Swedish Death Cleaning at 67 Years Old (IT REALLY WORKS!)

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Swedish Death Cleaning vs. Decluttering: • Swedish Death Cleaning...
Decluttering at 65 Years Old: • Swedish Death Cleaning...
Swedish Death Cleaning Motivation: • Swedish Death Cleaning...
10 things that Changed from Swedish Death Cleaning: • 10 Things That Changed...
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning BOOK: amzn.to/46S0aPO
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My mom and I have been decluttering her home for the last 5 years. There isn't very much left to declutter and that is why today we are tackling the sentimental items. Also don't worry nothing was decluttered until after my dad had a look through the items and said they could all go. I hope you have a great day!
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[@shannontorrens1]

Use code TORRENS50 to get 50% off your first Factor box at bit.ly/3PZGdQ7!

[@sburwell75]

My sister and I were the recipients of a lot of stuff when my parents passed away. My mom could not let go of anything. It took two summers (we were both teachers) to clear out their home to get it ready for renters. It was truly a stressful thing to do. I will not leave that kind of burden for my daughter and granddaughter. I only kept 3 items from my mom and dad's home. You and your mom are doing a good thing.

[@quickflip7185]

I went through the same as you. My parents were divorced so I had two households of stuff to go through. I agree with you about the stress and 99.9% of their stuff ended up going to thrift stores. It definitely motivated me on my decluttering journey so my children will not have to go through the same.

[@neecee_90]

I had to declutter my moms house after her passing. People come over now and are surprised at how much larger the house seems... now I have an issue with decorating because I don't want to clutter the areas again... lol my main point is, less stuff, less clearing off dust areas. But no one mentions how bare it feels so I guess it's okay

[@philippatill9727]

I didn't even think my gran had that much stuff and it just took so long, and has definitely changed my mind about keeping anything that I'm evem on the fence about.

[@quickflip7185]

@@philippatill9727 If it helps, I'm just like Kathy. There is not ONE thing I got rid of that I regret. One time I had to buy a picture frame long after I decluttered a ton of frames. No biggie; I'd rather spend the money to replace something than to store it, not even knowing if I would ever need it again or not.

[@janet9524]

Me too!

[@jstokes]

My late Mom left the most immaculate house for us after she passed. Ever drawer, every closet, everything was edited and labeled, and clean. She must have taken a year to do it. It was such a gift to us. Watching the two of you together reminds me so much of Mom, and the enjoyment we had in each other's company.

[@CreativeTrish]

What a blessing 🥰

[@Kate42]

I'm 71 and have been decluttering for a long time now. I constantly revisit areas to see how I feel and as always find more items to get rid of. This Swedish Death Cleaning attitude is so important to me considering my husband and I don't have anyone to leave this stuff to anyway. But, the real reason I do this is because I just love the way my home and yard look so much better and well organized. Thank you for sharing your journey with us all.

[@plantsbythemoon9049]

@Kate42 you are an inspiration as well 😊. Great progress!

[@nancyhenderson-korpi2065]

I’m with you Kate! An ongoing task for me too … and it feels great to get rid of stuff. I’ve also realized I don’t need to keep every sentimental item!

[@jenifernewton8323]

Decluttering at your mom's house is always my favorite. I am 65 so her journey in decluttering is relevant to me. As always I enjoy the upbeat way it's done.😊

[@shannontorrens1]

Yay! So happy you are here.

[@denisebunker6674]

I roam my house looking for stuff to get rid of. 😂 it’s important to remember that what is important to me doesn’t mean the same to our kids! 😂

[@amonralice]

Well said, Denise. We should print that as a motto and hang it on the wall. (Noooo! 😂 ) 😉

[@KlingonPrincess]

Your mom is giving you a great gift in doing this now. I have opened 5 of probably 100 boxes of my dad's things (shipped from NE to CA) and found collections - knives, bottle openers, salt and peppers, nautical bookends, expensive watches. I could open a store. It is such a burden to figure out what to sell and donate. Please don't do this to your kids, folks.

[@fianorian]

I've just turned 69 and it was only a couple of days ago that I cleaned my own glass display cabinet. It's six feet tall, so it gets done just once a year, because it takes over an hour to wash down etc. I took the opportunity to look at everything that lives in there, as I have been doing regularly over the past two or three years, and for the first time, ever, I found nothing to let go of. I used to have two such cabinets, but have managed to weed out, and weed out, to the point where I now have just one, and it is no longer crammed. Everything in there means something to me and, has room to breathe. Having just made out my will, I now know that my relatives will not be overwhelmed whenever it is their turn to deal with it all. So we can all breathe easier too.

[@juliedavidson5596]

Such a blessing to your family! Thank you for sharing.

