While its name sounds morbid and brings forth a vision of the next world, the Swedish death cleaning method actually revolves on decluttering instead of anything eerie. It’s a home organization technique, which is concerned with letting go of junk to decrease the burden on your family before you die. Moreover, it serves as a practical approach to dealing with your belongings and making life relatively easier for the loved ones that you’ll leave behind.
The question is – does it really work? What are the results? Should you also do it yourself? Continue reading as we’ll delve into that deeper and discover more about the Swedish death cleaning method.
What is the Swedish Death Cleaning Method?
A brainchild of Swedish author Margareta Magnusson, the Swedish death cleaning method is a way of organizing and decluttering possessions to ensure that your passing won’t be as taxing to your loved one. Your death is already awful for them. Going through and dealing with lots and lots of your items while they’re still grieving can only add up to what they’re already feeling.
The Swedish death cleaning method is about taking time to appreciate your belongings while you have them, then getting rid of unnecessary things. You can always spend time with all your stuff and reflect on their significance, but never hold onto items that are not genuinely important. Through that, your home will be nice and orderly as you near your last days on the planet and make it less impactful for your friends and family.
Nevertheless, you can do the Swedish death cleaning method at any point in your life, even if you’re in your late twenties or thirties and are far away from dying. It can even be after a failed relationship or when you want to change your outlook on life.
Does the Swedish Death Cleaning Method Work?
Swedish cleaning method works and the attestation are these incredible results:
1. Less Items, Less Clutter
One of the amazing advantages of purging your items is removing all the junk in your home. You can feel less burdened yourself as there’s less stuff cluttering the home and less to clean, making house maintenance pretty easier. You’ll see how it can massively improve life, especially if you’re purging unnecessary items early on in life.
Live less by regularly sorting out your items. You can check your clothing to see which ones no longer fit or the style is too outdated. In your kitchen, see whether you have random items that you’ll no longer use. Be mindful that moving things to a new compartment isn’t cleaning. Clear up your cooking nook from mugs, tools, utensils, and other sorts of knick-knacks. You’d be surprised how much space you’ll free up for things you actually need to keep.
2. Better Appreciation
As you eliminate unimportant items, you’ll end up being surrounded by stuff that only matters the most. You’ll get the chance to appreciate your belongings better and use only what you have. Thus, ending up making you feel more satisfied and happier despite not having the same stockpile of possessions as before. It helps you discern what you only truly need and what brings pleasure in your life, and learn how not to yearn for even more stuff.
3. More Contentment and Happiness
Studies show that people who devote their life to materialistic pursuits, such as getting richer and purchasing lots of stuff, are highly vulnerable to being anxious, having low self-esteem, developing issues with intimacy, and becoming unhappy. No surprise, as it feels like a prodigious challenge constantly trying to acquire all the products and opportunities available in modern times. All making it more taxing and further insinuating the tumultuous world we live in. Live less – you’ll avoid all that and get a contented, happier life.
4. Less Stress
When things around us are disorganized, we also feel topsy-turvy on the inside. Researchers have found out that clutter actually makes the home environment nerve-racking, making someone feel anxious, and stressed. Individuals with cluttered spaces tend to have higher cortisol levels and worse mood swings throughout the day than those with organized homes.
The Swedish death cleaning method prevents all that by allowing you to achieve a clean, organized space. When there’s less stuff surrounding you, home becomes restorative and relaxing, and makes life more manageable as there’s less to worry about.
5. More Flexibility
Another proof that the Swedish death cleaning method works is that it provides you more flexibility and makes you nimbler. For example, if you have to move to a new place, the task will be significantly easier, given that you don’t have to pack a lot of stuff with you. Without the hefty clutter, you only carry all the essentials and you’re ready to go.
6. Better Acceptance of Mortality
Talking about death is off-putting and not everyone is very accepting of mortality. If you’re one of those who have fears of dying, death cleaning can be the best avenue to begin embracing this reality. Decluttering and throwing away items can be your much-needed nudge to remind you that nothing lasts forever, even us, humans. What’s great is that you will leave a legacy, which you can learn more about as you go through all your items. By death cleaning, you also get a chance to mold what type of legacy you’d exactly like to leave behind and how you want others to view you after your passing.
Takeaway
The Swedish death cleaning method has several benefits supporting its effectiveness while you’re still living and making things easier for your friends and family as you finally depart the world. But, is it for you? It’s for you to tell. This method is a laborious process, which entails being physically, mentally, and emotionally ready.
If you’re already contemplating it, it’s better to act on it right away and start applying the concept. You’re better off paring down your stuff sooner than later, as chances are you’d less likely be able to do it when you’re older.
Otherwise, you can start decluttering bit by bit to set yourself into the tone. Soon, you’ll be able to do the Swedish cleaning method on a larger scale, reap all the benefits, and ensure that people you love have an easier time taking care of all your worldly possessions.