Swedish Death Cleaning: A Little-Known Method For A Cleaner, Clutter-Free Home

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Swedish death cleaning starts with that inescapable central premise: There's only one way out of here. When you shuffle off this mortal coil, your loved ones won't just be saddled with grief — according to Margareta Magnusson, Stockholm-based author of "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning," they often become burdened by getting rid of all your stuff, too. The Swedish death cleaning method involves doing an emotional inventory to help rid yourself of unwanted or impractical items while protecting and making plans for your treasured possessions, all in the name of maintaining a cleaner, clutter-free home for you and your loved ones.

From asking yourself whether an item sparks joy to scrolling instead of scrubbing your way through hours of CleanTok videos, sometimes it seems like cleaning and decluttering trends change faster than fashion. The idea of Swedish death cleaning entered the U.S. zeitgeist when Magnusson's book was published in 2017, quickly becoming a NYT Bestseller and inspiring an Amy Poehler-produced and narrated TV show examining the practice several years later. However, the Swedish tradition of döstädning (a portmanteau that translates to "death cleaning") is deeply rooted in Scandinavian cultural practices that are much older. Americans came to love Scandi design and hygge in the late 2010s, and as longtime IKEA fans already know, the Swedes have a lot to teach us about embracing minimalism. But Swedish death cleaning isn't focused on aesthetics. It's about answering the age old question, "What will happen to all my stuff when I'm gone?"

Swedish death cleaning isn't just about getting rid of your old tax documents, dated furniture, or secret vices right before your last breath. It's a process that can also acknowledge the death of our former selves. Maybe you're surrounded by sad reminders of a painful divorce. Perhaps your closet is full of clothes you never wear now that you're retired. This is where the honest deep dive into what items are serving you versus which are holding you back from living your best life really comes into play.

More than just an extended session of "save-or-toss," Swedish death cleaning is as much a mental decluttering method as a physical one. Magnusson suggests doing the work with a loved one so you're not heading down memory lane alone. Thoughtfully giving away items you don't use anymore, like gifting those dishes your daughter loves or giving your prized fly rod collection to an old fishing buddy, can create a richer and more meaningful connection between you and the giftee. Openly sharing stories and wishes about the items you want to hang onto for a while can also help squash future conflicts between family members who may otherwise be left wondering (or arguing!) about who will inherit what.

Magnusson recommends that you start by overhauling your closet, since it's easier to get rid of your funky sweaters than your favorite snapshots. Donate things quickly rather than letting boxes linger. This often creates a feeling of accomplishment that will carry you through the harder emotional work of sorting through your most sentimental items.