Swedish Death Cleaner Katarina Blom Explains Why It Can Be Hard To Declutter Your Home - Exclusive
America is the home of the brave and, apparently, the land of the hoarders. Luckily for those of us who live stateside, a group of three Swedish death cleaners have arrived and are ready to completely transform the lives of eight Americans who ... aren't necessarily dying ... but have hopes of decluttering their homes before they do.
Their mission is documented in the new Peacock series "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning." In it, psychologist Katarina Blom, organization coach Ella Engström, and designer Johan Svenson are determined to declutter American homes and gently help us all let go of unnecessary belongings we've accumulated over the years — all so no one else has to carry that burden after we've bitten the dust.
While the concept of cleaning out our homes over time may seem simple, the process of letting go of items that carry so much emotional value isn't easy. Science — and psychologist Katarina Blom — explains exactly why: "We are gatherers by evolution, and in this modern age, it has lost its purpose. It's not about survival anymore, but still, we are formed in a way that we can create strong attachment to things," the Swedish death cleaner explained during an exclusive interview with House Digest. "If you add emotions to those things, the attachment becomes even stronger."
After a death, letting go of possessions becomes even more difficult
Over time, humans tend to associate emotions with their physical items. Each time we walk by that vase in our hallway, for example, it could remind us of our epic trip to Europe.
On the other hand, holding on tightly to belongings that once belonged to someone we love can make these feelings even more complex. "When you lose a person and you inherit their items, it feels like you are getting rid of the person and you're disrespecting them or disregarding them if you donate their things," Katarina Blom told us.
That's where the Swedish death cleaners come in, guiding clients through the gentle art of, essentially, letting go of the items that serve us no purpose and simply take up space. "The more you process the emotions attached to the items, the item loses its importance, and you realize, 'Everything is integrated within me. I don't need the item,'" Blom explained. "It can be nice to have to remind yourself, 'But I don't need it.'"
Throughout the Peacock series' eight episodes, viewers will see Americans in various stages of their lives process exactly what their personal items mean to them. In the end, many of these same Americans learn that letting go of their clutter will only help them live out their best lives. "This is the biggest hurdle for any person," Blom said.
"The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning" is available to stream now exclusively on Peacock.