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?

ecomodernconcierge.com

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

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?

ecomodernconcierge.com

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:

ecomodernconcierge.com

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

ecomodernconcierge.com

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?

ecomodernconcierge.com

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. 

ecomodernconcierge.com