[@margaretistre4928]

My husband and I just downsized to go to an independent senior living community. Our transition happened quickly but we did have time to have a yard sale. We made over $2000 and took 4 carloads of things to Goodwill! I found your channel just yesterday. It has given me assurance that we did the right thing by extreme downsizing. I told my children that one day they will thank me when they don’t have to deal with all that stuff!

[@annw1395]

Dawn, the Minimal Mom, had a good comment: she was talking about a red tablecloth of her grandmother's, and said that it was sentimental to her bc she'd seen her grandmother use it. Dawn said that our sentimental items won't mean anything to our kids and grandkids if they don't use them with us / share experiences. That struck me. I have lots of sentimental things from my mom and gma, but I'm not using them with my grandkids, and if I don't, those items will have no meaning and no memories for my gkids.

[@Loeviis]

Thank you for sharing! This will help me a lot

[@barbkandel777]

After my husband and I buried our 4th parent, we vowed that we will never leave all of that for our kids to deal with. We have since become minimalists and love the simplicity, freedom and peace of a life filled with people and not things. I think it is so great that you are helping your mom to do this! ❤

[@sarahsmom1002]

"I'm gonna relocate her."--Kathy. "To the thrift store."--Shannon. Too funny. I just love the two of you decluttering together!!

[@pippas5808]

Yes - and the comeback about gifting it to Shannon for a wedding anniversary present!!! This channel is far funnier than most sitcoms, and it's practical too!

[@sunflower-xj6pe]

This is so cute I love the history behind the item's, great video ☺️. 33 year's old here recent diagnosis with cancer I had no choice but to only keep the essentials and put other measures in place. Life is so short.

[@sidhedances8582]

Your mother’s comment that the items were “On her brain a lot” is spot on. Often I think people aren’t aware how much these sentimental items weigh on a person’s mind. Your help and response makes this important chore more helpful, fun, and meaningful.

[@sharonshmuel3386]

Hi Shannon & Kathy loved this sentimental declutter. It is so relieving to pass things on now rather than have to burden someone else . I too have never regretted anything that I have decluttered- including my bank account ! I gave my inheritance money to my children now so there will be no arguments in the future & to help them now whist I’m still alive to see their progress. ❤ still praying for peace 🙏🇮🇱💔🙏🇮🇱

[@shannontorrens1]

Hello Sharon, wow that is so thoughtful of you to help out your family in that way! I am thinking about you and hope you are still in a safe place right now.

[@DiddlyD-xx2ih]

Sharon, hello from Tel Aviv. ❤

[@michelleneuman579]

I love this! I’m not sure why everyone waits till they pass to do this.

[@pnwflipper2089]

This is very smart. I have seen too many families divided by how to split up their inheritance.

[@lizzabbott]

Sharon, you are so wise and thoughtful ! Sending best wishes for blessings & peace to you & yours !

[@sherylstretcher1973]

Shannon, I am a year older than your mom and a few years behind both of you in the Swedish Death Cleaning journey. I can see the benefits and the reason behind this process, as I do not want to burden our daughter with so much to go through. In addition, I don’t want to saddle ourselves with too much to downsize all at once if or when we move into a senior living complex at some point. Seeing the two of you chat and laugh together as you sort sure makes the process seem less daunting. Thanks for the motivational and encouraging videos.

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you for being here! I am so happy these videos are entertaining and encouraging. =)

[@susanchristie9322]

I started watching this channel because I am really into Swedish Death Cleaning (at age 66), but I subscribed because I enjoy watching your relationship with your Mom. She did a great job raising you! You both are so fortunate to have each other! ❤

[@heatherf1159]

"I'll get to Japan later. We're in Norway now". 😅 That was great!

[@shannontorrens1]

Haha! The shelves were categorized by the place they went. LOL

[@tamarap387]

Am living with my 84 year old mom and over the years she has downsized a lot....but with the things left that she still wants around her, I'm asking if she could only keep say...3 things on a particular shelf....what would those 3 items be? She knows right away....and now I know which ones are the MOST special to her which I will definitely be hanging onto later as well.

[@vickithornley5056]

Oh, that's a great way to find out what is the most important to a loving mom! Love that idea!

[@simplynej]

I had a box of items I wanted to keep because of the memories attached to them. The items weren't of value, and they weren't on display...but every time I went through the box to declutter, I was immersed in the memories associated with each. I bought a very nice journal, and one of those small photo printers you can attach to your phone via bluetooth. I took a few pictures of an item and put them on a journal page, and then used the next page (or so) to document the memory it brought to mind. Once done, I was easily able to donate or dispose of the items. and I now have a journal....FULL of written memories and pictures of the objects that go along with them. I keep it in a safe place and pull it out now and again. All of the benefits, all of the memories....and it takes up quite a bit less storage space. :-)

[@molee8863]

What an absolutely lovely idea.

