The gentle art of Swedish death cleaning: 7 reasons to declutter your home in retirement

Retirement brings a powerful change: more time, more freedom, and the opportunity to reframe your life around what really matters. But it also invites a re-counting of the things we have accumulated over decades – boxes that have not been opened in years, closets full of “just” things that show who gets them.

This is why many people turn to the gentle brain of Cleaning up Swedish Death and other lunatics who attack when you retire.

You don’t need a minimalist makeover or a week-long purge. You just need to be willing to revisit, respect its place in your story, and release what is no longer useful.

7 reasons to downsize your home in retirement

1. Cleaning up dead, putting things together, can improve your life now

In Sweden, the act of collecting your assets after retirement is called “death cleaning.” The work was written in the book, Cleaning the Swedish Death: How to Free Yourself from the Life of Stuff (minimalist Living), by Linnea Gustofson. He writes, “Death Cleansing is an eternal way of organization that makes your daily life end well.”

The idea is simple: Keep what supports the next chapter, let go of what doesn’t, and make room, physically and emotionally, for what you want most in retirement.

If you want a meaningful retirement, think about ways to eliminate the unnecessary.

2. DECUTTER NOW, your heirs may not want to do it

A recent York New Article on De-Clutter attracted over 1,700 comments. Most were from older children who were traumatized by cleaning the homes of their deceased loved ones.

Beth from Washington did not mince words. He said, “Now that you have cleaned the houses of 5 family members, I can prove this. Do you hate your children? Your relatives? If you don’t hate them, please ignore them.”

Jill from Iowa said, “Don’t leave your clutter for your relatives to deal with. Their grief over your death will turn to anger as they spend days and weeks (or more) dealing with your belongings.”

Ana from Pennsylvania was delighted by the thoughtfulness of her mother, who went through her belongings and wrote down the value of the items she had chosen. Ana wrote, “One of the best gifts my mother got from all her children was to move her house and come out at the age of 86, where she found her thing, who gave it to her, why this thing meant so much to her or in the history of the family.”

Kate from Georgia was frustrated with her parents’ cleaning job. He wrote, “Three weeks ago, my brother and I were closing the second door of 2 places 10 × 8 We rented it after donating or abandoning my brother, ‘Did you think that 70% of his things, I wanted to be very sad.

Really think about what you want to leave behind and why.

3. Clutter is dangerous as you get older

People living in informal settlements are more likely to make poor food choices and become overweight.

Also, clutter itself can be dangerous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 Americans age 65 and older fall each year. TRIPPIPPIPPIPE is the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults. Many falls can be prevented by creating safe environments and safe homes.

4. Too many things can cause stress

There is significant research linking clutter with stress. In one experiment, people were asked to describe their homes. Respondents who reported clutter in their home had higher levels of stress cortisol and reported negative emotions than those who lived in more tidy environments.

5. Clutter Blocks sleep

Research has found that people who sleep in cluttered rooms have a harder time falling asleep and are more likely to wake up in the middle of the night.

6. Storage is expensive

It’s not just us who live in our homes. Our stuff stays there too. Also, the more things you have, the bigger your home needs to be – which is an added expense.

Also, storage companies are big businesses. It is estimated that one in every 11 American households has a storage unit. There are more stores in the United States than McDonald’s. Do you want to finance housing for things you really need? Or, could that money be better spent on knowledge?

7. Getting rid of things can make you happier

Research shows that organizing your belongings can help you focus on what’s important to you in your life. Things don’t make you happy. Relationships and jobs do.

Also, it turns out that de-cluttering has been scientifically proven to help you focus.

8 ideas on how to tackle closet cleaning (closets, garages, and storage units)

Are you sure it’s time to go down? Here are some tips.

1. Establish a plan of attack

De-cluttering can feel overwhelming. Creating a plan for how to deal with your things can help. Think about which rooms to do first. Or, organize them by types of things: Books, kitchen, photos, clothes, etc.

2. Give yourself a deadline

An important part of self-control is answered by de-cluttering to follow the timeline. Otherwise, it can be easy to avoid the task at hand.

3. Hire a mentor

Can’t imagine dealing with your stuff on your own? There are services that can help. Professional motivators can help you stay motivated and on track. They can strengthen your resolve to get rid of things and help you make decisions about what to keep.

Don’t want to pay someone? You may be able to enlist the help of a friend.

4. Stop buying things

Many experts say that the most important part of de-cluttering is the commitment to stop buying things.

5. Take pictures of things you want to remember

It is understandable to want to remember things. Taking pictures of your things allows you to keep a visual memory without the clutter of the real thing.

One New York Times Reader commented, “A friend of mine suggested taking photos that were useful but no longer work or need. Now I have a really useful folder.”

6. Cleaning the birthday

Cleaning doesn’t have to be a big deal. It can be a monthly, quarterly, or annual practice.

Consider a birthday cleanse – every year, around your birthday, remove a number of items that belong to your year. So, if you’re 65, get rid of the 65 things you no longer need, want, or find useful.

7. Understand that value is what is worth to the other person

You would love your sweats, fine china, or your doll or jewelry collection. Your property may have an interest value or financial value to you. But if they don’t focus on the same amount of money to someone else, it’s not a real value.

As Jim in Seattle so eloquently wrote, “You might find this shocking, but nobody wants your JC Penney sweater collection when you’re shipping to Costa Rica, people.”

There is no price to pay for something. The price is worth it now. Will your kids appreciate the Alur Alice spoon collection? It is possible. Maybe not. Ask them, and if they don’t see the value, it might be time to give up.

Understanding what you call what and why can make it easier for you to get rid of things.

8. Know your disposal options

Sometimes the hardest part of de-cluttering is deciding what to keep and what to throw away. It is also difficult to know where and how to finish things. Fortunately, there are more ways than ever.

Aside from trash, recycling and donation, you might want to consider:

• Old garage sale
• Online marketplaces such as Facebook MarketPlace, eBay, and Craigslist sell items yourself
• Dealers who specialize in whatever you sell
• Freecycle.org and the buynothingproject are grassroots movements with a focus on the gift economy

About Boldlin

Boldlin shifts the power of money into people’s hands to improve financial confidence and results. We empower people to manage a retirement plan they can understand and trust. Our retirement planning software puts you in charge of your future – while our training, classes, and expert advice from CFP® providers at Boldlin Advisors ensure you don’t have to do it alone.

Whether you’re planning for retirement, navigating a life transition, or just trying to make smart financial decisions, Boldlin combines clarity, confidence, and calling to help you move forward with purpose.