the gentle art of swedish death cleaning book

I think the term döstädning is quite new, but not the act of döstädning. Several of your things have probably been there for so long that you do not even see or value them anymore. So what is death cleaning? For me it means going through all my belongings and deciding how to get rid of the things I do not want anymore. We really must if we want to save precious time for our loved ones after we are gone. Maybe I can also give you a few tips, since this is something that we will all have to face sooner or later. It is so important that I have to tell you about it. In Swedish it is a term that means that you remove unnecessary things and make your home nice and orderly when you think the time is coming closer for you to leave the planet. I am death cleaning, or, as we call it in Swedish, döstädning.ĭö is death and städning is cleaning. Along the way readers get a glimpse into her life in Sweden, and also become more comfortable with the idea of letting go. Digging into her late husband’s tool shed, and her own secret drawer of vices, Margareta introduces an element of fun to a potentially daunting task. Margareta suggests which possessions you can easily get rid of (unworn clothes, unwanted presents, more plates than you’d ever use) and which you might want to keep (photographs, love letters, a few of your children’s art projects).

Her radical and joyous method for putting things in order helps families broach sensitive conversations, and makes the process uplifting rather than overwhelming. In The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, artist Margareta Magnusson, with Scandinavian humor and wisdom, instructs readers to embrace minimalism. In Sweden there is a kind of decluttering called döstädning, dö meaning “death” and städning meaning “cleaning.” This surprising and invigorating process of clearing out unnecessary belongings can be undertaken at any age or life stage but should be done sooner than later, before others have to do it for you. *The basis for the wonderfully funny and moving TV series developed by Amy Poehler and Scout Productions*Ī charming, practical, and unsentimental approach to putting a home in order while reflecting on the tiny joys that make up a long life.

The gentle art of swedish death cleaning book