Donate to Remove ads

Got a credit card? use our Credit Card & Finance Calculators

Thanks to johnstevens77,Bhoddhisatva,scotia,Anonymous,Cornytiv34, for Donating to support the site

Swedish Death Cleaning

Making your money go further
neversay
Lemon Slice
Posts: 628
Joined: January 27th, 2017, 9:31 pm
Has thanked: 1152 times
Been thanked: 283 times

Swedish Death Cleaning

#89124

Postby neversay » October 18th, 2017, 4:20 pm

I'm sure all we LBYMers battle to control the amount of 'stuff' we have in our lives, so I thought I would share this concept that I saw yesterday:

https://unclutterer.com/2017/10/17/orga ... -cleaning/

Swedish Death Cleaning refers to the conscious, methodical reduction of clutter over time, typically starting at age 50, and going until the end takes you. It sounds morbid, but it’s actually a very thoughtful thing to do.

Sure, it's another name for 'decluttering', but calling it 'death cleaning' is certainly helping to motivate me!

N.

Dod101
The full Lemon
Posts: 16629
Joined: October 10th, 2017, 11:33 am
Has thanked: 4343 times
Been thanked: 7534 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#89135

Postby Dod101 » October 18th, 2017, 5:11 pm

I agree entirely with this concept although I must say aged 50 seems a bit young for it. I remind you all if you have too many or out of date Christmas decorations, now is the time to donate it not in the middle of December!

Dod

midnightcatprowl
Lemon Slice
Posts: 419
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 1:07 pm
Has thanked: 338 times
Been thanked: 197 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#89143

Postby midnightcatprowl » October 18th, 2017, 5:42 pm

I think de-cluttering is a very good thing to do at pretty much any time of life but especially at sort of certain stages of life e.g. for some people this might be when their children leave home, for some when they retire or start planning towards retirement but many need to do it a lot earlier than that!

I'm not a very tidy person so it is very important not to have too much stuff otherwise it all gets on top of you.

Decluttering is also good for your finances as it stops you buying things you have already - hoarders in contrast tend to re-buy and re-buy and re-buy not realising they already have several of whatever it is.

Now I've retired I'm very systematically de-cluttering. Partly to make my life easier - less cleaning, less searching for things, less constantly trying to keep too much stuff tidy, avoiding re-buying things I've already got and also to have space for new things which are actually useful to me now rather than hanging on to stuff for which the need lies in the past. Partly because I remember so vividly the horrific clean-outs after elderly relatives died and the tremendous strain it put on my parents. The sad thing was that so little of what had been kept was of any use or value and much that might have been of use or value had deteriorated while stuffed in lofts and cold dampish cupboards and the cupboards were cold and dampish because they were crammed with so much stuff that air and heat could not circulate. My great aunt for example obviously never threw away a single empty glass jar in the whole of her very long married life. Why? Who knows, she cooked but she never made jams or preserves! Her husband bought a packet of razor blades every time he had his hair cut whether he needed them or not. The clear out revealed a remarkable stash of the old fashioned one sided razor blades as well as the newer two sided - all of them rusty and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

If you leave de-cluttering until 'later' it often never happens because the task becomes too much. I've certainly come across people who stayed in houses no longer suitable for them giving as their excuse the sentiment about it being the family home etc when actually what they meant was they could no longer cope well in their home and longed for something smaller, simpler, in a different place, whatever, but they just felt incapable of tackling their stash of stuff so that they could move.

I may feel particularly strongly about this because all my relatives have died. I have to rely on friends to be my executors but I think it is unreasonable to expect them to deal with a hoard! Also, of course, it is so easy to declutter these days, with Freegle, and Gumtree and eBay and Facebook groups and recycling bins it can all be quite painless and even sometimes profitable.

Biggles
2 Lemon pips
Posts: 195
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:25 pm
Has thanked: 72 times
Been thanked: 34 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#89240

Postby Biggles » October 19th, 2017, 9:00 am

I've been trying to do this for the past few years, though very half-heartedly. But I am gradually getting better at throwing stuff away.

It helps if I put myself in the place of my son and/or daughter. If I came into this house after the death of the occupant, I would be thinking 'Where the f**** do I start?'

neversay
Lemon Slice
Posts: 628
Joined: January 27th, 2017, 9:31 pm
Has thanked: 1152 times
Been thanked: 283 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#89274

Postby neversay » October 19th, 2017, 11:30 am

Aside from the physical mess, there's also the digital decluttering:

(i) Digital - passwords, online services, thousands of photos, emails, documents.
(ii) Accounts - bank/savings accounts, insurance policies, pensions, etc which are administered online.

I really need to get this lot sorted.

AleisterCrowley
Lemon Half
Posts: 6381
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 11:35 am
Has thanked: 1880 times
Been thanked: 2026 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#89278

Postby AleisterCrowley » October 19th, 2017, 11:46 am

neversay wrote:Aside from the physical mess, there's also the digital decluttering:

(i) Digital - passwords, online services, thousands of photos, emails, documents.
(ii) Accounts - bank/savings accounts, insurance policies, pensions, etc which are administered online.