[@sherrypeveto1868]

Love this idea!

[@Cazzie4ever]

I absolutely love your mom. I'm so happy she's part of your videos. 💕

[@user-eh3fu3kn1x]

I'm moving into a smaller space. Right now I'm in 600 sq ft. The nex6t place will be with my oldest daughter and her family. I'm 77. I believe that viewing the declutter as Swedish Death Cleaning will help me keep only what I love & can use.

[@DiddlyD-xx2ih]

I would love to see a recap of how it went on the bay. Whenever I try to sell something on the bay, it takes forever, lots of back and forth with flaky buyers, trips to the post office, and then complaints after the buyer receives the item. It motivates me to just donate. I would love to know if Kathy has different feelings about it after the bay sales.

[@jjo5375]

I'm facing a serious down-sizing in lieu of my existence in a nursing home. Wish I'd begun this process 20 yrs. ago! Thank you both for making your project a 'positive one, and not one of grieving the past as well as what's ahead. God bless both of you!

[@goldcoastlady5377]

Good luck jjo, I agree with you, they make it so fun, and positive. I've had a good laugh decluttering my stuff and imagining what they would say about my collection of broken clocks, or my basket of bikinis!!! (I'm 70 and many sizes larger now!) I now know that I just don't 'need' this stuff anymore. Good luck with your downsizing, and in this new stage of your life. Embrace it! God Bless, Love Goldie X

[@carolnolan9439]

I'm 72 in few months. It's difficult to do this alone but I'm trying.

[@gillianjackson9403]

Bless you, with you in thought Carol.

[@koala2464]

I have just created an album in photos/apple “Jewellery”. Took photos of each piece of my mother’s and asked her the story behind it. I added comments to the photos of her stories about each piece, and if she wanted somebody in her life specifically that she would like it to go to. I’m about to start on her ornaments too.

[@gbk1t]

It’s interesting how people’s attachment to things differs so widely between each person. Personally, I only have a handful of possessions that mean something to me. I would be saddened to lose them, however I could easily live without them if I wanted to. Although these items jog your memory, they are not the memory itself. That is never lost.❤

[@margaret1336]

If you leave someone a clean tidy curated collection that they can deal with it won’t end up in a skip. It’s the overwhelming pile of mixed clutter that makes people freak out and toss it all out! ❤️❤️

[@supergran1000]

Well put.

[@burningmanmike]

Dealing with my in-law's "stuff," I learned that people keep a lot of meaningless junk that serves no purpose. Most had no meaning to their kids either. I am currently getting rid of all clothing I haven't worn in the past two years. If I haven't worn it, if it doesn't fit, it's gone! I don't want my kids to have to go through what I did, sorting junk, paperwork, old photos no one wants, etc.

[@jacki838]

Can we get a report on how the selling worked? And if an item didn't sell, what did you do with it then?

[@shannontorrens1]

Yes I will be sure to do a follow up video of how it all went. =)

[@pippas5808]

"Get ready, thrift store." I love it!!!

[@goofygirl1311]

It is so smart for you to go through these things while your mom is vibrant, clear thinking and has the mental/physical stamina to do it. Good for you and your mom for taking care of this now - you will not regret doing so!

[@jennyjenkins877]

I'm just impressed that those glass cabinets and all the breakables they contain have survived 3 grandsons!

[@shannontorrens1]

I know! plus my whole childhood and countless birthday parties with tons of kids and teenagers. It really is surprising that nothing was ever broken through all the years.

[@donnawallace5584]

Just a little update Oregon had its one and only “ Worlds Fair” that ran from June 1, 1905 - Oct 1905😊

[@simply.clutterfree]

I've basically been "Swedish death cleaning" for the last few years even though I'm only in my 30s. Something I do think about is not leaving excess and work behind for my loved ones if I'm not given the privilege of 50+ years.

[@alisonschooley5459]

I did this 2 years ago and then we unexpectedly had to move and it made the move so much easier. We love the new home, discovered some treasures we forgot and made boxes up for the kids to keep. It makes us so happy to see the items we kept and the ones we gave away served their purpose and now can be someone elses.

