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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Road Trip Essentials

Since is it is summer travel time I thought I would refer back to a post I wrote almost 2 years ago called road trip essentials (I can't believe I posted this almost 2 years ago, I remember so vaguely writing it). Click on the link above to view all the photos published.

I grew up road tripping to various places and often take road trips with my husband, and wanted to share some of my essentials. I back in July from road trippin’ with family to SC. I rode with my aunt, uncle and cousin because I was able to take off early and my husband and the rest of our family flew up that weekend. We took a leisurely pace and stopped in New Orleans at one of my favorite places, Mother’s. Their jambalaya is DELICIOUS! Saw the largest rocking chair in America, then made our first stop in Destin, FL for a couple of days. I was surprised how clear the water was and it was only about a 9 hour drive. Then we finally made our way to Edisto Beach, SC outside of Charleston and stopped at the smallest church in America on the way. I rode back home with them as well, so we were in the car a loooong time. 

Here are some road trip essentials that I found helpful and like to take with me.

• Pouches / Document Holders. I use these all the time when traveling because it helps me contain my stuff.
• Notebook / Address Book. I try to always bring my address book / notebook with me on my trips because I often send letters or have thoughts I want to jot down. 
• Pens / Pencils. Because you never know when you need a pen.
• iPad. To watch movies, listen to music or play games on, but I didn’t use it this time.
• Movies. My cousin brought all kinds of movies for us to watch in the car because they have a tv in the car and we actually watched several movies. 
• Headphones. For music and movies.
• Instant Film Camera. I love using this that my husband got for me several years ago. We took pictures at the quirky places we stopped at and completely forgot to use it at other places too.
• Portable Phone Charger. This is always handy if your phone battery is running low.
• Car Games. We actually had a lot of fun with this. We played the license plate  and got all, but 6 by the time we got home. We also played a travel question game that surprisingly turned out to be fun and we learned a lot about each other. I picked up car bingo at the AAA store. I had seen them on Amazon and a local store in Houston, but it was way cheaper from AAA.
• Maps. I know most of us have a GPS or GPS on your phone, but I always like to take an actual map just in case we need and to see where we are in relation to other cities, etc.  I go to AAA and pick up the maps and almost always use them when I am on road trips.
• Coloring Books, Colored Pencils and Crayons. I’ve always liked coloring and picked up some cheap books on Amazon to take with us, they were cheaper on Amazon than at local art stores in Houston.
• Book. I know a lot of people can’t read in the car, but I actually don’t do too terribly reading in the car. I just finished My Paris Dream on the way home. I really liked it. I am always nervous about popular books like this because sometimes they turn out to be not so great.
• Toiletries. I carry a little bag with me that has all kinds of essentials like wipes, bandages, hand sanitizer, eye depuffer (just in case), essential oils (orange and lemon are so versatile), lip balm and tissues.
• National Parks Passport Book. I got this several years ago while on vacation because my aunt had one and it is a fun / free thing to get stamps at the national parks you visit.
• Things that are not pictured that I think are necessary to having a more comfortable road trip include, pillow, blanket, snacks and drinks.

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Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!

My Favorite Blog Posts to Write

Blogging has been such an interesting thing for me. I have been blogging for Eco Modern Concierge for many years. Many of times it has been off and on. This past year it has been on more than any other years. I've never had any intentions of blogging as a career. I do it because clients and potential clients like to see that I am current and up-to-date on many things. As you probably know, my blog posts are usually pretty short, which is what works best for me and is manageable for me.

My favorite blog posts to write are probably the quick gift idea ones and the organizing posts. Since I sign confidentiality agreements with many clients there are some things that I can't post or write about, but really wish I could because there are some really cool day-to-day things that I get to do from time to time.

What are the type of blog posts you would like to see on the Eco Modern Concierge blog or which ones that I currently write do you like best?

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Made in the USA: Chilewich Doormats

I have had one of these Chilewich doormats for years and it has held up so well! Below you see one of the prices as $160, but mine was WAY less than that when I got it years ago. I love the colors and that it is made in the USA! What are some of your favorite doormats?

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Food, More than Just Something you Eat

I know this has been posted online, talked about on t.v. and magazine articles, but there is something so special about food. For me it is more than just nourishing my body. It is about the relationships and good times that I have had while sharing a meal with others or alone. You can laugh, converse, comfort, etc. through food.

Food has been there for me to nourish my body on a day to day basis, there to comfort me when I have strong cravings, there when I have been stressed (I know, bad habit, but doesn't always happen), for me to cook and share with others, and the list goes on and on.

I am constantly booking restaurants for personal assistant and concierge clients here in Houston and in other cities as well. Food is such an important part of life. What is your favorite food to eat?

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Happy Summer Solstice!

Happy Summer Solstice! Today is the longest day of the year. Weather permitting we will spend it outside after work. Perhaps going on an extra long walk with our sweet pup and eating outside.

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