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Every year about this time we are bombarded with spring cleaning checklists, all-natural cleaning product lists, and how-tos for every inch of your home. Lately, a new concept is motivating us to clear the clutter: Swedish Death Cleaning.
Typically, we think of decluttering as a way to not only keep a cleaner house, but also reduce stress. Scandinavian cultures take that concept one step further. Gradually downsizing not only improves your quality of life now, but it can also reduce the burden on your loved ones when you pass away.
Swedish author Margareta Magnusson introduced the term in her book, “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter.” In her book, Magnusson recognizes it can be difficult to know where to begin. A bulging hall closet or drawers that barely shut means it’s time to do something, whether you’re 70 or 30. Discard all the pens with no ink, jackets with broken zippers, and receipts from old shopping excursions.
One drawer might give you the confidence to look for more. You might find the mother lode of unnecessary excess items, broken Christmas decorations and furniture stored in attics or basements. There is no emotional attachment to half-empty bottles of shampoo, so part with them first. Search your bedroom closet for unworn items or those that are torn, stained, or no longer fit.
You may want to approach Swedish Death Cleaning more methodically. You can go room-by-room or downsize one cabinet per week. This is not a race, and your well-being throughout the process is important.
Consider digital de-cluttering of desktops, laptops and hard drives, too. Update your will, organize all of your important paperwork, then designate one location for it and make sure your special people know where to look.
While it may sound morbid, thinking of the loved ones who must sort through your belongings after you are gone makes Swedish Death Cleaning an act of love. And, involving them in the process can lead to plenty of reminiscing and reflection while you’re still here.
Editor’s note: Leigh-Anne Lees is the director of community engagement for Valley Program for Aging Services.
