In this Q & A we’re so excited to feature Shira Gill, a professional home organizer whose innovative approach has transformed the living spaces of clients from bustling students to multi-millionaires. Renowned for her unique decluttering perspective and sustainable system designs, she crafts customized, sustainable systems that promote a lasting sense of order and calm within the home. Shira has penned three influential books– her latest, LifeStyled, Organized Living and Minimalista. Her expertise has also been showcased on national television, including appearances on The Today Show and Good Morning America. Explore more about her transformative work at shiragill.com.
Q&A with Shira Gill: Tailoring Minimalism for Your Space
Shira’s philosophy is simple yet profound: clutter is a universal stressor, and the antidote is not more bins or stricter systems, but a tailored approach that aligns with an individual’s personal values and the physical space they inhabit. Her definition of minimalism strays from the conventional– she believes it’s about having the perfect amount of everything for you. This approach ensures that her solutions aren’t just about clearing space, but about enhancing the quality of life for her clients.
What makes Shira’s method resonate with so many is her focus on making organization achievable and aesthetically pleasing, irrespective of one’s lifestyle or the size of their living space. Whether it’s a tiny apartment or a sprawling estate, Shira’s strategies are designed to yield environments that reflect each client’s personal tastes and needs, turning any space into a harmonious home. This philosophy aligns seamlessly with our perspective at The Vintage Rug Shop, where we cherish moments of curated layers along with an array of carefully selected home essentials. We love Shira’s approach because it ensures that even the most abundant spaces maintain a sense of beauty and order.
Our admiration for Shira stems not only from her organizational prowess but also from her ability to create systems that clients can maintain long after her work is done. As we dive into the intricacies of her techniques and tips, especially with the changing seasons, it’s clear why Shira Gill is a true transformer of spaces and lives. Join us as we explore her thoughtful advice on managing everything from entryway essentials to the kitchen counter, and learn how to bring a fresh sense of order to your home this spring.
1. Spring cleaning can feel overwhelming—where do you recommend starting for a fresh, organized home?
I would recommend sprucing your entry– that's always the first impression of your home. It's a high traffic area, and it tends to get really weighted down in the winter with things like heavy coats and dog leashes and hats and scarves, and so it's really easy to give your entry a quick refresh just by removing all of the heavy winter layers that you won't be needing.
Perfect. Now, where do we put those winter layers?
Ideally you have some space in the back recesses of your closet, or you have a storage area where you could have a protected garment rack where you put heavy coats. Some people like to fold them up and put them in weather proof totes in their basement or garage or other storage area. The main thing is you just want to get that heavy bulky stuff out of your prime real estate area so you can free up space.
2. What’s your favorite way to organize entryway essentials—like keys, mail, and sunglasses—using stylish storage options such as woven baskets or ceramic bowls?
I love to elevate the utilitarian parts of a home. So I think within an entry, you think about, what are those things that always get just dumped and how can I create a boundary? So trays, baskets, anything that feels like a little drop station that's contained. But the more elevated and beautiful, the better.
You want to elevate the vessels that you use for your drop station. We could use an oversized scallop bowl to drop mail or bills. I love the handkerchief bowl for dropping keys, or even your cell phone or your AirPods. And then the floral marble dish is my favorite for keys.
So in the kitchen, one of the biggest clutter culprits that I see is just a big mound of mail homework from the kids, art projects, all of that paper that can kind of just clutter up the surfaces is so common. And so you want to nip it in the bud by making sure you've got a great entry landing station so you can just walk in and dump that and then not have it leak into the other parts of your home.
How do you get everyone in the household on board?
Oh gosh– the million dollar question! I think it's really helpful to link a tidy organized home with activities that everybody enjoys. In my family, we love going out to dinner or traveling or going to get ice cream or my girls love having their friends over. So linking when our home is tidy and organized, it facilitates all of these things that we want to do. Let's spend as little time as possible tidying so we can get to the good stuff.
3. Many of us struggle with countertop clutter in the kitchen. How would you recommend using canisters or storage baskets to keep things tidy while still accessible?