[@valorielynwhitman8531]

I'm reading "Goodbye, Things" by Fumio Sasaki. It is a great read, but the quote that I want to share is this:..."what would happen if I passed away, or something serious happened to me suddenly. All my possessions would become a burden to my loved ones. Yet because I had minimalized most of my belongings, I realized I had also minimized the trouble I would cause others in such circumstances. It's a sad thing to think about, but for some reason I felt a sense of freedom. Without such a morose concern hanging over me, I felt stronger and free to tackle the next stage of my life.". I have to say that I am feeling stronger and free-er to tackle the next stage of my life because of watching you minimalize with your mom. Thanks. ❤

[@cocacolafiesta]

A lot of guilt is placed on me of not getting rid of things that I have had for 20-50 years and only mean something to me. None of my 5 children would be interested in a lot of things that I have "clung" to throughout our moves. I got rid of some plastic figures that were on top of my 56 year old daughter’s baby shower cake. I felt guilty, knew she would NEVER want them so I tossed it out reluctantly but I felt FREEDOM once it was done! My sister and I have gone through our eldest brother’s home, our dad’s, our mom’s and our sister, that was a hoarder and lived with us, and we disliked the whole process! I know that by cleaning now it will save my children any guilt they may get cause mom "had it for 50 years" ! Thank you for this video!

[@adrianaricalde2905]

These videos with your mom will be a treasure for you in the future.

[@contancesholl3833]

I am with your mom, I would rather get rid of my stuff myself. From the time I can remember I have always said. It is just stuff it can't love you or hug you back. Always enjoy your mom.

[@JazzyBabe56]

this might sound cruel but after watching this vid I am sooo glad I never liked knick knacks....not to say that I didn't collect them because people give you things or you get caught up in the moment when travelling etc...but getting rid of what I did have was easy as pie! great vid you two! ♥

[@shannontorrens1]

I love that you left this comment because it helps people realize that not having all the knick knacks is ok. I hope you are having a great weekend.

[@davidmercer1126]

I absolutely love this. My parents did this before downsizing from a 2 story house to an apartment. I also work in longterm care and its common for familys to donate clothing and stuffed animals jewerly etc to the home so we can distribute them to less fortunate residents

[@Barb6106]

Oh my! This video feels good.. I totally understand! When my parents died, an estate agent came and cataloged all the “stuff “.. furniture to salt and pepper shakers.. loaded in a truck and sent me checks as it sold. I have moved so many times… that is a great way to rid yourself of things as well. My last move to my new little cottage I had built.. I got rid of almost everything. I moved here with a few pieces of furniture, my clothes and plants. I wanted to start fresh. What a relief. 3 years later and I think I need something.. I put it in a cart online and wait 2 days. I hardly ever order anything now! I just don’t want stuff… and no but me cares about it. I did keep a few family history things but everything from the past fits in a 12x12 x 12 box. It’s in a closet and I have not pulled it out in 3 years.

[@noemisolano4748]

I'm nowhere near 60 or 70 years old but I have been decluttering my clothing for 3 years now. It took long decluttering my clothes because I work full time. I also have been shredding my papers that I don't need. I'm so happy with decluttering because I now have less clothing and papers. The few clothing that I kept are now neatly organized as well as the few papers that I kept. ☺️ My Mom is close to 70 years old and she is always decluttering. She looks around her home to see if there is anything that is not being used or is not needed. My Mom told me when she visits her neighbors who are also in there 60's or 70's there apartments are crammed and filled with items that are not needed and not being used. Sadly when those seniors pass away, all the stuff that they were hanging on to for years gets thrown away in the trash.

[@goofygirl1311]

I'm 58 and I've started to do some pass throughs in our home getting rid of things that we don't use or need and wouldn't miss. I'll be revisiting some of those areas soon and letting go of even more things. It's amazing how much stuff we have in our homes that really only takes up space.

[@rhodz.md.]

Always a treat to see you two together. You laugh together, we laugh with you. Such fun! 🥰

[@barbaravoneitzen7367]

Your mom is doing so good with decluttering her things

[@nancyfeeser4653]

We ended up with my in laws two cabinets full of stuff. Nobody really wants them. We have them in boxes. This is helpful.

[@pst47wings]

My mother-in-law recently died. We had tried for years to get her to go through things. Say who she wanted to give things to. Unfortunately, she never did. Has motivated me to do more Swedish Death Cleaning... Even while I'm still trying to work through all her items. You are a blessing to your daughter in this process!!

[@jpardee7636]

It's a hard thing to admit that your kids do not want your stuff!

[@shannontorrens1]

It is hard! Also as a child it can be hard to say that I don't want a lot of these things, but I just don't see how they would fit in my home.

[@quickflip7185]

I held onto my (now adults) children's childhood stuff for years. Once they moved into their own homes I offered up their childhood stuff to them. Guess what? Neither one of them wanted it. 🤣 Lesson learned. The years and storage space I wasted! haha

[@gigi2819]

Did we want our parents stuff?

[@bethbranson9050]

Shannon, This was a powerful video! I am 70 and have been decluttering for past 3 years! I am slowly going through the sentimental categories and “ collectibles”. ( I too, was a world traveler!)I love hearing and find helpful your discussions with your Mom! Thank you for sharing! Love, love, love your channel!!

