Swedish Death Cleaning

Now that both of my parents have passed away, my brothers have been “death cleaning.” I know it hasn’t been easy, especially for my youngest brother who has always lived there. They hired an estate sale agent, which made the process easier and hopefully reduced some of the emotional stress.

I don’t have many childhood memories tied to this house because I didn’t grow up there. Still, this brought sadness to my heart, because it held a big piece of my heart.

Death Cleaning

Death cleaning has been going on for centuries, and in fact, since the beginning of time. We probably just never thought of it as Death Cleaning. Despite its morbid name, though, death cleaning is simply the process of cleaning up and clearing out after the death of a loved one.

Clearing out after a death is a burden to those left behind. What should be done with all that stuff? How do you deal with the memories and the painful emotions? That is why I think “Swedish Death Cleaning,” which I have just discovered, is such a good idea.

Swedish Death Cleaning

The concept of death cleaning originated in 2017 with the publication of Margareta Magnusson’s book, “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.” It is essentially a guide on how to free yourself and your family from a lifetime of clutter.

I have only read a preview of the book. However, I have read extensively on the subject. I see it as a sensible idea and a thoughtful way to show your loved ones you care.

Swedish Death Cleaning is different.
It should really be called “Life Cleaning,” because it encourages you to sort through your own belongings while you’re still alive. This way, your loved ones won’t have to deal with your belongings after you’re gone.

It’s really a kindness to them because they won’t have to sort through your belongings while dealing with the emotional turmoil of funerals and paperwork.

It’s too back my parents didn’t know about Swedish death cleaning. If they had, my brothers wouldn’t have had to deal with the excessive stuff my hoarding parents left behind.

Swedish Death Cleaning is also an act of self-kindness. Having less clutter and fewer chores makes life easier, and is a big help, especially in old age.

I’ve written before about decluttering and preparing for retirement. Excess stuff creates complications. Having less stuff is sensible and decluttering helps with that. Ultimately, less often means more.

So what does Swedish Death Cleaning involve? Based on my reading and my personal experience with more than 50 moves over the years, I’ve broken the process of decluttering—or death cleaning—down into 11 basic steps.

How to Death Clean

Before you start:

• Stop buying stuff!
  If you’re decluttering, it’s because you’ve realized that you have too much stuff. So why buy more? Don’t fill your already cluttered home with even more things! Focus on what you have, and get rid of the excess without buying more!
• Discuss your goals with loved ones
  Let them know what you’re doing and why. This way they can support your efforts and maybe even help. You could also offer to let them choose special mementos that you’re ready to part with.
• Tidy up your house before decluttering
  Depending on how much stuff you have, the decluttering process could take days or even weeks. Start each day by getting dressed, making the beds, and washing the dishes. Put items where they belong and throw away trash. Your house will look better right away, and you’ll be motivated to get going, and keep going!!

Sort, declutter, and organize

Sort things into the following categories, and then leave them there! Be decisive!

• DISCARD: throw away trash and damaged items.
• SELL OR DONATE: get rid of things you don’t use, don’t like, or that don’t fit with your lifestyle.
• KEEP: only the things that you use, that you love, or that add value to your life in some way.

Declutter in this order:

1. Start with your closet

Organize your wardrobe first. This will boost your confidence and make mornings easier. Take your time and make logical, not sentimental, decisions. Sentimentality causes us to hold on to clothes we loved, even if they no longer fit us or our lifestyle. What we need is a functional wardrobe, not a closet full of things we can’t or won’t wear. If you have a lot of clothes, start by sorting through items for the current season. Do the rest when you have time.

2. Proceed with one room or area at a time

Start with the main living areas, because having comfortable and organized spaces for relaxing and entertaining will encourage you to continue! They will also inspire you to have guests more often!

3. Sort household items by size

Start with furniture and large items that take up the most space, and work your way down to smaller items. Set aside paperwork, photos, and emotionally charged mementos, and save them to sort last. These items tend to take more time and require more difficult decisions.

4. Children’s rooms

This step is for those who begin the death cleaning process while their children are still at home. It’s never too early to start! Start by getting rid of broken toys, crayons, markers, and things they’ve outgrown. Help your children determine which toys they actually play with, and teach them the joy of giving some of their things to children who may not have as many.

Remember that your children may have a hard time letting go of their belongings. To ease the emotional turmoil, allow them to keep their most prized possessions, limiting the number if necessary. You could take photos of these as mementos. You could also frame their best school papers and artwork and use them to decorate their rooms.

5. Next clean your attic and garage

Go through your extra storage areas and get rid of things you never use. Things such as unused paint, exercise equipment, and camping gear. Someone else might enjoy these items! Sort through seasonal and holiday items to see where you can simplify.

6. Paperwork, photos, and personal mementos

Now is a good time to write your will. Store it with your important documents and passwords in a safe place so that your family can easily access them after you’re gone.

Consider scanning or digitizing your less important photos. That way, you can keep the memories while getting rid of bulky photo albums. You can do the same with some of your paperwork and receipts. Just remember to always keep backups of these items!

7. Finally, never stop decluttering!

Decluttering is an ongoing process. Stuff always finds its way into our homes. We buy things or people give them to us. Then, the things wear out or cease to be useful to us. So, keep decluttering. It’s the best way to keep our homes always neat and tidy!

More reading:

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📷 Image credits: rummage sale; sorting boxes; book cover used under fair use standards