Last year Marie Kondo asked us to say thank you and cast off anything that didn't "spark joy". This year's trend is "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning" by Margareta Magnussonan. What is Swedish Death Cleaning and should you do it? Swedish Death Cleaning is essentially the process of getting rid of your belongings so you don't burden your loved ones with them when you pass, and the answer is yes. In an age where younger generations are choosing to live a more minimalist lifestyle they don't want and don't have room for the sets of china and figurine collections of older generations. Swedish Death Cleaning helps you evaluate these belongings now so that others aren't burdened with those decisions later. While you might not be on close to the end of your life your belongings might be a burden to you and your loved ones now too.
Unlike other de-cluttering methods, Swedish Death Cleaning does not need to be done all at once. It is a gradual process of paring down once belongings and the goal is to complete the process by the end of one's life. The closer to the end the more that needs to be done.
How to get started. Evaluate your belongings and think of who will want them when you are gone. Ask your family and friends what items they would want. Better yet pass on these items when you are still alive. Enjoy seeing you loved ones use or display your cherished items. Item's that you can't find a home for are the first to be donated.
"But I'm not close to the end" you say. How can Swedish Death Cleaning help me now. This process can help you evaluate what is important. Is the snow globe from every trip important or the trip itself? Focusing on collecting experiences and letting go of things is part of the process as well.
Swedish Death Cleaning is a realistic way to get your home and life in order. Plus in keeping with the Swedish theme you can make yourself some Swedish meatballs as a reward for all your decluttering!