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you for sharing your decluttering journey. =)

[@siyarakb5305]

Those cute dolls will bring a smile on a little kid's face for sure 😊

[@shannontorrens1]

Yes! I hope so =)

[@amywilliams1617]

Most of the "stuff" has no value unless sentimental as I've looked/tried to sell (even if it shows value, a lot of it is hard to sell and a pain to box/ship)...and I prefer pictures uploaded to a family Google drive for memories of "stuff". I am now a minimalist at 63 so don't keep any of this "stuff" knowing my kids won't want it...younger people mostly do not as they want their own stuff and usually of a very different look (I'm an interior designer). I have a few holiday ornaments from travel that I hang on a small metal deer on a table top...it can be donated at any time because it only has meaning to me. We continue to downsize living arrangements which I love (less stuff) and I feel good knowing my kids won't have to go through it all (my dad did this when my mom passed and it was so easy to just take a few items of jewelry when he passed and let a company sell the rest and the profits paid for their time). Your mom is doing well...I bet she will continue to just keep letting it go step-by-step...you are very patient!!

[@juliedavidson5596]

Nice job ladies. The after is amazing with the items you value being on display instead of crammed together. ❤ Great to see you two again.

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you for being here! These cabinets look so much better especially in real life. Even my dad thought so!

[@devchonka18]

This is why i love thrift stores. Really cool stuff gets taken there.

[@rosevv2774]

Thank you for sharing your Swedish Death cleaning journey. Shannon, it’s so nice that you are helping your mom with this. It’s fun to watch the two of you interact. Enjoy this beautiful day!

[@dianeyoung8068]

Revisiting areas is so important. I am glad that I am not a collector, however, I have plenty of photos to go through.

[@janeweldon8874]

I have so many things from my grandmother also. I am 78 but I have a hard time trying to let them go. I know my children don’t want them but i still like looking at them. Hard choice. ❤️

[@shannontorrens1]

It really is hard! But I am so happy that my mom is willing to go through all these things now.

[@myxochi]

What fun!! Thanks for posting this. I too have done several runs of Swedish Death Cleaning both on my own and with my children. What I found today was that just watching this brought me back into those moments and the memories I had of some items I had decluttered. Thank you. It must have been such a “thing” as I too was a “doll collector” when I was “younger”. After I decluttered through Death Cleaning, I now have exactly 6 dolls. Two, that are safe “playable” (no sewn in button eyes or any other parts that can come loose) are in a small box along with some wooden toys & books for young guests who come to visit; my best 3 dolls are in my China cabinet (that none of the kids would take!! - the cabinet, I mean), and I still have my original Raggedy Ann doll (which I have no idea what to do with as she was so well loved, she is still stained with goodness knows what). I let go of so many antique and vintage dolls from all around the world. They were always gifted to me from every grandparent, aunt or uncle who travelled the world. The antique dolls I purchased as I grew up until I had children. I too had curio cabinets, like yours, filled to the brim. I now hope that they have each found a special place in someone else’s home as I donated them to church sales and local (reputable) shops. The cabinets I sold for mere pennies, but now they are gone. I know the kids won’t take the dolls after I am gone, but hopefully, since I was the one to get rid of the other many, many dolls, I won’t be such a burden to them in getting rid of my “stuff” when I’m gone. Now, if I could only get MY mother (approaching her 90s) to let go of her beanie babies and decorative plates that she thinks will leave us millions of dollars!!! All of life is a book. Full of interesting chapters that keep us hooked on to see what happens next. Thanks again you two.

[@lindabourcet1349]

I have seen too many videos of people left with boxes and boxes of relatives’ collectibles and what a burden it is. They are usually donated or sold in lots at auctions. Don’t make your younger relatives have to do this. They will not be thinking kindly of you. Get rid of it NOW while you are able and leave your family memories (and maybe some money).

[@janetwray7277]

I watched a couple of your older Swrdish Death Cleaning videos...your mom was kind of resistant before...she is a lot more relaxed about letting thing go now! Your videos inspired me to start doing the same thing. I've gone through my kitchen a couple of times now, shedding more items each time. Same with my linen closet and clothes closet. Working through my " junk room" (some people only have a junk drawer...😅) Really appreciate your videos!

[@nancyfeeser4653]

I keeps old photos of relatives that mean something more than things. I can RELATE so much to your Mom.

[@nancycosgrove4005]

Really good! I’m about the same age as your mom and have been working at downsizing/ decluttering for a while so no one else has to deal with it- very smart thing to do It’s nice watching you and your mom together

[@juliab628]

I was also just thinking, My thoughts would be that if someone really did have a fear that after they were gone, someone would come into their house and toss items into the trash or take them to donation, try to not have that fear. Because honestly, they are just things and not people. I understand that's a valid fear for some people. But I would just want to say try not to worry about that. ❤ main thing is that your love ones left on Earth Are here to live out the life they've been created for. And to focus on that rather than physical Items. Those are just my thoughts that I hope will help Bless someone!

