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Overview

You may have heard of the benefits of keeping a tidy house, whether for a minimalistic approach or because it makes you feel better. But there’s another reason to keep your house clean – someone else doesn’t have to do the job later on.

You might think that cleaning up or reorganizing your life is a hassle. However, if you don’t do it now, it’ll be even more of a hassle for your loved ones to go through all the stuff you left behind and decide what’s important enough to keep and what isn’t.

While you may not like cleaning, there are some key points that will help make it more bearable. Take a look at why selling an heirloom might be better than keeping it; how death cleaning can be an opportunity for family bonding; and how a throwaway box can save your family from embarrassment.

Big Idea #1: Döstädning or “death cleaning” is the Swedish practice of clearing away extraneous belongings before you die.

Have you ever thought about what will happen to your belongings when you die? Your family and friends are going to have to go through all of your stuff, which is going to be a lot of work. It’s also likely that it’ll take a psychological toll on them.

It’s difficult to think about death because it makes you uncomfortable. However, if you’re going to die someday, the considerate thing would be to take care of your belongings ahead of time. The Swedish have a term for this called döstädning (death cleaning). There are multiple reasons why someone might want to clean their house and reduce their belongings, such as losing a loved one or getting divorced.

The author has moved 17 times in her life. She knows a thing or two about the art of death cleaning. In each move, she learned what to keep and what to get rid of.

Cleaning up your home is not just for the elderly or sick. In fact, it’s actually better to get started now rather than later because you’ll have more time to do it right. The art of döstädning is about taking a fine-toothed comb through all of your things and getting rid of anything unnecessary. It’s also about living in an organized way so that everything runs smoothly.

The author’s parents passed away and left behind many items that she didn’t want. Her solution was to sell them, so she wouldn’t have to worry about who would inherit what. The kids had already inherited other things from their grandparents, so why create conflict?

Big Idea #2: Begin your döstädning by tackling small spaces first, giving away things and avoiding photographs for now.

Going through one’s belongings is a difficult and emotional process. You don’t want to burden your loved ones with that, but if you wait too long to deal with it, then the task will seem overwhelming.

So, let’s start with the basics of decluttering. You should begin in your attic or basement, depending on whether you have a basement or not. That’s where you’ll find most of your clutter. It can also be found in cabinets near the front door and other places around the house as well.

If you have things that are just sitting around your house and you know someone else could use them, give those items away. You can do this by having a yard sale or donating the items to charity.

As you sort through your things, you can bond with family members. This is especially important when it comes to grandchildren who may not know much about your younger days. You can share stories and memories as you go through items together. It’s a great way to have fun while getting closer to each other in the process!

The more you go through your stuff, the more you will know what to keep and what to throw away. You may also discover who would appreciate some of this stuff that are just collecting dust.