Swedish Death Cleaning: All You Need to Know

The KonMari method marked a whole new era for home improvement through tidying up and decluttering. And while many trends have come and gone, the Scandinavians are setting new milestones with their ideals of minimalism, hygge lifestyle, Nordic decor, and more, which have stayed somewhat constant. Amongst these styles and techniques, we have the newest sensation – the Swedish Death Cleaning.

If the macabre name intrigues you, then you are not alone. Here is a quick and easy beginner’s guide to Swedish Death Cleaning that demystifies everything you need to know.

What is Swedish Death Cleaning?

The Swedish word Döstädning quite literally translates to death (Dö) cleaning (städning). It focuses on purging one’s home and organising possessions so that friends and family members are not burdened with the emotional and traumatic task of doing so. It is typically practised by those who are 50 years old, or older. However, the concept works just as well for anyone of any age. After all, even though death is in focus here, Swedish death cleaning is more about celebrating life.

While the practice has been quite prevalent for centuries in Sweden, it gained immense global popularity through Margareta Magnusson’s bestseller, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. The author penned the book while dealing with the loss of her mother and husband, and made it her mission to ease death and bereavement.

Swedish Death Cleaning Checklist

Now that you understand what is Swedish Death Cleaning, let’s get right to the Swedish Death Cleaning checklist. Here is a step-by-step guide to Swedish Death Cleaning:

Start with Items That Are Out of Sight

Swedish Death Cleaning follows a top-down approach to decluttering. As such, you will have to start with items that are out of sight – the boxes stored in the loft, the items collecting dust in the garage, the things stashed in the box bed, and so on. Simply thinking about it seems overwhelming, doesn’t it? Now imagine if someone else had to arrange that for you – the feeling magnifies! And so, it is the first place where you must start. Sort through the items that you have not used or even thought of in almost forever, gift them, donate them, upcycle them, or simply give them for recycling.

Sort through Your Wardrobe

Once you have taken care of the bulk of your belongings, it is time to move on to another significant lot – your wardrobe. Again, you can follow a top-down approach and start with your caps or hats, scarves, tops, bottoms, and shoes. Arrange these items into four piles – things that you love and use frequently (to keep), things that you have but don’t really know why (to gift), things that no longer fit your lifestyle (to donate), and things that are in poor condition (to discard).

Give Away Your Belongings Gradually

When you have sorted the items in their respective piles, the next phase of the Swedish Death Cleaning checklist involves actually acting on it. Get rid of the items that need to go in the trash. Also, look up any donation drives happening nearby and hand over those objects as well. Finally, move over to gifting your belongings thoughtfully and meaningfully. So, next time you are visiting a friend or a relative, give them your pre-loved books, clothes, home decor, etc., which you know that they will like and appreciate.

Leave the Sentimental Items until the Last

Sentimental clutter is the toughest to get rid of, so hold on to it for the last. Prepare yourself for the emotional task and work through it slowly. Papers and photographs are the easiest to work with since you can digitise them and get rid of them without any guilt. However, if it comes to expensive items like jewellery or furniture that you no longer use, you can pass them down as heirlooms.

Keep Your Very Own Box of Memories

The good news is, that you do not have to get rid of everything while Swedish Death Cleaning. Dedicate a box where you preserve all the most-loved belongings that you don’t want to part with just as yet. Set aside instructions on what needs to be done with the box once you are gone.

Swedish Death Cleaning: Tips and Tricks

At this point, you may have a thorough understanding of Swedish Death Cleaning and how to go about it. To round it up, here are a few tips and tricks to ease the process:

• Declutter items by size as it will be far more efficient to work through things.
• Swedish Death Cleaning cannot be completed in a day or a week. Sometimes it is going to even take months. So, accept it as a lifestyle change than an overnight urge to declutter.

• Stay practical about the decisions you make about keeping or discarding items while decluttering.
• Share your passwords and other login details with explicit instructions on what needs to be done with your digital footprint (retained or erased).
• Eliminate potentially embarrassing or hurtful possessions that you would not want to be discovered.
• Inform your friends and family of the process and explain to them the idea behind Swedish Death Cleaning and why you’re doing it.
• Given the tone and nature of Swedish Death Cleaning, reward yourself with an uplifting activity such as a trip or a vacation after completing it.

Even though it may not look like it at first glance, Swedish Death Cleaning is an act of kindness. You are freeing your loved one from the emotionally taxing job of sorting through your possessions and deciding what to keep and discard. At the same time, you are employing some amount of control and accountability to make the grieving and cleaning process easier.

Want to read more informative articles on how you can spruce up your home by tidying it up? Explore the HomeLane blog for more!