[@shannontorrens1]

Hi Julia, this is my exact thinking too! Once I am gone I don't want to leave a burden of junk for my family to have to sort through but I also don't worry where my things will go or what will happen. I am sure someone will get rid of it or it will go back into the circulation of secondhand offerings. =) Thank you for pointing out that we really should focus more on the people and less on the things.

[@pippas5808]

My thoughts too. If your loved ones have a strong memory attached to something you leave behind, then they will likely keep it as a memento of you. But if it is meaningless to them, then it doesn't matter if they get rid of it. My grandmother bought many items that she imagined would be heirlooms for us, but we didn't keep any of them. But I have her old cook book and a cloth bag she made that I treasure because they remind me of her.

[@aikofujita2420]

Dolls from around the world can be given to schools, especially Montessori schools! Hi from Okinawa Japan!

[@shannontorrens1]

Hello, what a great idea!

[@francinehogsett3065]

This was wonderful..my mom didn’t do this and it was so overwhelming when she passed …I am now trying to get my stepfather to declutter little by little 😊❤️

[@lauragreen4899]

I'm glad in this swedish death cleaning that you kept the swedish dala horses.

[@bonessam9618]

Happy early Birthday, Shannon! 🩷🎂🎉🎉🎉🎂💜 I hope you have a wonderful birthday later in the week. Kathy, you did a great job! Im sure Shannon really appreciates you going through your stuff. I sure wish my parents were more thoughtful with getting rid of things. We are almost done cleaning out the house, 4 car garage, and a barn. My mom passed away 3 years ago and my dad is in assisted living with dementia/ Alzheimer's. It's been a lot of work amongst us siblings going through everything...exhausting and overwhelming. I collect nothing (well, do outside flowers count? 😂). I have very little for decorating and like the calmness it gives me. Have a wonderful Sunday! 💛

[@karunasah]

Hi ... Showpieces that are really old are antiques.. You can sell them at pawn stores whenever you decide to remove them from your home

[@nata3467]

In some ways I am very lucky my mom and I have already discussed what very few items I would like to keep and my son is very open about what he likes at my house and wants. When I move full-time to my small cabin.. whatever I will donate ...let someone else benefit.

[@lorettavalenta]

Love this video! I am the youngest of 5 kids and it fell to me to take care of my parents things when they both entered a nursing home at the same time. Because of how it all happened my husband and I had to go to their house (a 17 hour drive) to get the things that were important to us. We had 3 DAYS to go through the home they had lived in 40 years! It was so mentally taxing. I still have no words to describe that super stressful time even though it was 13 years ago! Not having time to decide what should come with us and what should stay we packed our van full and traveled back home where we promptly put it in our storage area! I was soooo overwhelmed with the stuff and the emotion that I felt like I couldn’t even cope with getting Christmas decorations out for my own family. (My parents situation happened about a month before Christmas) I only wanted Christmas lights on a bare Christmas tree that year. My sweet husband encouraged me to get our normal Christmas decorations out for the kids he and sat with me as we went one by one through the Christmas ornaments and let me say yes or no to whether they went on the tree. It was what I needed at the time -a choice. It took 7 months for me to feel strong enough to face going through my parents things but I did it and I was left with a small tote of things of my parents that I valued and all the rest was given away or taken to Good Will. From that point on I have been very careful that my possessions do not become a burden to my children!!! I would hate for that to be their most prominent memories of me because it was the most traumatic!! Thank you again for this video. It helps to be reminded of not burdening our children with our material possessions!

[@trishs.4326]

Hun take a photo & make a memorabilia scrapbook of all of those lovely sentimental items . Then pass or sell on the item to good will , or sell & use money for quality time with loved ones

[@SCsweettea]

As always love it went Kathy is aboard. She speaks for us empty nesters. I am getting rid of stuff just as she is. My problem is my husband does not want to let go of anything and he has the garage, attic etc. filled. I am so frustrated. He questions my every donation….why’d you get rid of that? We are in an old two story house and I am hoping to sell and move to a single story. We both are fining stairs harder and harder. Kathi you are so lucky your daughter is helping you. Hugs judy

[@nickikufan]

I always enjoy your videos and look forward to them each week. I especially love the ones with your mom. I’m always amazed at how similar you and I declutter our things. I started decluttering about 10-12 years ago before I knew what minimalism and decluttering were. As each kid moved out of the house, I decluttered even more. I eventually decluttered my actual house and house payment and moved into my travel trailer on my parents property to help them out. They are both 81 and I’m 56. I am now helping them clean out their place and my dads two shops that are filled to the brim with car projects he can no longer do. Even with him having dementia, the weight of his things weighs heavily on his mind. My mom decided a few weeks ago to get rid of her china cabinet and doll collection. That’s what I’ll be doing today, checking the value of them and boxing them up. Swedish death cleaning really does work! Thank you for your inspiring videos and I look forward to the next one. 😊

[@eileenlehonnyberg1576]

Curious to see the value of dolls and collections, specifically what is the max value. How many?

