The second word in the phrase, “Swedish Death Cleaning” might scare some people away, but the word can also be liberating and life-affirming.
We can all be taught how to fold our clothes KonMari style or organize in a rainbow pattern like The Home Edit, but Swedish Death Cleaning puts all your stuff into perspective.
Swedish Death Cleaning is a decluttering concept brought to the mainstream by author Margareta Magnusson. Her book, “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” says that we should be taking time to honestly look at our accumulations and if we want them to outlive us.
The main concept of the book is whether we want our loved ones, friends, or relatives to deal with our belongings after we pass away. In addition, do we want to deal with all of our stuff when we are still alive? It essentially asks us whether we want to take certain items with us into the next years of our lives.
I don’t see myself leaving this lovely world any time soon, but starting out with Swedish Death Cleaning at a fairly young-ish age is life-affirming. I’ve been able to remove items from my life at an even faster rate than ever before. I’m also much happier with the very few items I have left.
I’ve tried several decluttering tips over the years, but the Swedish Death Cleaning method is the one that has stuck the most. It seems to be less trendy than KonMari, The Home Edit, or the 30-Day Minimalism Game.
So how young or old should you be when starting to Swedish Death Clean? There are no rules as to age (see Shannon Torrens and her mother in the video above), but the earlier you start, the more the concept and method become part of your everyday life—no matter how long it is.
By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]
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