For home organization maven Shira Gill, tidying up has always been a form of self care—she sees it as a means of reclaiming a sense of control in a world that often feels messy. Gill has helped everyone from teachers to tech entrepreneurs, brain surgeons, and actors revamp their homes through her signature decluttering and organization process, which she outlines in her new book, Minimalista. Inside, you’ll find projects and steps that you can take to gain clarity, eliminate the unnecessary, and find solace in your space.

“I’ve seen firsthand that clutter and disorganization is a universal stress trigger,” says Gill. “My goal in writing Minimalista was to help people feel less overwhelmed and stressed out, and more purposeful, productive, creative, and joyful on a daily basis.”

Gill started her business in 2010, and she went on to become a certified life coach to help her clients make transformations from the outside in, as well as the inside out. Over the years, she’s cultivated her own brand of minimalism that confronts distraction and excess, but also allows her to enjoy all the things she loves. Her goal is to teach others how to clarify what’s important, and strip away the rest.

“It’s been one of the great joys of my life to help people shift the relationship they have with their stuff, and create more space for the things that matter most—community, contribution, and connection.”

Her own home is part family residence, and part work HQ where she takes client calls, hosts in-person workshops, records podcasts, and writes. Her two children have playdates, sleepovers, and crafting and game sessions, and she and her husband often host dinners, holiday parties, and events on their patio. They also rent the airy space out for photoshoots, videos, and commercials—and to guests while they travel.

“We bought our Bay Area bungalow in 2013 from good friends who decided to relocate to the UK. The house is a traditional craftsman, and it’s full of character and original details—but we have worked hard to make it feel current without losing its charm.”

The two-story, 1,200-square-foot residence has a minimalist, modern farmhouse meets boho style with a crisp white palette, plenty of cozy textures like sheepskins and tassels, and vintage elements. It’s neat as a pin, but not in a way that’s spartan or bare. Rather, it feels comfortable and lived-in with a calming sense of stillness. She’s put her skills to good use, configuring the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house to function as a multipurpose space.

As a busy, full-time working mom, she’s found it necessary to streamline and simplify every aspect of the home to ease the flow of daily life, opting for “space over stuff” so that her family has less to clean, organize, and manage.

Gill explains that while the 1916 bungalow is filled with charm, it’s short on storage. Since it has only two closets for a family of four (and no entry closet, garage, or attic), she’s invested in custom solutions and tricks, like setting up dedicated stations and replacing drawers with shelves.

“How you set up your home influences how you live your life. Keeping a streamlined and minimal home enables our family to do more of the things we love (hosting, traveling, and creative projects) and creates the spaciousness, freedom, and ease that we all crave.” Below, she shares some tips from around her house, and Minimalista.

“How you set up your home influences how you live your life. Keeping a streamlined and minimal home enables our family to do more of the things we love (hosting, traveling, creative projects) and creates the spaciousness, freedom, and ease that we all crave.” Below, she shares some of her tips from around her house and from her book Minimalista.

What are some of your biggest tips from the book?

Most people try to tackle their whole home all at once and then get overwhelmed and quit. For this reason, in Minimalista I break down huge, intimidating projects into approachable, bite-sized chunks so readers can start making progress and tasting success, even if they are short on time and juggling all of the things. So, that’s tip one—break projects down to manageable chunks that you can finish in the time you have available.

But, before you even start organizing, my biggest tip is that you have to clarify why you want to get organized. Do you want to reduce stress? Stop bickering with your spouse? Entertain more? Save money? Reduce your environmental footprint? Stop losing your keys?

Once you clarify a clear and compelling reason for wanting to edit and organize your home, you’ll have the motivation you need for the hands-on work of editing, organizing, and styling your home.

What might be some often overlooked but impactful ways to reduce clutter and promote wellness?

I like to focus on editing and elevating the (often overlooked) areas we interact with every single day, like our nightstand surface, kitchen counters, and dining room tables. These high-traffic areas can be magnets for clutter piles that make it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally. It really doesn’t take much effort to give yourself the gift of clean, clutter-free surfaces that are easy on the eyes. Take a few minutes every day to relocate household items that have lost their way, wipe down surfaces that are dusty, and be intentional about the things you surround yourself with. Fresh flowers, art, and beautiful objects make a home feel cared for and intentional, and help convey the message that your home is not a dumping ground.

What’s the single best clean-up routine you can do for the home? Your wardrobe? Your life?

The secret to an organized home is editing down to the essentials so you have less to clean up. Our 1,200-square-foot home only contains items we use, need, and love, and everything has a clear and intuitive “home,” so maintaining order is pretty easy. We also do seasonal edits when we know we’re about to face a major influx of stuff, like holidays and birthdays.

After you’ve reduced how much you have, the only thing you need is some daily maintenance. Putting in a little effort each day to clear surfaces, put away dishes, and hang clothes in the closet before bed means you’ll never face a massive pileup.

What have you done around your own home to make it more efficient and comfortable?

I’m a huge fan of creating simple systems that are easy for the whole family to use and maintain. I’ve set up a utility drawer stocked with batteries, sharpies, notecards, pens, scissors, and basic tools, so the things we use most are always within arm’s reach. I’ve also set up organized “stations” for everything under the sun, so the whole family can find what they need in a flash including:

A wellness station stocked with vitamins, bandaids, first aid essentials, etc.
A pet station complete with food, treats, toys, and accessories
A work-from-home bin that can be easily stowed at the end of the day when it’s time to unplug
A “party in a box” stocked with votive candles, decor, nonperishable treats, cocktail napkins, etc.
A well-stocked travel bin including international chargers, travel toiletries, jet lag aid, eye masks, neck pillows, etc.

Learn more by visiting Shira Gill’s website, and by following her on Instagram @shiragill.

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