Organize Cords

There are various ways to wrangle your pesky cords that are behind appliances, cords you use every day like phone and computer, cords behind desks, etc. Here are some common items I use when helping my clients and myself wrangle these cords and how to label them.

•        Velcro 
•      This is what I use most often
•        Rubber Bands 
•      These are something that most people have 
•     Zip Ties
•        Cord Wraps
•        Cord Identifiers 
•      These are pretty inexpensive on Amazon and are plastic so you can easily identify what cords go with what
•        Paper identifiers (not pictured)
•      These are compact and great for miscellaneous cords you store away

ecomodernconcierge.com

Eco Cleaning Products

I almost always use eco cleaning products in my home. My husband on the other hand, doesn't think they always get some things cleaned well enough and will buy toxic ones. It just depends on what the situation is. I have been using the 7th Generation brand for many years and really like them. I just recently started using Murchison-Hume and do like the smell of their products. I also use just plain 'ol vinegar and baking soda to make various concoctions of things. I like adding essential oils to make some of the products smell good. I use alcohol in some things like tile floor cleaning for when I am mopping. I like Bon Ami for the kitchen sinks and in the bathroom.

What are some of your favorite eco products to use?

ecomodernconcierge.com

Labels to Use When Organizing

When I am organizing various things that need labels these are some of the ones that I like to use. My favorite are the Martha Stewart gold and silver metal label plates that they no longer make. You can still find them on Amazon, but they are overpriced.

Labeling items like shelves, boxes, etc are great for identifying what things are and where they go. Use them anywhere in your house or office. 

Great resources to find them:

• The Container Store
• eBay
• Office Depot
• Staples
• Amazon
• Target
• Craft Stores

Also, check out this great article on label holders.

ecomodernconcierge.com

Made in the USA: Indian Healing Clay

Have you guys tried this indian healing clay before? It is supposed to be great for cleansing your skin. I have been using it for a while now and pair it with apple cider vinegar, you can also use just water. I don't use it as often as I probably should be, but my face does feel really great after I use it. Another great thing is that it is made in the USA. 

ecomodernconcierge.com

How to Organize a Neighborhood Night Out Event

Our neighborhood is celebrating it's 1st neighborhood National Night Out next week and I wanted to share with you some things that I have found helpful when planning this. Most states celebrate National Night Out in August, but in Texas and some other states it takes place in October when the weather is cooler. I organized it for the neighborhood I grew up in over a decade ago and when we moved into our new house I decided to take this on since many of the neighbors rarely get out and go to neighborhood events. This year has been a total just winging process.

What: National Night Out

When: Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Where: Our local park

Who: We invited all of our neighbors

• Get the word out. I first get the word out about the date it will be by writing a blurb about it in our neighborhood newsletter. I also send out an Evite to get an idea of how many people will be there. 
• Post to social media. Then I post on our Facebook site and NextDoor site (like Facebook for neighborhoods).
• Donations. Ask for donations and get neighbors to bring a side dish. We have a generous neighbor donating all the hot dogs. We also have several local businesses who are donating items. 
• Ask for help. Then I start rallying the troops (other neighbors) to help with the event. This includes set up, cooking the food, etc. Unfortunately, this year I am not going to make our neighborhood night out and have relied on others more than I normally would. Don't hesitate to ask for help from others are usually willing to help if they can.
• Call local officials. We start calling local officials to see if they will come out and greet neighbors. Call your local police department, fire station and city hall members. Usually there are requests that you can fill out online. Neighbors really like it when they can talk to someone from the city and express their concerns or express their gratitude. 
• Set up early. There will always be those people who show up early, so prepare everything about 30 minutes early. For us there isn't a lot going on and it is pretty simple, so it won't take long to set up.
• Enjoy. Mix and mingle with neighbors and enjoy hanging out with them.
• Clean up. Bring 2 bags one for trash and one for recycle. This makes clean up easy. 

Things we have prepared for the evening: 

• Local officials to stop by.
• Crafts for kids. We will have card making with the Halloween / Fall foam cutouts (picture below and I got them in the $1 bin at Target) and DIY pinecone bird feeders. 
• Our neighborhood Certified Emergency Response Team (CERT) team members to talk about emergency preparedness.
• Give away raffle items that local businesses donated. 

Magazine ID Stamp

I really like this id stamp. It is great for magazines and any personal information you don't want revealed. Since I subscribe to so many magazines and often donate them when I am done reading them, I don't want my personal info out there. It helps me stay organized. I got this at a local Houston store called Kuhl-Linscomb several years ago. You can also find it on Amazon. 

ecomodernconcierge.com

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!

ecomodernconcierge.com