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There are many decluttering philosophies out there, and Swedish death cleaning is one of the new kids on the block. In her New York Times bestselling book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, artist Margareta Magnusson takes a different approach to putting your home in order. Swedish death cleaning is not as morbid as it sounds and makes decluttering more palatable by thinking of it as an act of service. Compared to the popular Marie Kondo’s KonMari method of decluttering, which prompts you to regard your possessions one item at a time and ask, “Does this object bring me joy?” Swedish death cleaning motivates you to take personal accountability for your belongings while you’re still alive rather than burdening others to manage them after you’ve passed. This appraisal can be done at any age but ideally before others have to do it for you. We know aging isn’t for weaklings, so Magnusson encourages not waiting too long to start the process. (The ideal age is supposedly 65.) She reminds us that sooner or later we all have our infirmities, “and then it will be damn nice to be able to enjoy the things you can still manage to do without the burden of too many things to look after and too many messes to organize.”

How Does it Help the Planet? There is an ecological strain associated with the manufacturing, transportation, and inevitable disposal of every single thing you bring into your home. While consciously choosing what to keep and what to discard, you may be mitigating greenhouse emissions, materialism, and consumption. This philosophy encourages you to live more modestly and engage in the joy of gifting while you’re alive. By reducing the number of objects in your house and living a more streamlined existence, you are facilitating a Zen mindset while contributing to a circular economy.

How Does it Help You? Magnusson, who has lived all over the world, maintains that the goal of Swedish death cleaning is not to get rid of things that make your life more pleasant and comfortable but to live your life without chaos and clutter. Of course this is easier said then done -- but she believes if you have trouble keeping track of all your belongings, you have too many and that makes life stressful. She views the process as a positive, cheerful journey that allows you to sift through the contents of your home and then enjoy the subsequent relief of making it tidy and orderly. Moreover, the results save your children from having to take on the burden after you pass. She gently reminds us that loved ones would like to inherit nice things from you, not all things from you.

Letting Go of Possessions Magnusson concedes this cleaning mentality may cause some sentimental angst about letting go of certain items in order to hold on to the past or “keep it in the family.” But the reality is that loved ones may never have the space for that large antique dining room table, or they already have one they chose themselves and love, or they believe the style just isn’t a good match for their home. You can’t hold onto everything forever hoping they’ll change their mind, but you can give away cherished items to others who love it the way you do right now and will create new memories of their own. Give new life to that tchotchke lying hidden in a drawer to someone who might really enjoy it. When and if you choose to buy new things, keeping this philosophy in mind will create a framework for considering how every item might fit into your home and how others may feel about it when you’re gone.

Psychology Today asserts “Swedish Death Cleaning serves as a catalyst for broader conversations about end-of-life planning, sustainable living, and responsible consumption. It asks us all to reevaluate our relationship with our material possessions and embrace a more intentional way of living by valuing quality over quantity.” For some, Swedish death cleaning might help people come to terms with their mortality and reflect on the true value of their belongings. For those having difficulty going through the process of letting go of their stuff, it is helpful to think of it as an act of love for loved ones who will deeply appreciate not having to sift through hundreds if not thousands of belongings after you pass away.

Tips from The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning:

  • To get started, choose an easy category for you, whether it's clothing, linens, lamps, paintings/wall art, books, or furniture. (Magnusson prefers going through clothing first. Be sure to see this month's article on The True Cost of Fast Fashion and Consumerism.)
  • Go through big items first, like furniture, and move towards smaller items.
  • Tag items with notes like Donate, Keep, and Trash, or get even more specific (e.g. Give to Shirley, Library, or Concord Animal Shelter) and then consolidate into piles.
  • Don’t start with letters and photographs. They have way too many emotional associations and you will get waylaid going down memory lane from the get-go. Death cleaning is all about your feelings about possessions and will no doubt bring up happy times and funny memories but some sad thoughts as well. Accept the different emotions and remember, they’re all part of the tapestry of your life. Magnusson urges you to move on: “Now is not the time to get stuck in memories. Look forward to a much easier and calmer life – you will love it!”
  • For well-made items you can’t part with, repair, reburbish, or clean them to extend their lifespan.
  • Discard items of a private nature. You don’t want personal letters or objects causing embarrassment after you’ve gone.
  • Be realistic about pacing yourself through this time-consuming process. It took a long time to accumulate your possessions and will take some time to sort through them.

Sources and further reading:

https://theproductivewoman.com/swedish-death-cleaning-tpw485/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-green-goodbye/202403/the-ecology-of-swedish-death-cleaning

Photo by Red Reyes on Unsplash

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Replies

  • This is encouraging! My family and I recently went through the emotional process of sorting through my grandfather's home and doing our best to find a place for everything. Most orgs that receive donations are already so full and cannot take much. Big furniture is particularly difficult to re-home. St. Vincent de Paul was most helpful. I'm now inspired to use this and the Marie Kondo method to clear my own clutter :)
    • Thanks, Tina. Yeah, it is really hard to go through this process when there are so many sentimental attachments. And when organizations can't accept some items it can be so frustrating. I agree that using a combination of decluttering systems is very helpful, but it's never easy!
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