[@nickikufan]

@@eileenlehonnyberg1576 unfortunately I had something come up and haven’t had a chance to look. I’ll post here when I do.

[@gailpepper1201]

It was nice to see your mom back with you. A few comments on the video. I used to have a curio cabinet full of things too. I did what you, Shannon, suggested. I took a picture of it and then drew the lines out and told what each piece meant, who it came from etc. The last three years, I pretty much got rid of everything in it. I kept a small amount and packed it into a small plastic container. The pieces are labeled, so our kids know. My curio cabinet now holds mostly Civil War memorabilia. I have told the kids that they can donate it all to a museum if they don't want any of it. I love CW history, so am holding on to it. When kids are honest, most of them don't want anything. My parents had a lot and couldn't understand my siblings and I not wanting things. They came out of the great depression and that generation held onto things. I don't want to leave our kids with the burden of getting rid of a million little things, because that is who it would fall to, to handle it all. I had a doll collection. Besides my own five dolls that I played with, I think I kept 2-4 of our daughters, and the rest I donated to a doll museum. They are for my granddaughter. A note with them says if she doesn't want them, she can donate them to the doll museum also. Your mom had some nice dolls she could do the same with, if she doesn't need to sell them and if you can find a doll museum to donate to. I keep very little Knick knacks. I have a few very special pieces to me, and I will keep them. Another idea I did with things I had inherited from grandparents, I took pictures of the items and then let them go. You can put the pictures in a book (like Shutterfly makes) and tell what the items were. You have a memory book without having to keep it all. I hope this doesn't sound heartless. I am a family historian, so history is important to me. But I also know that I won't be taking it with me when I leave this world and I don't want to over burden our children who have all of their own things to deal with. It's all a process, learning what we once just had to have, and what we learn we really don't need to survive. As your mom said.... it's the silent to do list going on in your head that is actually stressful. I am so glad that she has you to help her and that she too is realizing, we just don't need to hold onto all we have accumulated. Love your videos and always encouraging to keep me motivated to continue downsizing.

[@randommam58]

My mom has multiple cabinets like this… not looking forward to this!!

[@caroltomlin8822]

For the last 4 years my mantra is " LESS IS MORE." I LOVE ORDER 💗

[@sandratalbert9578]

Your grey hair is so beautiful! Thanks for your great motivational videos. I am 83 and have decluttered a bunch but need to do more.

[@christined2495]

My husband and I watch Antiques Roadshow every evening, I love that Show When I started to minimize my curio was the first thing I sold plus everything inside of it… I don’t miss it at all…. I have an only child my daughter, and didn’t want her to get stuck with it all, especially she is more sentimental then I am…. I am a advocate for Swedish Death cleaning… your doing a great job Shannon I love your dress❤

[@lindaroyal8161]

Too funny - I've had it forever, so forever, I must have it! You both are just so funny together, I love watching you interact with each other. Your mom had a great sense of humor, comes up with the best lines. The sentimental stuff is the hardest, for sure. It's fun, like you said to go through it together, tell you the history of the piece. I like how there's notes in a few of the items, good idea!

[@Diniecita]

I did Swedish death cleaning with my Mom and she passed about 2 years later.

[@heatherj3030]

I have the same 1940s yellow and mint green tile in my bathroom. 😊 I love older homes with all the character!❤

[@filausopoako]

another good pile. you and your mum are a great team

[@shannontorrens1]

Thanks 👍

[@fancyflamingo123]

Have you thought about covering the back of this cabinet in a solid color (instead of the mirror)? Then you could really see the items. They would pop against the solid background!

[@annw1395]

I have a lot of things like that: antiques, vintage collectibles, silver and china that aren't in demand. My biggest roadblock is trying to figure out what to do with them.

[@Justmyeverydaylife7]

Trinkets are my weakness too!

[@karenchilders2449]

My great grandma used to put notes in things.

[@razsbags]

A great idea to write notes for things kept as a reminder of why they were kept & for any final cleaning out by others. Decided anything that doesn’t have a story isn’t worth keeping unless something is really useful & used. Problem is thrift shop finds are other people’s stories that I don’t know, so maybe pass them onto someone that can make better use of them. When they do auctions, the auctioneer often tells a story about the item. This encourages more purchasers so maybe leave a note with those things donated or for sale. This video should resonate with most people as we all need to declutter before passing or for life changing moves. Keep it up Shannon & Cathy. I haven’t found content like this with mother & daughter on other channels. Both of you would be great in a TV series or movie! Box office sellout!

