10 Years of Minima: The Milestones That Shaped Us
To celebrate Minima’s tenth birthday, I brought together the key moments that shaped our first decade. Since launching in 2010, Minima has grown from a solo endeavor taking a few clients a month into a dedicated team booking out weeks and months in advance. We have built a client base I adore and a dream list of brand and media features I never could have imagined.
Starting my own business turned out to be one of the most rewarding decisions of my life. Even in challenging moments, it fills me with a complete sense of purpose—it truly is my life’s work.
2012 | Dirty Richmond
Pre-Minima (2008–2010)
When I was laid off from my full-time architecture job during the 2008 recession, I found myself at a sudden crossroads. Attending a NAPO Richmond meeting in January 2009 revealed organizing as a viable profession, leading me to join a local organizing company a month later.
By February 2010, I launched the blog Minima{list} to document surviving the recession, living minimally, and building confidence through intentional living.
Minima Begins (2010)
After two years of juggling part-time jobs, I reached a breaking point and took the risk to launch my own business. With the blessing of the local organizing company, I officially registered Minima on October 13, 2010—choosing a name inspired by my blog and a love of calculus.
Just days after launching, a devastating ovarian cancer diagnosis paused my plans while I underwent surgery and chemotherapy.
2013 | Richmond Home Magazine
2015 | Richmond Home Magazine
2015 | Need Supply Blog
The Early Years (2011–2015)
February 2011 | Returning to work healthy, launching Minima’s website, and releasing initial marketing materials opened the door for my first clients.
June 2012 | Earning my Certified Professional Organizer (CPO) designation built credibility, though I passed on recertification to focus on Minima’s distinct model.
July 2012 | Partnering with Need Supply Co. to organize and streamline their headquarters, alongside client work with Epiphany and later Ledbury, built early trust across the Richmond business community.
August 2012 | Reserving Mondays strictly for admin established an essential weekly rhythm, while hiring my first intern broke the mindset that I had to work alone—setting the foundation for Minima’s signature team organizing approach.
January 2013 | Speaking at TEDx Open Mic Night created space to share how surviving cancer gave me the courage to start Minima.
February 2013 | Purchasing and renovating my first home in The Fan created a real-life showroom for Minima’s work, leading to a feature in R-Home magazine.
August 2013 | Signing on with my accountant and electing S-Corporation status transformed Minima’s financial operations, shifting me from self-employed to an owner-employee on payroll.
March 2014 | Winning Best Home Organizer in R-Home magazine’s Readers’ Favorites poll marked our first win in the category—an honor we’ve held every year since.
April 2014 | Collaborating on a series of minimalism blog posts with Need Supply Co. introduced Minima to their international audience, drawing interest far beyond Richmond.
August 2014 | Ending a year-long trial partnership with a valued colleague offered key insights, but confirmed that operating as sole owner was the best move for Minima’s future.
February 2017 | Creative Mornings
January 2020 | Apartment Therapy
2016 – Present Day
May 2016 | Watching Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things offered a grounding perspective I still return to.
June 2016 | Hiring Alex Coleburn as an Organizing Assistant brought on a key team member who would become vital to Minima’s growth.
July 2016 | Securing the registered trademark for Minima’s mission statement, Make what is necessary beautiful®, formalized the philosophy behind our work.
October 2016 | Traveling to New York City for a project organizing a high-end retailer’s store and offices expanded Minima’s reach beyond Virginia.
February 2017 | Presenting “Living Intentional Moments Through Minimalism” at CreativeMornings Richmond shared my core philosophy with over 200 attendees.
April 2017 | Booking our first four-organizer project established team-based organizing as Minima’s primary model, moving away from solo one-on-one sessions.
June 2017 | Stepping back while Alex managed her first project independently proved client sessions could thrive without me on-site.
January 2018 | Opening my home for an Apartment Therapy tour brought widespread national exposure, leading to an invitation to join their paid writing team through 2019.
October 2018 | Delegating administrative support freed up essential mental space, allowing me to shift my focus back to strategic growth and high-level work.
June 2019 | Taking a 15-day design-focused trip to Sweden and Denmark with my now-husband, Jonathan, deepened my appreciation for Scandinavian design.
January 2020 | Partnering with Apartment Therapy for a second home tour showcased our recent renovations and reinforced Minima’s design ethos.
April 2020 | Pivoting temporarily to virtual-only sessions during COVID transformed an occasional offering into a permanent arm of our business.
September 2020 | Teaming up with MUJI to host a virtual desk organizing workshop brought a collaboration with one of my all-time favorite brands.