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What Is Swedish Death Cleaning And Why Should You Do It?
By KELLY WELTON
Swedish Death Cleaning
Regardless of how it sounds, Swedish Death Cleaning is mostly about celebration. According to author Margareta Magnusson, it offers some relief from fear — the fear of death.
In her book, Magnusson says, “It means that you remove unnecessary things and make your home nice and orderly when you think the time is coming closer for you to leave the planet.”
Magnusson explains that by becoming aware of the things we hold onto, we can develop a way of life free from our possessions and a self that is not dependent on them.
Death cleaning hinges simply on one crucial question while combing through items meant for saving, gifting, donating, or tossing: "Will anyone I know be happier if I keep this?"
What It All Means
The objective of death cleaning is to save families the weight of having to declutter their beloved’s items after death, a task that may be made more difficult while grieving.
Magnusson’s book serves as a guide for the process of downsizing, which she feels should start at no later than 65 years young and continue almost indefinitely.
Where To Begin
Magnusson suggests we start in storage areas like attics, basements, and utility closets. Assign a category to every piece, including save, gift, sell, donate, or dispose.
She then advises taking a fresh look at items like furniture, books, and décor. These items, she says, have "been there for so long that you do not even see or value them anymore."
She directs us to proceed room by room, compiling a comprehensive list of all items and grouping them as previously mentioned, allowing about a week to tackle each space.