As we go through life, we tend to accumulate an abundance of belongings. While many of things these can feel nostalgic and represent memories, others might be better destined for a donation bin.
If you’ve never heard of the concept of "Swedish death cleaning", it offers a thoughtful approach to decluttering and downsizing, especially as we grow older. Coined by Margareta Magnusson, this Swedish practice encourages people to streamline their possessions before they get to an age where health may start to decline, lessening the burden on loved ones and bringing a sense of clarity and peace.
Why embrace Swedish death cleaning?
- Reducing the burden
Imagine sorting through a lifetime's worth of possessions after a loved one has passed. It's a daunting task. Swedish death cleaning alleviates this burden, ensuring that only meaningful and necessary items remain. - Making your own choices
There’s a beauty in making decisions about your what you want to keep as part of your legacy while you still have the mental clarity and capacity to do so. We never know what age has in store for us or if any health issues could impair our decision-making abilities down the track. - Creating a more manageable living space
Maintaining a lot of possessions can become overwhelming, and tasks such as dropping rubbish to the tip or doing a regular ‘spring clean’ can feel immense. By making small efforts to declutter, you can create a more manageable and safer living environment as you begin to age. - Finding peace in simplicity
Letting go of unnecessary items can be liberating. From clothes you no longer wear, drawers filled with assorted knick-knacks, to those boxes that have been sitting in the garage for a decade; sorting through belongings allows you to focus on what truly matters. You may also find that having less ‘stuff’ not only free’s up more space in your home, it also gives you the freedom to live more intentionally.
Practical tips for downsizing and decluttering
- Start the process well before you think it's necessary. This allows you to take your time, make thoughtful decisions, and avoid feeling rushed.
- Start small and work your way through the different areas of the house. Trying to do too much at once can get exhausting and become daunting very quickly.
- You may also find that sorting items into categories such as clothing, books, kitchenware, and sentimental items can help you to maintain focus. You’ll be able to see everything you own in that category as a whole and it might help you make decisions about what to do with each item.
- Ask yourself questions, such as ‘when was the last time I used it?’ and ‘would I likely use it now?’. If an item hasn't been used in the past year or doesn't hold significant sentimental value, it might be time to let it go.
- Involve family and friends and don’t feel as though you must do this alone. Sharing the process with loved ones will not only provide support and ensure your cherished things find a good home, but will also give you the added muscle power to help remove heavy items.
- If the belongings you’ve decided to part with are still in reasonable or good condition, consider selling them or donating to local charities to give them a new life.
- Make sure to maintain your hard work and declutter regularly. Once you have done an initial sweep of the house, consider revisiting each room on a yearly basis to make sure you don’t end up where you started.
Beyond possessions
While Swedish death cleaning typically applies to your physical possessions, it’s serves as a timely reminder to get your important documents, financials and affairs up to date.
- Try to simplify your banking where possible. If you have multiple transaction or credit card accounts across a few different banks, consider moving all your banking to just one financial institution to help streamline your finances.
Another thing to consider if you have a number of outstanding debts is debt consolidation. This is the process of taking out one loan to pay off multiple debts. The key benefit of this is the peace of mind in only having to manage one loan repayment rather than juggling multiple.
Find out more with our article 'What is debt consolidation?'.
You can apply for an Auswide Bank personal loan to consolidate your debts, or use our Repayment Calculator to work out what your monthly repayments would be. - Keep only essential financial documents and shred outdated or unnecessary paperwork. Ensure things like your will, property deeds and mortgage details and any insurance policies are organised and accessible.
Read our article 'Sorting your financial paperwork - what to keep and how long for' to learn more. - Regularly review and update your will to reflect changes in your life and wishes. This guarantees your assets are distributed according to your wishes. If you pass away without a will, the law determines where your assets will go which may cause heartache and tension among family.
It’s easy to think that a will is just about allocating your assets and finances, but it can also provide instructions on other matters. If you don’t currently have a will, or it’s not up to date, check out our article ‘Do you really need a will?’.
Swedish death cleaning isn't about morbidly focusing on the end of life, rather, it's about looking at things realistically and embracing a simpler way of living. By decluttering your home and organising your finances, you not only create a calmer environment for yourself but also extend a profound kindness to your loved ones by taking away some of the stress that comes with sorting through personal belongings.
Auswide Bank Ltd Australian Credit Licence 239686 is the credit issuer. This is not an offer to lend – approval is subject to credit assessment criteria. Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply – full details on application. This information provides general advice only. We do not provide advice about this product based on any consideration of your personal objectives, needs or circumstances.
