In the hyper-accumulative world we live in, where every object seems full of memories and meanings, a philosophy from Northern Europe invites us to do the opposite: let go. Is called dødsrydning in Danish, döstädning in Swedish, and in English it is known as death cleaning. At first glance the name sounds sinister, almost morbid, but the reality is much more human and bright: it is a method of making space in the home and in the head before life imposes it.
From Stockholm to the world: Margareta Magnusson’s idea
The term exploded in 2017 with the book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by the Swedish author Magnusson, which became a bestseller in the New York Times. Magnusson, with irony and light-heartedness, invited people over sixty-five to gradually get rid of the superfluous objects accumulated over a lifetime – not out of a mania for order, but to avoid leaving their loved ones a burden of chaos and memories that are difficult to manage. She herself maintained that “there is no need to wait until old age”, you can start immediately and the feeling of lightness will come anyway.
The international press immediately grasped the almost therapeutic value: for example, in an article by Psychology Today we read that this practice “reduces at least somewhat the emotional burden that families inherit when a loved one dies”.
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter
A legacy of lightness, not disorder
In Magnusson’s words and in specialized articles, the death cleaning There’s nothing funereal about it. It is a gesture of love towards those who will remain after us: a way to leave as a legacy an orderly and manageable environment, rather than mountains of boxes and documents.
It is also, according to several authors, a form of personal freedom. Reviewing the objects we have kept for decades means looking at our connections, our priorities and what is really worth keeping. It’s not a question — as often happens in Western minimalism — of emptying everything and living with four cups and two shirts. The point is to only have what you need and what makes you feel good.
How it really works
Testimonies indicate that the practice is not a race against time. We start from a specific point: a room, a drawer, an attic. The important thing is to start with what weighs least sentimentally: old sets of dishes, sports equipment, forgotten clothes. The objects most full of memories – photos, letters, memorabilia – arrive later, when you are ready.
In Denmark and Sweden this practice is so integrated that many experience it as a rite of passage, almost a preparation for conscious old age. Some international articles would also associate it with a more ecological approach to life: getting rid of the superfluous to reduce environmental impact.
An order that frees the mind
“Tidying up your belongings is a way of tidying up your life,” he writes Psychology Today. The phrase contains the essence of this philosophy: it’s not just about the drawers, but about the head. Fewer objects means fewer distractions, less anxiety, more control — and, in a way, more space to live.
In parallel, many experts in property law and succession planning highlight the connection. Even if it is not the “full coverage” of the will or life insurance policy, the death cleaning it can integrate well with the concept of estate planning: also putting documents, wills and investments in order. Some users report a new serenity when they know that “everything is okay”.
The criticisms: too linked to death or too Scandinavian?
Not everyone sees it so poetically. Some, as in an article from Deseret Newsfind the term “death cleaning” excessively gloomy, almost anxiety-provoking, and believe that the philosophy is easier to practice in Nordic countries where the relationship with death is culturally more open.
In more Mediterranean cultures, where physical memories (objects, photos, memorabilia) have enormous emotional weight, throwing away an object can seem like a betrayal. This is a useful reflection: practice may need to be adapted rather than slavishly copied.
Live better, not just die well
In the end, the heart of the death cleaning it is not preparing for the end, but living with more presence. Don’t wait for retirement, illness or a move to decide what really matters. Opening a wardrobe and seeing only what makes you feel good is not an aesthetic whim: it is an act of mental balance.
As Magnusson says: “After you declutter, you’re left with only what you love — and at that point, everything you love is more valuable.” It’s a phrase that sums up the meaning well: less stuff, more life.
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