13 Things You Can Do Right Now to Start Prepping For The Holidays

Now is the time to start thinking about the holidays. As a professional organizer and concierge company, we know a thing or two about the holidays. They get insanely busy for us and we absolutely love every second of it. Below are 13 things that you can start doing now in order to prep for the holidays and get an early head start. Remember, do what you can when you can. If it is not in the cards for you right now or this year, then skip it. 

1. Create a holiday binder to keep all holiday related things together: calendars, gift lists, mailing supplies, meal plans, give back, volunteering, etc.

2. Create a holiday budget. To help with overspending during the holidays, here are some things to consider: shopping, events, giving, cards, house to-dos, meals, mailing / shipping supplies, etc. 

3. Make lists: shopping lists, gift lists, to-do lists, holiday bucket lists, Halloween to-do, Thanksgiving to-do, Hanukkah to-do, Christmas to-do, lists of all the things you need to do around, etc.

4. Print blank calendar pages and begin filling it with school commitments, holiday events, appointments, etc.

5. Book appointments: hair, house deep clean, carpet cleaners, window washers, light hangers, organizers, decorators, concierges, photographer, self-care, any other services you know you will use during the holidays.

6. Book reservations. If you know you want to go to special places during the holidays go ahead and make reservations, if you can. Book date nights, lunch or dinner with friends or any dates you know you may need a break.

7. Arrange for pet care. If you know you will be traveling make sure you have pet care all lined up. 

8. Book travel plans. Transportation, lodging, activities, and anything else related to travel.

9. Book doctors appointments. The end of the year is one of the busiest time for doctors offices, so go ahead and get those dates booked. 

10. Take advantage of sales for holiday events & experiences during the holidays.

11. Start purchasing gifts & begin wrapping. Consider experience gifts like memberships, spa treatments, things to do, etc.

12. Review your address list. Update your addresses for people you know that have moved or for people that their card came back from the previous year. 

13. Purchase gift cards for stores you know you will shop at during the holidays in order to help you budget during the holidays.

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Meet Amy the Owner of Eco Modern Concierge

It has been almost 2 full years since we regularly updated the Eco Modern Concierge blog. You did see one update in 2022, but that was because it was scheduled in 2021and posted in 2022. 

I am Amy, the owner of Eco Modern Concierge. Since 2021 I have had 2 children. I currently have a 2.5 year-old boy and a 9 month old girl. A lot has happened in the past several years and I can't wait to see what the coming years hold. You can read all about me on the Eco Modern Concierge about page on our website. I started Eco Modern Concierge in 2005 while going to college and when I went to grad school I went full-time with the company. Since then we have grown and seeing so many changes in our company.  There have been many ups and downs the last 18 years. Eco Modern Concierge focus' personal assistant and professional organizing. We specialize in all things, but are experts in move management and holiday concierge services.

Reach out if you have any questions or would like to book us to help you guys. 

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Spring Cleaning: Items You Forget to Clean Pt. 7

It is spring time, which means spring cleaning for so many people. We always think we are cleaning things really well, but in reality there are so many things that we often forget to clean or don't realize that we need to clean. Past articles you can find here, here, here, here, here and here. 

• Oil diffuser
• Rain boots and raincoat
• Hairbrushes and combs
• Diaper pail
• Walls
• Plunger
• Lent trap
• Car console
• Glasses
• Jewelry
• Reusable bags
• Car seat

Photo by Simona Sergi on Unsplash

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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?

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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

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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?

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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:

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