5 Things To Get Organized With Now

Since summer is beginning, the kids are out of school and travel is in an upswing, I thought I would share 5 things that you should be organizing right now. As a professional organizer, each season comes with various things to organize or activities and events that are popular during those season. When you are trying to pre-plan anything think about all the aspects of things that need to get done and how to best get organized for those events or activities. 

Now that school is out for most kids, it is the perfect time to start going through all your kids art work. Toss what you don't like or need. Display, make a book or put away in keepsakes what you want to keep. Use weathertight bins or archival boxes. 

Are your kids going to summer camp? If so, now is the perfect time to get organized for it because most kids go to summer camp in June and July. Think about what you need to pack and what the kids need to bring with them. Order name tags for clothes, swim and all items. Don't forget to buy stamps. Stock up on sunscreen and bug spray. Here are some past posts I have written in regards to how to get organized for summer camp and summer camp packing list. 

Are you traveling this summer? Now that people feel more comfortable traveling since many people have COVID vaccines, there is an increase in summer travel and people going stir crazy and wanting to get out of the house and out of town. Start thinking about what you will need to take with you. Start making packing lists, gather specific items in a particular area of your house of what you will need, if items are too bulky consider having them sent to your destination via Amazon or by mailing them, don't forget cables & cords, what meds you will need, put together an itinerary if you made plans for specific activities, don't forget to bring cash, etc. Here are some travel tips & tricks, how to organize for a weekend getaway, and road trip essentials. 

Do you live in an area prone to hurricanes? If so, start gathering your emergency prep items, so you have them in case you need them. Stock up on water and batteries. If you have to evacuate know where you will be going and have an evacuation plan. Make a list of items you want in your go bag. Have a mini go bag ready in case you have to leave unexpectedly. Make sure all external batteries are charged. Always keep your gas tank full. Here are some past articles about emergency prep, how to start an emergency preparedness kit and things you should do, what you should have in your emergency go bag, preparing for hurricanes and free resources, and get organized: hurricane preparedness. 

It is officially move season and there are so many upcoming client moves we have. We specialize in move management and coordination here in Houston and beyond. Moves can financially add up really quickly so start planning now if you have an upcoming move. Declutter your house before you move, book movers & packers, if you are diying it start packing a little at a time, make a list of address changes, book professional organizers, etc. 

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EMC Travels: Hotel Valencia

I have been meaning to post this for sometime and since I book tons of hotels for my concierge clients and myself I thought I would share one that I loved, Hotel Valencia in San Antonio, TX . We stayed here about a year and half ago and couldn't get over how charming this hotel was. We were welcomed with a cocktail, they had great service and it was right on the riverwalk in San Antonio. I loved how the hotel was decorated and there were so many great outdoor places you could sit and relax. I will definitely be staying here again. Have you been here?

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2018 NAPO Conference Checklist

I am going to the NAPO Conference again this year and found this article very helpful from professional organizer, Geralin Thomas. Read the comments in her post from other professional organizers and their recommendations.

Here are some things I wanted to add as well:

• Reusable water bottle
• Silicone bags for snacks
• Disinfectant spray like Thieves
• Mini first aid kit

What type of things do you like to pack for conferences?

Photo by STIL on Unsplash

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What I Take When Traveling

When I travel, I try to pack as little as possible, but always end up bringing more than I need. 

Here are some things I try to take with me on my carryon:

• Headphones. So I can watch movies or listen to music.
• Earplugs. In case I want to cancel noise.
• DoTerra mini orange essential oil. I use this as a hand sanitizer.
• DoTerra OnGuard tablets. I take these as a preventive to hopefully not getting sick.
• Aesop hand sanitizer. Keep those germs at bay.
• Kleenex. They are just good for so many different things and I always have them on hand.
• Band-Aids. I never know when I will need one or get a blister.
• Band-Aid Friction Block. I love this stick. I put it on my ankles and all over my feet where blister are prone to be.
• Thieves spray. I like to spray it around to keep germs away, especially on planes.
• Book. I always like to have some kind of reading material.

