Help For New Moms

When baby arrives home, every family goes through a transition period. New Moms are adjusting to having total responsibility for this litte person. It can be overwhelming to say the least. Add sleep derivation to the mix and it becomes down right scary. When my son was born 20 years ago, I wish I could have called a personal concierge to help. My Mom came, of course, but frankly wasn't much help. I really wanted someone to go shopping for me, (I wouldn't dare take a new baby to the grocery store or the mall), someone to walk the dog, (Labs are very energetic, without a walk, watch out), someone to pick up a few personal items at the store, (wouldn't dare share just what those personal items were with my Mom), someone to write some "thank you" cards and "birth announcements", (My Mom couldl have never delivered the message the way I would want), someone to come in and clean the house, (My Mom kept asking where things were and where do they go, drove me crazy), and most important, someone to get meals prepared that I coud have just warmed up, (My Mom kept asking where the pans were, where to spices were, etc, etc. cooking myself would have been less exhausting).
After experiencing all these feelings, frustrations, fears, and conflicts myself, I am so happy that I can help new Moms. New Moms should be focusing on two things; their baby and themselves. When baby sleeps, Mom needs to sleep. In theory, that sounds great. Except who is going to do all of the chores? The answer: The Concierge. Enjoy every minute, before you know it they are 20 years old!!

This past fall, I volunteered at the Dream Home in The River Club, a neighborhood in Suwanee. The attention to detail in this spectacular home was unsurpassed. I met Chuck Schlick with Digital Interiors that day. He introduced himself and passed his business card to me, and I’m thinking that his services could only be appreciated by a man...the speaker systems, the home theater, the touch screens everywhere in the house, this is manly stuff! Wow, was I wrong. Digital Interiors actually installs systems that would make my life easier as the woman of the house, with the additional perk of savings on the utility bills.
Here’s just a few things that really got my attention:
- The homeowner can program the system to raise and lower the blinds in the home, protecting rugs and furniture from sun exposure and saving on cooling costs.
- The temperature in each room can be controlled individually, saving money on both heating and cooling.
- The exterior and interior lights can be turned on from the car. The homeowner can turn on the lights, set the temperature and turn on the music from the garage door opener to create a relaxing and safe environment when returning home from a long day at work.
- The lights in various rooms in the house turn on and off when the homeowner is out of town, making it appear as if someone were home. What an ingenious idea to outsmart an intruder!
- The security system is the best in the industry. The homeowner is able to monitor every inch of the home, both inside and out.
As a concierge managing the homes of many of my clients, this type of technology enhances my services significantly. When someone accesses the home, I receive an email. Since the homeowner assigns each person entering and leaving the home a personal access code, everyone is accountable. I know what time the cleaning service arrives and how long they stay. I know what time the gardener comes on property and can control what areas he can access. I know if there is a power outage, and can monitor the home remotely. I can set a window of time that the alarm codes will be active, which keeps providers to a schedule and better protects the property. Many of my clients are caring for their elderly family members, so knowing the home is safe, secure and communicating with the key people involved with the management gives them peace of mind. If there were an emergency, both the homeowner and I would be alerted, allowing for immediate response. When my clients are out of town, they know that a professional is responding immediately to their family’s needs.
Not all of this stuff referred to as “technology” is geared towards men; rather, it truly is for the entire family. Take my advice, explore this thing called “Digital Interior Technology.” You’ll be glad you did.

Unique Gift Option

One of the questions that I ask clients who ask for my help with gift giving is: "Do you have a general idea or theme for the gift?" 99.9 percent of the time, they say: "No, something unique and very special." It's my job to find the perfect item. The most popular gifts are floral pieces. Everyone loves the look of fresh flowers and plants in a room. I have visited so many florists in the area looking for a florist that utilizes other natural materials into their work such as small stones, various leaves, feathers, etc. You get the idea, not a piece of green florist foam with a bunch of carnations stuck into it. Well, I had the pleasure of meeting Verna Tsunafuji, owner of Fuji Floral Design several months ago. She has perfected the art of floral design. She is a self taught artist. She creates pieces of art using elements from nature. Whenever a client sends or purchases florals or plants from her, they are amazed with the sheer beauty of the piece as well as the quality of the live items used. Her service is top notch and she is willing to deliver to the Metro Atlanta Area. Below is an example of her work, there are more examples on her website: http://www.fujifloraldesign.com/ The shop located on 17th St. in Atlantic Station. The phone number is 404-881-0363.
As a concierge, I am always looking for the gift items that "WOW" my clients. Verna always creates that "WOW" for my clients and I am proud she has joined my exclusive vendor list.

Today we are putting together several corporate gift options. Holiday gifts that "WOW" the client not the budget!

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Holiday Season 2009

Holiday Season 2009 will probably be very different than in years past. Our budgets are considerably smaller, the number of friends, relatives and co-workers will probably be shorter. For this reason, we must be creative. One of the best ways to stay within our budgets and still give gifts that will wow our friends and family is to START EARLY. Ask the following questions about each person on your list:
1. Does ___ have a hobby?
2. How old is _______? More importantly, how old do they act?
3. Is ________ a trend-setter or more of a conservative?
4. What size is __?
5. Does _____ have any food or plant allergies? Would _____ like a gift of food or a plant?
6. How much do I want to spend on ______?
7. Does _______ travel for leisure and/or business regularly?
8. Does _______ dine out on a regular basis? Do they have a favorite dining location?
These 8 questions will give you some ideas. If you have several folks on your list with similar interests, think about buying in bulk. There are often discounts for purchasing multiple items. We all have the best of intentions when it comes to starting early and shopping on sale, but sometimes it's just impossible. If this is the case, consider hiring a personal shopper. The cost of a personal shopper can be paid for with the saving they squire for you with their gift choices.