[@hopefulheart77]

Decluttering your mom and dad's house is my favorite!❤

[@stinaljungstrom8691]

Dalahäst is the name of the painted horses from the area Dalarna in Sweden, the exact spot were they are made is called Nusnäs, if you want to Google. They are very common but do cost since they are hand painted. The cost depends on how big they are. They can be from maybe 20 dollars for a very tiny much smaller than yours. Your sizes are maybe 40-70 dollars each for a new but its a bit hard to know without measurements. I think they can be worth selling and suggest you measure and translate into centimeter by an online caluclator. Then you can look for the prices for that high in centimeters. The glass animals are problably from Orrefors or Kosta if they are from Sweden. They sell hand made glass so they can cost. Probably worth selling as well, even if I don't know the market were you live. Hope it helps!

[@debrastewart6714]

Hello shannon and your mum Cathy, i love your channel!! Your mum is so lovely,she make me laugh . I love your ideas ,and decluttering . Takecare ladies ,and see you again soon 🤗🥰🌟

[@carlagarrett8584]

Death cleaning is about going through it once as if you are dead and where is it going. However, the video was really good. Just dont go with the wrong thought, because you can end up buying replacements

[@joycemitchell2092]

I love to watch you and your mama declutter. I wish my mama would have been open to doing that before she passed. I have found a few things that I wondered why she kept them. I have no story behind those items 🤷🏻‍♀️😕. Love your videos and the relationship you and your mama share 🥰

[@eileenlehonnyberg1576]

My mom had Alzheimer’s and siblings kept things that mattered to us individually. The funniest “collections” were finding the gift wrap she kept from her bridal shower, along with slides of wedding gifts - discovered where the hall mirror and glass vase came from. Many years after parent’s death siblings finally looked through, purged and shared the years of photos. Most wasteful was the damage that happened to the Christmas decorations that were packed away, not worth saving 😢

[@joanneconnor4319]

I find if you declutter in each cabinet, sometimes you may be able to put everything in one cabinet, sell the others and the house then looks even more decluttered with less furniture. Great job Shannon and Kathy. Jo from Australia xxxx

[@shannontorrens1]

That's a great idea!

[@joanneconnor4319]

xxx@@shannontorrens1

[@debnelson3979]

Good job, ladies!! I have a few sentimental things (I'm 68) and a few of my seven children have taken..... well, very little. They don't want it. I think if I would have USED the items then my children would have a memory connected with them. But just hearing, "this was my grandma's" has no connection to them as she passed away long before any of them were born. Only I have the memories of her. Some of the items I have from my mom (whom they knew and loved) will go to them and I think they will want them, but! Time will tell, eh? Thanks for another good video! (And I agree, getting rid of items does ease our mind)

[@Valeriedreamsbig]

This is my mom too! Well thought out purchases, passed on family members things, and all her own memories. But my sister and I don't want all of this stuff. I'm now an empty nester with sons in the military. They won't want all this either. I sent this video to my mom 🤞🤞🤞😉

[@benitadavis]

glad you are keeping the piano baby, if you ever change your mind be sure to research it, they sell well for me

[@leek7987]

Just an idea that has been helpful to me. Take pictures of some of the things that you will sale or donate that have some meaning to you but not enough to hang onto. You can group like items together, like dolls, animals, etc. It will help you to remember without having the actual items. My mom, 93 years old, and I are going through her things now. We are putting notes on the things she keeps so us kids will know what it is and why she keeps it. It will help us make the right decisions when the time comes.

[@tanyajohnston8262]

I used to collect, a very long time ago, salt and pepper shakers. Probably the only thing I could afford to collect then. I later got rid of them all except a couple. I think they are all gone now. I no longer collect things since I know I will just get rid of later. I do however find it difficult to pass up beautiful or interesting books and pottery from the thrift stores. I have been decluttering for years now and still always have more. My daughter is a minimalist and does not want stuff and my sons really don’t care so it must go. I’m not that attached to stuff really but I like to decorate my home with memories so I keep some and enjoy.

[@vickithornley5056]

It's good to be able to enjoy things you love and appreciate. I really like pottery, also.

[@user-tk1xd9js1z]

Watching from Sweden. See you have a shelf with Swedish stuff, tomte (gnome) dalahäst (horse from Dalarna) and the Swedish flag, in your cabinet. 👍

[@bismyno1]

I’m sure you have been told this many times but I only discovered your channel last night and have watched too many of your videos already…… you and your Mum have a wonderful rapport, so very lovely, charming and humorous 😊🇮🇪

[@shannontorrens1]

Wow, thank you!