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Travel Tips and Hacks

I know it is summer time and right in the heart of travel season. In fact, I am traveling right now as are many of my clients, so I thought it would be a good idea for some travel tips. As a professional organizer and concierge, I get asked to help with packing and preparing for travel ALL of the time especially during peak travel season like summer and winter. Below are some travel tips and hacks that I have learned along the way.

• Bring a small power strip. Many hotels or rental places are short on plugs. 
• Get free maps from AAA (if you are a member) or airport information stations.
• Discounted travel through AAA and Costco memberships. There are lots of deals to be had out there.
• Bring your own water bottle and use filling stations. Many airports have fill stations now. 
• Pack your shoes in shower caps. I do this so my shoes do not get my clothes all dirty.
• Utilize your space. Put socks and underwear inside of your shoes. 
• Bring your own mini alcohol bottles. They are usually under the ounce limit. I have heard mix reviews about this. Some people say airlines allow it, while others say it is not allowed. 
• Place orders ahead of time and have them shipped to your destination. This is especially great for kid items like diapers or formula if you are staying in one place for a while. Or if you forget something.
• Start taking Vitamin C two weeks before traveling. This helps you from getting sick or at least lessens the chances.
• Take picture of your outfits. This helps you plan what you are going to wear each day and that way you will already know without having to think about it.
• Wrap tops of bottle caps with plastic. This helps with leakage and preventing a mess inside of your suitcase &/or bag.

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Made in the USA: Pill Boxes

I was going through The Container Store last year and spotted these colorful pill boxes. They come in various sizes and are perfect for taking on vacation or putting your everyday pills in. Plus, they are made in the USA!

Do you use pill boxes and do you have a favorite?

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Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) Essentials

My husband, Bryan, and I have been going to Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL) for years. In all honesty he is not much of a music festival / concert person, but he does these things for me because I love it. I wanted to highlight some things for us that have been helpful and useful throughout the years of going. As you can see in some of the photos there are a few things I initially left out of the main photo that are very important and you will see in photos below.  Here are some things we like to bring.

• Wristbands.
• Backpack.
• Sunscreen.
• Sunglasses.
• Phone. You can check Twitter for giveaways while you are at the festival.
• Empty Water Bottle. There are fill stations throughout Zilker. Stay hydrated.
• Tarp and Ponchos. This is in case it starts raining, which it has various times throughout the years.
• Comfortable Clothes and Shoes. You will walk a lot. I try to wear sandals or flip flops in case they get wet it can dry fast.  Same with clothing, you want fast drying cloths if it rains. I am more about function than style when it comes to music festivals.
• Hand Sanitizer. Because porta potties are nasty.
• Wipes / Toilet Paper. I will carry these things because you never know how the porta potties will be.
• Cash / Credit Cards. Now you are able to connect your wristband to your credit card, but we still carry one card, cash and our Drivers License.
• Chairs. We usually don’t bring them, but you can if you want.
• Waterproof Bag or Ziploc Baggies. This is in case it rains to keep our phones dry.
• External Phone Charger. We have never brought one in the past, but may this year because usually our phones are running low by the end of the night.

Also, this is a good article of what others recommend to bring http://www.austin360.com/news/entertainment/music/acl-fest-expert-advice/nSYLZ/

Tips while you are at the festival

• Try all kinds of food, it really is good.
• Listen to various acts, you'll be pleasantly surprised on how good many of them are.
• Don't get too wasted and stay hydrated.
• Save to buy your souvenirs for at night so you don't lose them or ruin them. ACL used to have a USPS booth set up where you could ship your items to your home. Not sure if they will have that this year. We always buy a poster and wait to buy it at the end of one evening.
• Take the shuttle if you can. There are so many constantly running and you rarely have to wait long to get on one. The only time we really wait is at night if we stay until the last act finishes up.
• If there is a lull period you don't have any particular bands you want to see leave and then come back. We have done this various times throughout the years. Sometimes we go eat at a nearby restaurant and other times we go back to our rental and take a quick nap.
• If you are renting a condo, a house, or somewhere with a kitchen for the festival bring snacks or frozen food. A lot of times we are hungry when we finish up with the festival and pizza often takes at least an hour to be delivered, if not longer. 
• Have fun!

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