open minded about requests that come in. It is always interesting to do things that you may have never done before as long as it is legal.
8. Thirst for New Knowledge. I am constantly researching, reading, trying to stay up on what is new and happening in Houston, etc. This is a must if you are helping clients who depend on you to be in the know.
9. Resourceful / Creative. You have to have a pocket full of resources to refer to and come up with creative solutions. 
10. FUN. Have fun with it, this makes life so much better. 

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Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day. Go spread some love in the world today and always.

Photo Courtesy of Pei-San NG I love this photo and used in a post of mine back in 2011.

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Eco Modern Concierge in 2016: Celebrating Successes

This post was originally supposed to be posted last month, but I forgot to schedule it so here it is.

Last year I decided to keep track of small and large successes of Eco Modern Concierge. There were various successes on the professional organizing side, Houston successes, personal assistant goals achieved and being a small, women owned business in Houston. I did well until the 2nd half of the year. This exercise is a great way to focus on the positive rather than the negative. There are many other things that happened too, but I can remember everything.

• Become a certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBENC).
• Became a Women Owned Small Business (WOSB).
• Applied and got accepted for the Houston Super Bowl 51 as an approved vendor and business featured in the SB51 resource guide.
• Featured in the Houston Chronicle. The story changed a lot from January to May, but still had a small mention in there nonetheless. http://bit.ly/28LuwtL
• Featured on several blogs.
• Became a NAPO Golden Circle member.
• Spoke at a Women's Networking Lunch and talked about how I started EMC, juggled 2 jobs & went full-time with EMC.
• Taught a closet organizing class for The Woodlands Friends of the Library.
• One of the sponsors for Belong Magazine Issue 4.
• Set up consistent blog procedures M/W/F.
• Got an office space in Downtown, the building sold in December and moved to new office space further down Main St.
• Did some small videos for Downtown Houston Live. 
• Joined NAPO Houston.
• Joined Altrusa.
• Became a notary.
• Donated many charity gift certificates.
• Worked with new clients.
• Connected with new businesses. 
• Hired personal assistants for clients. 

*picture from my first office space.

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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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How I Planned a Corporate Event in 8 hours in a Different City for 150+ People

Now that the holidays are starting to slow down and we are approaching the new year, I thought I would reminisce about one of the crazy work things that happened this past year. Being a concierge company in Houston you get all kinds of unique, fun requests that come through. I have a client that I worked for on an as needed basis because they have someone full time to help them, but shit hit the fan when their full time assistant left and didn't finish an important task, which was planning a party. They called me needing me to plan a corporate party for 150+ people in Atlanta, walking distance from the hotel, including entrainment and food with a $3,000 budget. Oh and it was the very next day on a Friday night.

My first thought was holy shit. That thought lasted 10 seconds and then I immediately got on the internet and phone. Thankfully on the day they called me I had a light load with other clients and could just get right to planning. This happened to be in July, which was my craziest, most stressful month of business. I was insanely busy and constantly putting out fires for clients. I am by no means complaining, just explaining how crazy busy it was.

First I started working with the hotel to see what was available. We went back and forth for a few hours. Since this was a big conference they were at, space and availability was limited everywhere in downtown Atlanta. I found out the food alone would be way past our budget. So I started calling various venues around Atlanta. My client decided he wanted to have a DJ. So I immediately started to call to see who was available the next day for a Friday night gig. Right when I was about to sign the contract my client decided they no longer wanted a DJ, but that DJ was amazing and put me into contact with a girl who was an event planner (I think) and who then put me in contact with various venues. After 5 million calls back and forth to various people and seeing if they could work with our budget. I FINALLY found someone that would work with us at like 6pm the night before the event. The event was at a popular game place, we ordered food for all the guests to enjoy, there was music there, it was a semi private room and everyone had fun!

When everything is all said and done, it's a great feeling to just be able to know you accomplished something great for your clients that they enjoyed. It was literally an insane day. My client probably didn't realize the complete spectrum of insanity I was going through, but that is nothing for them to worry about and that is part of owning a concierge company. You go through great lengths for your clients. This is just a little bit of how behind the scenes things can go crazy when you least expect it.

These are just a few things concierges go through. This is what I do, and beyond, for clients. I love my clients and am SO thankful for them and love the relationships I can build with them.

Lesson: you never know who will help you and be full of connections when you least expect it. For that DJ Simon Rimmer in Atlanta I am extremely grateful for you, even though you probably will never see this. If anyone is ever in Atlanta and needs a DJ use him.

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