Friend of Boketto: Kristen Ziegler
Seemingly a lifetime ago, we *virtually* sat down with Kristen Ziegler to discuss her home organizing business, Minima, as well as her personal philosophies on leading a minimalist life in: Functional Spring Cleaning. A true Friend of Boketto (FOB ;-), last week we had another visit with Kristen to chat about the future of minimalism, what has changed for her clients since the pandemic, digital clutter, and more.
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We last spoke in 2020—how has your relationship to minimalism evolved in that time? (Are there any new philosophies, practices, or even challenges that have emerged for you?) I view minimalism as a holistic approach to life rather than an aesthetic. It influences everything from my home, to my finances, to my health and well-being.
Over the last few years, minimalism helped me soften my definition of success. When I started Minima in 2010, it was never about the money—it was about the joy behind the work. As the business grew, I developed an attachment to the increasing financial rewards. The work I once loved began to feel like a self-made prison; I spent so much time worrying about how far out the calendar was booked or how many new clients we had coming in. In 2023 after almost thirteen years in business, I broke down in tears and said to my husband, “I don’t want this anymore!” It wasn’t Minima I no longer wanted, it was the expectation I’d created that it needed to yield more profits each year. I’m not allergic to money, but I don’t want it to drive the car, so to speak. Now, instead of defining my success by how much money the business makes, I define it by how peaceful and free I feel, and how much I’m enjoying the work. After all, the enjoyment of the work was the reason I started my own business!
Five years ago was right at the beginning of the pandemic. Since then, what’s the biggest shift you’ve noticed in your clients’ needs? (Are people organizing for different reasons? Are the emotional drivers different?) The way our homes feel and function has a major impact on our well-being—a reality sharply highlighted by the pandemic. Time spent working outside the home or going out with friends and family was stripped away for a period and replaced with time spent at home. For many of our clients, anything about their spaces that wasn’t working before was amplified. Something that may have caused a minor frustration, such as an overstuffed drawer that wouldn’t close properly, became a major pain point in their day-to-day activities. Even though most of our clients have resumed some form of pre-pandemic life, home remains a higher priority than ever before.
We loved your take on not letting the past or possible future crowd out the present. What’s something you’ve let go of recently that made more space for your present? (Has your definition of “present” changed?) Something I think about on an almost daily basis is the impermanence of everything, including my existence. It’s easy to go through life thinking there’s no end. However, when I accept that there will be an end, I’m more able to see each day for the gift that it is (it might sound cliche, but it’s so true). I feel present and appreciative of the current moment; even if I’m experiencing an undesirable feeling like grief or sadness, it means I’m alive. I don’t want to rush through any seasons of my life in anticipation of a “better time” in the future.
You mentioned earlier that organizing can feel like a form of meditation. Are there any new daily or seasonal rituals that have become part of your own version of “Boketto Moments”? By creating plenty of breathing room in my life, everyday tasks such as folding clothing or washing dishes can be an opportunity to slow down and feel the moment. Too often, these mundane parts of life are overlooked in favor of more “exciting” activities. However, such a large part of life is made up of these necessary activities—why not find a way to enjoy them?
In a similar vein, I used to be someone who wanted to fast-forward through winter—spring and summer couldn’t come soon enough! Over the last few years, I’ve adopted a more positive winter mindset largely thanks to the Swedes. In Sweden—my all-time favorite place in the world—they have a saying, “Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder,” which translates in English to, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” The idea is to get outside and embrace all seasons. I’ve prioritized experiences like cold weather walks, cold plunges, and saunas, and celebrated the dark by lighting candles and spending more evenings with friends and family. It’s made winters so much nicer!
You’ve always emphasized personalizing minimalism for your clients rather than enforcing a one-size-fits-all approach. How are clients’ goals or expectations different now than they were five years ago? While I haven’t noticed an across-the-board shift in the last five years, I will say that every client has a different set of goals and expectations. Because of this, Minima always begins our services with an organizing action plan. This is a two-hour in-person session where we get to know our clients and their space—preferences, desires, other family member input—and create a plan that matches their expectations. We always start with this planning session rather than diving in with decluttering and organizing on day one. It’s helped establish a lot of trust and long-term relationships with our clients.
Digital clutter has only increased—how do you guide clients (or yourself) in organizing digital lives alongside physical spaces? When I’m working with clients to reign in digital clutter, we typically start with a one-hour video call where they can share their screen and show me what they have. I help them create a strategy that they can work on in smaller bites, including how to manage deleting items they don’t need.
For myself, having a decluttered and organized digital space is essential for the effective management of my life and Minima. I treat my digital items with the same level of rigorous intentionality as my physical space.
It’s worth noting that while digital clutter doesn’t take up space in our homes, it does have a substantial environmental impact.
Spring cleaning can sometimes feel like a trend or a to-do list item. How do you recommend shifting it into something more intentional and sustainable? Decluttering and organizing is most sustainable when it’s treated as a year-round practice—similar to eating well or exercising. A bigger one-time decluttering event is often necessary to get to a manageable baseline, but maintenance is essential from there. Life is always evolving; your spaces and belongings will as well. My husband and I keep a bag in the trunk of our car for donations—when we identify something we no longer need, it goes straight to the donation bag rather than back into the drawer or cabinet. As a result, decluttering has evolved into an easy, organic part of our routine.
In your own home, is there a space or object that’s taken on unexpected meaning in the last few years? We recently completed our primary bathroom remodel, which now includes a soaking tub (previously it only had a shower). Thanks to the new and improved space, my morning routine has shifted from something that felt like a task into an experience that feels relaxed and enjoyable. It sets the stage for my day in a completely new way. I’ve indulged in an evening soak almost every night as well—a great precursor to a restful night of sleep.
Has there been a recent project that especially lit you up—one that challenged you or reminded you why you do this work? The Minimalists have been my number-one source of simple living inspiration for nearly a decade. A dream of mine was realized in 2023 when The Minimalists founder, Joshua Fields Millburn, reached out to me via Instagram and invited me to join him live in his LA-based studio for a podcast episode. Since then, I’ve become good friends with Josh and his podcast co-host, T.K. Coleman. We’ve been working on a few projects together—I was on the podcast again earlier this year, and I’ll be in their next documentary, which comes out in 2026. Working with people I feel deeply aligned with is like nothing else; it’s validating and inspiring.
Lastly, what are you dreaming about or planning for in this next season of Minima? I’ve developed the business in a way that has allowed me to lift out of the day-to-day operations—Minima’s six employees provide most of our client services. I primarily work from home now and my current priority is to write more frequently. For now, my writing is geared toward the Minima Journal, but eventually, I see it evolving into a longer format like a book. Putting my thoughts and feelings into words lights me up. It takes a lot of time and patience, but it’s so worthwhile.
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For sure, give Minima’s IG a follow— and If you’re interested in working with Kristen, send her an email at admin@minimaonline.com to get the conversation started.