Swedish Death Cleaning: A Story That Changed How I See Clutter

A real-life story about Swedish death cleaning and how one client changed my perspective on clutter, decision-making, and letting go.

When I first started my business, my very first client was a lovely woman about my mom’s age.

She wanted her garage decluttered and organized.

And I’ll be honest…
at the time, I had two “rules” in my head:

I wasn’t going to work with anyone older than me…
and definitely not in their garage.

Well… that didn’t last long.

Fast forward 10 years, and she’s still my client today.

I’ll never forget something she said to me back then.
She told me she was “death cleaning.”

Her words, not mine.

She said if she didn’t take care of it now, her kids would one day just put a dumpster in the driveway and clear it all out.

At the time, I remember thinking how clever that sounded.

But a few years into my business…
I understood exactly what she meant.

She was likely inspired by The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson, a book that gently invites us to look at our belongings in a different way.

Not from a place of urgency or fear…

But from care.
For ourselves.
And for the people we love.

And today?

I think this is one of the smartest perspectives we can all consider—no matter our age.

Because how often do we hold onto things for the “what if”?

What if I need it someday…
What if someone wants this…
What if I regret letting it go…

Meanwhile, those “what ifs” quietly fill our spaces…

and sit in the back of our minds as something we’ll deal with “one day.”

But what if that day didn’t have to feel so far away?

What if we made a few of those decisions now…
with intention…
and a little bit of support?

I truly believe the work Margareta Magnusson shared has helped so many people begin this process with more ease and understanding.

And I see it every day in the homes I work in.

💛