Swedish death cleaning and the art of decluttering before you die

Globe and Mail

20-02-2025

Andrea Halford, centre, looks through photo albums with her stepfather, Paul, and mother, Katharine, in their Hamilton home on Feb. 17. Nick Iwanyshyn/The Globe and Mail
When Andrea Halford's father passed away suddenly eight years ago, she found herself not only grieving but also overwhelmed by the sheer volume of belongings he left behind.
His four-bedroom home was packed with piles of furniture, over 80 photo albums, a collection of more than 100 elephant figurines in various forms, and much more.
'There was so much stuff that I didn't know what to do with,' said Ms. Halford, now 40. 'I didn't want to get rid of anything. I was very attached emotionally to all the things.'
Watching her struggle, her 74-year-old stepfather, Paul Charles, and her mother, Katharine Edmonds, 76, realized they didn't want to leave her with that same burden again when they pass away.
In their own home, they saw the cat-scratched dining room table, drawers filled with silverware and countless other things they no longer needed. Slowly, they began getting rid of items.
This practice – clearing out possessions to ease the burden on loved ones after death – has a name: Swedish death cleaning. While it could be seen simply as a thorough spring cleaning, experts say it can be a crucial part of estate planning.
Andrea's father died suddenly eight years ago, and she was left to deal with all of his belongings in his home, including many photo albums. Nick Iwanyshyn/The Globe and Mail
Rooted in Swedish culture, this decluttering approach encourages people to sort through their belongings, keeping only what's meaningful or useful and ensuring their heirs aren't left to deal with a houseful of unwanted items.
The concept was popularized by Margareta Magnusson in her 2017 book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, which made its way onto several bestseller lists, including The New York Times.
It's important, in particular, for those in or about to reach their retirement years who have accumulated a lifetime of possessions, said Julie Witherell, a professional organizer and owner of Julie's Organizing Services in Halifax. Ms. Witherell has seen firsthand the difficulties that families face.
'A lot of people are afraid to get rid of things that belonged to a loved member that passed away because they feel like that person is a part of that object,' she said. 'They feel like they're throwing that person out in a way.'
Ms. Halford couldn't get rid of most of her father's things for five years after he died. She would look at his couch and remember their conversations, flip through photo albums, and feel unable to move forward.
'I was stuck thinking the objects were the memories,' she said.
The Halfords have since adopted the philosophy of Swedish Death Cleaning, a method of decluttering and organizing belongings to lessen the burden on loved ones after you've passed. Nick Iwanyshyn/The Globe and Mail
Leaving too many belongings behind can actually stunt loved ones' grieving process, trapping people in an emotional attachment to objects, Ms. Witherell said.
Donna Diebel, 63, had a similar realization after a visit to Sunday mass. She recalls the priest asking, 'If you were to pass today, what might your kids want of yours?' Curious, she asked her two daughters, both in their mid-30s. One replied, 'Nothing,' and the other said, 'Maybe the table.'
'At that point, I realized – no one wants any of this,' Ms. Diebel said. Now, she declutters regularly, sorting items into three bins: keep, donate, toss.
'If I were to pass ... one less thing for my daughters to worry about is how much stuff I got,' Ms. Diebel said.
Elaine Birchall, a counsellor with expertise in hoarding behaviour and the founder of Ottawa-based Birchall Consulting, works with clients in Canada and abroad. She suggests starting small with decluttering: set a 15-minute timer and sort through as much as possible. When you feel up to it, add another 15 minutes and repeat.
It's also important to have open conversations with your children about what they would want to keep, Ms. Witherell said.
Mr. Charles did this with stepdaughter, marking the few sentimental items belonging to him and her mother that she wanted, while also identifying valuables, like a painting, that she could sell in the future.
Swedish death cleaning can also play a major role in estate planning, Ms. Witherell said. Many of the cases she handles involve wills that don't specify which heir should receive certain items, often leading to conflict during an already difficult time.
By incorporating Swedish death cleaning, individuals can create a clear, itemized list of assets and explicitly state in their will who will inherit them.
Ms. Witherell has noticed a common theme among her clients after they embrace Swedish death cleaning: a sense of relief. 'It helps to declutter not just their home, but their mind,' she said. 'Their lives feel like they have more joy, more peace and more intention to focus on the things that really matter.'