Some of it is just the good habits of doing the dishes and putting them away, but I do think you can help yourself and others by elevating those items by the kitchen sink. So using a tray to have your dish soap, your hand soap, maybe a beautiful dishbrush– so that it's less prone for people to dump stuff because it looks so beautiful. That's a hot tip. And I think also, in my family, we do a five minute tidy before bed where my kids help knock out the dishes and put them away. I wipe the surfaces and we just do a quick reset. So getting that as part of your before bed habit helps you wake up to a fresh clean sink.
What would you recommend for a household that has children or partners who like to use a fresh cup every time?
My kids definitely love a fresh cup. I would say minimizing the volume of cups that they have access to or even that you own entirely. I think for younger kids using a low drawer, just for the bare essentials that you want them to be able to grab and go, but limiting it to one or two cups per kid so that they can't use a dozen cups every day. And color code them!
4. Coffee table styling can be gorgeous but can quickly look messy. What’s the best way to create a balance of function and aesthetic, while achieving that perfectly collected look?
Commonly at a coffee table people will have drinks, so a pro tip is to have beautiful coasters on your coffee table. Use some sort of low storage vessel, like a marble tray or a very low basket, where you can corral things that typically get strewn around. I love using a marble dish or a metal tray for things like remotes or even like game boy pieces. With coffee table books in distinct stacks instead of just strewn all over, those can also be a landing place for things like a beautiful vessel of flowers or a candle. I think the more a coffee table feels styled and really intentional, the less people are prone to dump on it. At our house, it's where all of the little Legos and slime end up.
That's hysterical.
I found that if I cover it with really intentional stacks, then my kids won't shove stuff on it. But if it's empty, they're just all over the space.
"With coffee table books in distinct stacks instead of just strewn all over, those can also be a landing place for things like a beautiful vessel of flowers or a candle."
5. What’s your favorite method for keeping sentimental items without letting them take over your space?
With sentimental items, the mistake people make is they tend to just box them up and shove them in the basement. I think it's a matter of deciding which are the most meaningful and cherished and then elevating them and displaying them in your home, whether it's framing, art or old letters or photography, and putting it in a meaningful place in your home so people will actually see it and appreciate it. Also making some tough cuts so that you don't feel like your house has just become a graveyard for other people's stuff. Books can be a form of beautiful art; older vintage books can be styled on a coffee table, on a bookshelf, in an entry, and it's a great way to show pride in those inherited or vintage items.
"I think it also feels good sometimes to freshen up the actual colors and the textures to just lighten everything up so it feels like a real spring refresh. So swapping out just the pillow cases can make a big difference without having to buy a whole new set."
6. We're currently transitioning seasons from winter to spring. And many of our homes have a lot of winter layers out and we're not really sure what to do with them. So, what would be your recommendation on how we transition seasons in the bedroom?
Obviously in the winter, we're layering up, we're cozying, we're maybe swapping out from a linen to a flannel sheet. So I think it's identifying what are the pieces you want to bring into the mix for spring and what feels too hot or too heavy. Swapping those out and I typically corral them in just an open bin or basket in my linen closet. If people are short on space, they could even just use a really shallow basket and put them under their bed and tuck them away so they just rotate out during the seasons. I think it also feels good sometimes to freshen up the actual colors and the textures to just lighten everything up so it feels like a real spring refresh. So swapping out just the pillow cases can make a big difference without having to buy a whole new set.
We have a small home and very little storage space. So I typically corral things like throw blankets or extra pillows or heavy throws in just a big oversized basket. If people do get chilly, they can still access them. For people who have larger homes and more storage space, you could use a natural linen zip pouch, which maximizes space in a linen closet or storage area. It keeps things nice and clean and avoids moths and stuff like that.
As we navigate the transition from winter to spring, Shira Gill’s expert advice offers more than just organizational tips, but provides a pathway to a more serene and manageable lifestyle. By adopting Shira’s approach, we can transform our homes into spaces that not only look great but also support our daily lives and well-being. Whether you’re tackling a full spring clean or just looking to refine your living area, remember that the key is to align your space with your life’s needs and pleasures. We hope you find inspiration and practical guidance in Shira’s methods to create a home that feels both organized and uniquely yours. For more insights and detailed guidance from Shira, check out her books LifeStyled, Organized Living and Minimalista!
