Swedish Death Cleaning Isn't as Morbid as It Sounds

Swedish death cleaning sounds pretty dark. It's actually not.

The idea is that you declutter and organize your stuff so when you die, your family won't have to sort through decades of junk and old paperwork. Not exactly cheerful, but thoughtful at least.

Think of it as more intense than spring cleaning but less extreme than a full Marie Kondo purge.

This concept has been around in Sweden and Scandinavia forever, but it got popular in the U.S. when The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning hit Peacock in 2023. And it makes sense. We've been looking to Nordic countries for design ideas and lifestyle tips for years.

What It Actually Means

Swedish death cleaning is basically cleaning out your belongings and getting your affairs in order before you die. Instead of leaving your loved ones to deal with closets full of clothes you haven't worn in years or shelves packed with books you've already read, you handle it yourself.

Things you still need or want to pass down get to stay. Family photo albums, supplies for hobbies you actually do, and stuff like that.

Where to Even Start

Start with the easiest area first, then work toward the most overwhelming one.

Margareta Magnusson wrote a bestselling book about this in 2018 called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. In it she recommends starting in an attic or basement because those spaces tend to hold the most stuff you don't need anymore. Old toys, broken holiday decorations, things that have been sitting there for years.

Once you figure out what category you have too much of—clothes, books, kitchen stuff—start sorting through without getting emotional about it.

How to Actually Do It

• Get rid of excess first. Nobody needs five serving platters or seven sets of matching napkins. Those roller skates you swore you'd use to exercise? Probably safe to let those go too. We hang onto things thinking we might use them someday or "just in case." That just creates clutter. Removing excess items you genuinely don't use is the easiest place to start.

• Digitize what you can. Tedious process, but worth it. Scan old photos, important documents, family heirlooms you want to preserve. A flash drive takes up way less space than an entire filing cabinet.

• Don't feel guilty about getting rid of stuff. Donate clothes to charity shops. Give books to libraries. You're not throwing everything in a landfill. When you're discarding items to make life easier for yourself and your family, the guilt starts fading.

• Stop buying so much. Whether you're twenty or eighty, the simplest way to start this process is just to stop shopping. It doesn't mean cutting back on things you love. It just means thinking twice before buying another throw pillow or adding that dress to your cart.

• Tell your family what you're doing. Not as some morbid announcement, but as a heads-up. They can claim anything they want now if you were planning to get rid of it anyway. They can also speak up about items they'd like you to keep, like their old art projects or high school diploma.

• Take your time with this. Nobody expects you to declutter your entire life in a week or even a month. Take breaks. Ask for help. Cleaning and organizing drains you mentally and physically.

Going through old belongings can actually be fun if you let it. Spend time looking at photos, and remembering how your things came into your life. Our stuff tells the story of who we are and what we've valued over the years.

What It Comes Down To

Swedish death cleaning isn't really about preparing to die. It's about making life easier for people you care about while you're still around to do the work yourself.

Sorting through your stuff now means they won't have to do it later when they're grieving and overwhelmed and have no idea what to keep or toss.

Morbid name, practical idea. Start with one closet. See how it goes. You might find it freeing to let go of things you've been holding onto for no real reason.

At minimum, you'll know where everything is. That's worth something.

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