The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

I am going to have to live for another 10 years because is will take me that long to clear this place out!
Will start today!

We have a very minimalist house, all important paperwork is in a metal box file and the loft is practically empty. I recently took all my old work clothes to the charity shop, it’s just how we live.

After having the task of clearing out a relatives house, I think it is a very good idea to sort your own out in your 60's maybe. We had to wear wear full white boiler suits and goggles as it was so filthy and dusty everywhere. Stuff had not been touched for absolutely years.

That sounds terrifying loveOc but if I do die sooner than later, so be it. The next generation(s) will have to deal with it.
They may find treasure..............

Oh yes, I have found that wearing those disposable latex gloves helps no end - you don't hesitate before picking up anything that looks a bit rusty or (sorry!) mouldy!

Yes, I keep thinking about it but that's as far as it goes.

In view of my vast age, I've been sorting cupboards and getting rid of things for some time now. I didn't know it had a fancy name.

M0nica

I would need to know when I was likely to die first.

Imagine death cleaning your house - and then living for another 30 years.

If ever I've had a clear out and send stuff to the charity shop I'm sure to want it before too long!

Actually, some of the 'stuff' belongs to DC anyway.

I’ve inherited my Mum’s tendency to hold onto things “just in case they might be handy”

That's really interesting, Grannynannywanny because I do that but my mother was an ardent declutter. My MIL was a hoarder and I know what it was like to clear her house but in fact I think we have more 'stuff' as we still have a lot from her house including old books.

Really need to get a grip.

Ardent declutterer
(Autocorrect doesn't like that word)

I'm sorting through my clothes today.....

Have done 3 drawers so far and I'm already losing the will to live.

I started this after DH died earlier this year, then called a halt and have done nothing more for months now.

However, I am now very conscious of leaving "stuff" that DD will eventually have to clear up after me. Hoping to live quite a bit longer of course, but then so did DH.

I will at some point move somewhere smaller though, so that will be the perfect opportunity to properly declutter ... surely!!!

Has anyone watched this?

www.channel5.com/show/nick-knowles-big-house-clearout/

In a way, it made me feel better because all our clutter is in cupboards, on shelves, the attic etc, not haphazardly strewn around!

I read that book a few months ago. I admired the author's tenacity and can see the advantage for people left behind. Currently trying to throw out/ rehome an item a day. Can't let go of sentimental items eg snow globe my DS bought me from his first school trip visit and spent all his money on me...My way forward is to buy much less. Have most stuff in duplicate.

I’ve not heard it called that before! But having had to clear mums house this summer (it was a nightmare despite having “half” done it 6 years ago when dad died) I really need to start clearing out my own mounting clutter. I’m a hoarder by nature and certain rooms in my house certainly need a good clear out. Trouble is every time I think about starting - it’s seems such a huge task so I leave it! I’ve just told my boss that I’m retiring next March, so I’ll have no excuse then, I’ll just have to set 1 manageable task at time! Even just a drawer or a box - baby steps are still steps in the right direction !
Having thrown away 60 years of birthday/Xmas/wedding/congratulations on birth (etc) cards (mum kept everything!) I now realise that my son won’t even want to look at anything like that which I have got saved!

I decluttered after my first house move. Took me ages but made next 4 moves easy. I then moved in with MrM. He’s got clutter everywhere. Inside and out. It’s very tricky trying to declutter someone else’s ‘prized’ possessions. He even collects other people’s clutter. His sister and myself had to prize things out of his hands when we cleared step mother’s house. Then he snook back for a few things.

One success- I have combined all my paperwork and his into just 2 files. Legal and work. There’s also a sheet of all necessary info family will need.

We are moving very soon and I really wish we had started to declutter 10 years ago. So much easier if we could just take one box at a time or dedicate one/two hours a week.

Much of it belonged to the older generation who worried about where their possessions would end up so we took them and put them in our loft (where most have remained for 15 years).

We are both shattered and still have a way to go. So many charity shops and organisations are no longer taking certain items that they don’t have space to store.

This is an interesting one. My parents had quite exciting lives, lived all over the world. Picked up lots of stuff along the way.

My father suddenly began this death cleaning. Awful term. But it was awful. My poor mum would find items in the bin. He was relentless. Had it just been his stuff I suppose it would have been fine but no. It was Mum's. I found her silver christening mug in the bin which was due to be collected.

Also I rather like looking at all the bits and bobs that have made up lives. It's a sad part of life when we have to empty loved ones homes but in some ways it can be bittersweet.

I’m 56 so hoping for a good few years left. Looking at my FILs house spurs me on, I don’t think he’s thrown anything away for the past 40 years, newspaper cuttings, copies of the Tablet, nails, screws etc. He also has a habit of saying you mustn’t get rid of this piece of furniture when I’m gone. Very little of his furniture is to any of his children’s tastes and unlikely to be worth anything. They downsized from a six bedroomed house to a four bedroomed house 15 years ago but with not much reduction in clutter. He hides anything valuable in random places, a Russian icon in the sack of potatoes for example so everything will have to be gone through carefully.
Moving to a house without a garage has made us be ruthless, so I’m following William Morris’s diktat about being useful or beautiful, if it’s not either it’s out.

I tried posting some stuff (1960s mags and manuals) on eBay in case there was a remote chance of another geek somewhere in the universe who is collecting the same stuff as DH did.
There wasn't, so I chucked it eventually but there's still a mountain to go.

One friend says "why throw it out if it still evoked memories and you have the space?is it to have a bare and minimalist house? How boring"

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PinkCosmos

I love watching salvage hunters, I must admit.

I sorted my drawers and my wardrobe and got rid of loads to the clothes bank on the pub car park, so I feel I've achieved something today.

Kamiso - So many charity shops and organisations are no longer taking certain items that they don’t have space to store

You could always try selling or giving them away on Facebook marketplace. You advertise in your local area and it is free. Most people are happy to collect. I have sold or given away quite a few items of furniture on there recently. If it is something old or a bit tatty I list it as an upcycling project.

Better to recycle than take them to the tip.

Me and my mother were clearing out an old aunts house years ago. I loved finding all the old newspapers, receipts etc.

I think my OHs “joke” will explain where I stand.
i daren’t stand around to long or I’ll be out the door ?
My lovely ‘elderly’ neighbour has a lovely joke about her demise.
She says incase you don’t hear I’ve died, you’ll know because all my jugs will be in the charity shop

I bought the book and mentioned it to DS2 as a gentle way to introduce him to the fact that we are, in fact, not immortal...

Oh he replied. I thought it was a kind of IKEA meatballs
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