I really need to get this lot sorted.


Likewise, but I've been saying that for years

orchard101
Lemon Pip
Posts: 62
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:24 pm
Has thanked: 42 times
Been thanked: 28 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#89329

Postby orchard101 » October 19th, 2017, 3:56 pm

My method of decluttering is simple. When I moved 10 years ago, from my previous old house I gave 'stuff' to my local refurnish people who store and sell to others who cannot afford either new or second hand furniture etc.

When I moved a second time, I had boxes of all sorts of stuff that I had not used in over 2 years. I decided that I obviously did not need it so got in touch again. I was quite honest about the fact that I did not know what was in the boxes but that there was crockery and towels etc along with other goods.

They took them all, but, needless to say, several years later I am sure there were things that I could have used but didn't really need. So, as is usual, I have accumulated more of similar, but not to the extent that I need to get rid.

It is really nice to think that some of that, relatively, useless (to me) stuff went to someone who could really use it.

AleisterCrowley
Lemon Half
Posts: 6381
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 11:35 am
Has thanked: 1880 times
Been thanked: 2026 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#89330

Postby AleisterCrowley » October 19th, 2017, 4:00 pm

One of the best ways to declutter is to move regularly.. it focuses the mind.
Unfortunately I've been in my current place for >15 years and I'd need a large van to move. I moved everything in by hand/on foot, with some help getting tumble drier up the three flights of stairs.
I have, this very day, taken a load of books up to Oxfam though

JMN2
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2156
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 11:21 am
Has thanked: 288 times
Been thanked: 282 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#89334

Postby JMN2 » October 19th, 2017, 4:31 pm

I thought the heading referred to the old Nordic custom of the surviving relatives coming together before the funeral to wash the departed.

First time I moved to the UK I had one suitcase. Second time decades later I had two suitcases. This summer when I bought a house I had all my earthly belongings fit a small hatchback. Any stuff I've bought since has had to have a function, just because there is an empty space in the corner of a room does not mean that it needs a new piece of furniture. I have a vase but that is for the keys, a pen and a note pad.

moorfield
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 3523
Joined: November 7th, 2016, 1:56 pm
Has thanked: 1546 times
Been thanked: 1402 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#89678

Postby moorfield » October 20th, 2017, 10:27 pm

Decluttering is a permanent process here at Moorfield Towers - with 3 juniors and rooms full of untidied lego, paper, cardboard, obscure plastic tat etc. etc. the list is remorseless - I've been honing a technique I call "The Quarantine Pile": this involves me periodically throwing a strop and patrolling the house with a bin bag while everyone else is out. Anything that looks like untidied rubbish goes into the bin bag which is then quietly dumped in an obsure part of the house with a "use by" date usually +1 month pinned onto it, at which point it then goes into the black bin. Very rarely does a junior need to be directed to the bag because they've "lost something" so it works well - the skill of course is identifying ruthlessly what is/isn't tat!

JMN2
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2156
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 11:21 am
Has thanked: 288 times
Been thanked: 282 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#90367

Postby JMN2 » October 24th, 2017, 1:23 pm

JMN2 wrote:I thought the heading referred to the old Nordic custom of the surviving relatives coming together before the funeral to wash the departed.

...


This was porkies, there is no such custom. What is true though is that the coffin is opened in the backroom of the church before it is closed again and wheeled to the burial plot. A choice is given whether to see the departed or not. I saw my grandmother in 1974 and since then have not exercised this option a couple of times it's been granted to me - two weeks from death to burial is very speedy...usually takes about 3 or even 4 weeks...

I'd rather remember the person differently.

didds
Lemon Half
Posts: 5244
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 12:04 pm
Has thanked: 3244 times
Been thanked: 1018 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#90642

Postby didds » October 25th, 2017, 2:38 pm

I saw my dad in his coffin, at the undertakers a couple fo days before his cremation.

I wqas alone in this little room with him laieing in his coffin, a light gauze cloth over the open coffin lid ( I guess to offset the pallour of the skin maybe?)

Anyway, I hadn;t realsied there was the faintest, lightest air flow though the little room... and at one stage it just rippled the gauze cloth thing ... made me jump wondering if Dad had just exhaled!

I felt a bit of a burk!

didds

stevensfo
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 3436
Joined: November 5th, 2016, 8:43 am
Has thanked: 3806 times
Been thanked: 1398 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#90713

Postby stevensfo » October 25th, 2017, 6:35 pm

One of the best ways to declutter is to move regularly.. it focuses the mind.
Unfortunately I've been in my current place for >15 years and I'd need a large van to move.


Why move? I find this a curiously British phenomenon. I hate moving, and a few times have wept buckets over it. What is this UK obsession about moving house? You pay a tax and if you use an Estate Agent, you pay even more!

Make your place your home and look after it. Yes, I discovered decluttering three years ago and I'm still trying very hard. :-)

My biggest problem is books. Oh, and junk that my Wife thinks will come in useful.

Steve

AleisterCrowley
Lemon Half
Posts: 6381
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 11:35 am
Has thanked: 1880 times
Been thanked: 2026 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#90720

Postby AleisterCrowley » October 25th, 2017, 6:50 pm

I rent, and have no feelings for my flat at all, its just a handily-located place to sleep and store my belongings. Should have moved 6 years ago when work became more Reading based.

superFoolish
Lemon Slice
Posts: 253
Joined: November 7th, 2016, 12:28 am
Been thanked: 57 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#97384

Postby superFoolish » November 20th, 2017, 11:22 pm

This is an interesting thread!

Before we moved to Australia from the UK, we spent three months clearing out. It was shocking how much 'stuff 'we had, especially in our large garage, which was used to store things that might come in useful one day (aka stuff that 'we' bought, that had gone out of fashion, and replaced). An incredible amount of 'stuff' was sold, given to charity, given to friends, or recycled / thrown away (in that order). When we moved, most of what we took with us was furniture, so it was an excellent decluttering exercise. I'm not sentimental, but one of the most difficult tasks for me was disposing of photographs; I scanned them and backed them up (double backup actually!), but still found it difficult to throw out the originals.

Having lived in Australia for 6 years, we have accumulated less stuff, and we are better at selling or donating items immediately rather than storing them 'for 'Ron''*. We only have one general storage area for 'stuff', which is well organised and could be cleared in a morning.

When my parents moved counties about 10 years ago, they moved dozens of boxes, many of which they never opened until the next move nearly 10 years later, at which time they disposed of almost everything. They now travel between between Europe and Australia (staying approx 6 months in each) and carry a couple of hand-luggage bags with them when they travel. The house in Europe is mostly let, so their few personal belongings stay in the "Landlord's Cupboard" (the size of your average understairs cupboard) and they live on a boat in Australia, so not much room for storage there! In addition, my parents are very good with their records; I have a paper copy of all their finances and how to access them, and also have access to their (few) digital assets. They are doing us a big favour!

I hope to do the same for my kids. We're planning to move into a smaller house within 10 years (we're around 50 now) and, hopefully, that will be our last move, when we can have a good clear out again.

My kids do know how to access our digital assests; I have made it easy by using KeePass, so in the event that Mrs sF and I become incapacitated or 'unavailable', they will be able to gain access.

* 'Later Ron'

Pipsmum
Lemon Slice
Posts: 325
Joined: April 12th, 2017, 11:18 pm
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 125 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#136468

Postby Pipsmum » May 2nd, 2018, 10:53 pm

My parents have got 'stuck' where they are by sheer volumes of clutter. The thought of moving gave them such anxiety that they left it too late and now can't. We don't want to get there and will downsize before getting past it. Well I hope so anyway. I don't want to give that type of legacy to my kids. They've probably already caught the habit.

Ebaying is a good habit to get back into and I need to find my iPad. If only I knew where it was in all the clutter....

JMN2
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2156
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 11:21 am
Has thanked: 288 times
Been thanked: 282 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#136483

Postby JMN2 » May 3rd, 2018, 7:43 am

Who needs "stuff"? Hold on to some paperwork, old photos, perhaps books, anything else, dump it. A plate bought in Torremolinos as a souvenir in 1972? Chuck it. A table lamp with a missing plug, bought on a honeymoon in 1957 or handed down by aunt Agatha? Dump it. After two weeks you won't even remember you ever had the stuff.

AleisterCrowley
Lemon Half
Posts: 6381
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 11:35 am
Has thanked: 1880 times
Been thanked: 2026 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#136503

Postby AleisterCrowley » May 3rd, 2018, 9:10 am

Pipsmum wrote:My parents have got 'stuck' where they are by sheer volumes of clutter. The thought of moving gave them such anxiety that they left it too late and now can't...

Same here, I need to move, but the volume of clutter is holding me back
Books, CDs/DVDs, guitars x 2 + effects, paperwork, rucksacks, tents, food stocks, pots and pans, clothes, bedding...arrrggghhhhhhhhhh

Pipsmum
Lemon Slice
Posts: 325
Joined: April 12th, 2017, 11:18 pm
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 125 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#136507

Postby Pipsmum » May 3rd, 2018, 9:24 am

I tried having one of those 'mess analyst' people here to help. All she did was get me to move all the stuff I had already put in the same room waiting to ebay it away, and put it in my car to drive to the charity shop. It actually sat in the corridor for months instead, before getting moved back in the same room to be out of the way. Hopeless case obviously. I'd have been better off buying some wine to cope with the mess stress, and not looking.

AleisterCrowley
Lemon Half
Posts: 6381
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 11:35 am
Has thanked: 1880 times
Been thanked: 2026 times

Re: Swedish Death Cleaning

#136516

Postby AleisterCrowley » May 3rd, 2018, 9:57 am

I'd never let anyone in my flat - it's too messy...


Return to “Living Below Your Means”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests