I TRIED SWEDISH DEATH CLEANING | Here Are My Tips For 2024

[@tarynmaria_]

Today I'm sharing thoughts and tips on Swedish Death Cleaning for 2023. I started on my attic and this type of decluttering method is an interesting one! BUT IT WORKS! #decluttering #declutteringmotivation #organization Please subscribe to see more content like this, I'd love to see you around my channel 😊 www.youtube.com/@tarynmaria_?...

[@gloriaonesimus6244]

Since the death of my husband just over two years ago (I am 62) I have applied Swedish Death Cleaning, (reason being I do not have any children to pass my things on to) and over these past two years I have removed by donating or throwing away 80% of stuff from my home. I was so overwhelmed by what my husband and I had gathered over the years, and suddenly everything was left to me... talk about anxiety! Now my home is more minimal it is so wonderful, and stress free. BTW... it is also so much easier and quicker to clean the house. Even now I am still finding items to remove, and for me it has become an addiction because I am loving the positive results. 😊❤

[@tarynmaria_]

Gloria, I am so sorry to hear about your husband. Great work decluttering and getting to a more minimal home!!

[@teresablubaugh321]

You sound like me, just a bit further along the path. My husband died in October and I am 62 years old. I want my life to be simple. I want to be able to move to a smaller, more manageable place. It is a slower process than I thought. I need to get my adult kids stuff out too. Thankfully they both bought houses recently so stuff will be moving soon.

[@gloriaonesimus6244]

@@teresablubaugh321 Hi there, yes you do sound to be a little like me. I am so sorry for your loss. It is so difficult losing a partner, and having to pick up the pieces so we can move on with our lives. After my husband died, I lost all interest in material things, and I am now very careful what I bring into my home. I have found decluttering very therapeutic, and I wish you every success in your decluttering journey. God's blessings, Gloria 💐

[@mindyu3478]

I’m 56, and I’ve already done this. It feels so good. My mom is 80, and she’s done it too. Neither of us ever had or wanted a ton of things anyway, but now I don’t have to stress about her belongings when she passes, and My kids don’t have to stress about mine. My daughter doesn’t want kids, which is good, because you should see her apartment, lol. 😂

[@tarynmaria_]

Great job for doing this! I bet it does feel liberating!!

[@turtleanton6539]

Ooof😅

[@munirasultana2313]

😀😃😄👌

[@denver1865]

"Nice things---not all the things"!!! Very profound!

[@tarynmaria_]

😊 thank you!!

[@audreymeyer5616]

Yes! Stuffed Animals!!!!! I heard of making a bean bag chair with a zipper and stuffing it with those animals. I want to try that

[@tarynmaria_]

Yes - I've seen those!!

[@poodlegirl55]

You are smart to do it now, it is hard to do when you are older. People need to think about emergencies and change of circumstances and how much harder a lot of stuff makes things. We listed our home and it sold in one day. I should have gotten rid of more, there wasn't time. Two years later I had a very serious illness for a year and a half. Could you get around your house in a walker? Could paramedics come in your bedroom easily? Could your spouse who is already taking care of you take care of the house full of stuff? I look at things differently and have pared way down. I also gave my daughters anything they wanted while they were setting up homes. When you die and they are old they won't want your stuff then.

[@tarynmaria_]

So many good points in here and so important to think about. Thank you for sharing!!

[@judewood6340]

Hi I’ve been decluttering for about a year now and I feel so much better! I just got to the loft and took 7+ black bin bags full of stuffed animals to the charity (thrift) shop! I was so proud of my daughters for parting with them all! Even though they are 21 and 19! 😊

[@tarynmaria_]

Wow great job!! It's hard to part with childhood toys in my experience (even when you're older!). ☺

[@lauraanderson8244]

Taryn, My children had lots of stuffed animals but I started early teaching them to declutter their personal space. Your ideas are wonderful for us but also for our children.

[@tarynmaria_]

Great point - so important to do!! :)

[@pearlrichardson4179]

I am glad you mentioned children for decluttering. My ex-husband & I always involved the kids in cleaning of their own rooms & decluttering their own belongings from when they were toddlers. It is a learning experience for them & it takes the burden on just the parent(s) cleaning their room. I was not their maid & their dad was not their butler. My now adult children learned to appreciate what was taught to them & have passed it down to the grandchildren.

[@wendyinegbenedo1307]

I have done so well decluttering and swedish death cleaning over the past year and a half, but now I wany to find a balance of having prep items (with inflation and supply chain issues) I want to have a good baackstock of food and supplies but not be overloaded either.... ❤

[@tarynmaria_]

So true! I also feel like the quality of things is decreasing! I have certain older items that are so much sturdier and better than the new versions!

[@giennefarcais6834]

Okay, but have you worked through the why of how you ended up with so much stuff? Will you stop buying? When do you decide you have enough? If you don't tackle that part of the issue, you'll be decluttering forever.

[@tarynmaria_]

Yes, absolutely! A lot of the kid toys are gifts and hand me downs (the clothing too - I love hand me down kid stuff) but I agree - decluttering will never end if I don't stop bringing stuff into the house!

[@valeriebarnoski1319]

This is something I absolutely should start doing!

[@tarynmaria_]

You’ll feel really good about it I’d say!

[@wendyinegbenedo1307]

I myself was a stuffed animal girl. Even as an adult, I collected Boyds Bears. I decluttered all but a handful and it was hard at first but each time it became easier. Things I thought I could never part with, weren't such treasures after all. ❤

[@krisvanallen]

My husband was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) this past October. He had brain surgery in November. This is not a cancer that can be cured. It comes back; it is just a matter of time. He likely only has 2-3 years at the very best. He is 61 and I am 60. We’ve been married 37 years, together from dating 44 years. High school sweethearts, he was 17 and I was 16. It has put so many things into perspective for what we have and what we keep. For myself, I have a lot of scrapbooks I have made over the years. Frankly, I have arrived at the place where I don’t even care if my kids throw them away. I realize that I made the scrapbooks for myself. They can keep them, look at them, or toss them. My abundant crafting supplies are already slated for two friends to go through and keep or donate. When ya start realizing how fast death can come, it changes your whole perspective.

[@tarynmaria_]

I'm so sorry to hear that :( I hope everything goes well with the surgery ❤

[@krisvanallen]

@@tarynmaria_ thank you. The surgery was 11/3/23.

[@vvvv-h8m]

I too have done this cleaning. When you walked up to the attic your fascial expression is like omg. Imagine our grown kids having this same expression that is why I got rid of things. Stuffed animals no need to have to much when I tossed them out I thought of all the money I wasted

[@tarynmaria_]

You are so right!! A lot of our kid toys are either gifts or hand me downs but the sheer volume is crazy!

[@alejandrapoch9338]

Hi Taryn, I’m new to your channel. I love your insights. I am a huge fan of KonMari. In the last 4 years I have decluttered 85% of our stuff. Now we live way more minimal. I’m teaching my children to declutter too. They’re starting to like it. But yes my girls still have so many stuffed animals. It’s incredible. But what I did was I paid them for a box full of stuffed animals.I got that tip from the Dawn the minimal mom 😊 One of my three girls refused. Pretty good. It’s just to jumpstart to give away to others. But to be honest, when I was their age, 7, my stuffed animals were my everything 😅

[@tarynmaria_]

Love that idea about stuffed animals - I think I need to try that :) And great job about decluttering so much stuff - that is amazing!!

[@laurabenevelli6783]

My parents grew up during the depression in the late 30’s - early 40’s so they kept so much stuff which was not the same as hoarding. I moved back home after leaving my ex. After my parents died I was still living here and I had a TON of stuff to go through. It has taken me years and I mean years. I still have a few things to go through but I have added my own stuff so now I have had to go through all of that to. I have a way to go with my stuff now. I don’t want to leave my son with the same mess my parents left for me. When I die I want to make it easier for my son.

[@tarynmaria_]

Thank you so much for sharing 😊

[@juliemix3373]

I enjoyed this. I'm 73 and have been Swedish Death cleaning for over a year. Before that i was pretty minimalistic. But now it's like I'm just not that inertested in things that just a year ago I did want. It just keeps changing. I'm not in a place where I can just throw things in a car and take them to the dump or the thrift store. it feels frustrating. I enjoyed your channel. I've never watched you before. Cheers

[@tarynmaria_]

Thank you so much for your comment, Julie! I am the same - I used to want so much decor and now I don't even like it. I am so glad you're here :)

[@g.m.4877]

You have distilled the Swedish Death cleaning idea beautifully. My takeaways are the box just for me and the " if it fell in mud..." concept. Thanks and i look forward to catching up on your other videos!

[@tarynmaria_]

Thank you so much!

[@suewolf3279]

I was at Urgent Care with your book several weeks ago. One woman spoke up and said that the book title was quite interesting. I then began to tell her what the concept was all about. She said she never thought of it that way before. I think you have another convert

[@gwenj5419]

My mom lived with us so really only had one room of stuff and yet it still was a process finding places to pick up the furniture andwhat family members wanted what (if anything.) I can't imagine having to do a whole house at once.

[@tarynmaria_]

Thanks for sharing! A whole house is a lot!

[@tarat26]

Bless you, in all honesty we are still going through my mums house 8 years later. Yes there are our old childhood things that we had to go through but they were the easiest to get rid. It took us years of not wanting to go through any of it, incase the other siblings may have wanted to keep it (they wasn't ready to look through it). My partner has both parents and their home is twice the size of my mums and it's packed with sooo many things. It fills me with dread as I could donate these things easily but my partner would save everything.

[@gwenj5419]

@@tarat26 It's hard when you don't agree. My husband and I are both "less clutter" types but we don't always agree on what is clutter and what is a keeper. 😂 My mom downsized through a series of gradual transitions (4 bed house, to small annex, to a room in our home.) Each time most of the work fell on me, but at least it wasn't all at once.

[@tarynmaria_]

Thank you so much for sharing!@@tarat26

[@InfiniteSoulRoots]

I had a cute netted hanging corner hammock that was for the bulk of my children's stuffed animals, & loved it! They could rotate which ones they wanted to have on the their beds, to play with, et.

[@tarynmaria_]

I know exactly what you're talking about - such a great idea!

[@anaf.848]

Stuffed animals are the hardest thing for my kids to get rid of. I finally had to limit them to a certain number of baskets and made them narrow it down. And now, when they get new ones, they have to get rid of some to make sure everything still fits in the baskets. It's helped; but yes, stuffed animals are the hardest to keep decluttered.

[@tarynmaria_]

Great idea about the baskets!! :)

[@MartyLawless-kh2jd]

My experience has been that it is much easier to clean out stuff once the owner has passed. And I laugh at the idea that it will be my kids' turn to clean up. 😂 That said, I do appreciate the results when I declutter and I recognize that what is valuable to me may not matter to others. I am getting much better at reducing my stuff - except for fabric and sewing supplies...don't touch those yet!!

[@tarynmaria_]

Thanks for sharing!! :)

[@marybethfrain7165]

Im 78 and doing this a lot and it feels great

[@tarynmaria_]

Amazing!

[@suewolf3279]

I am in my seventies and for the better part of six years I have been decluttering, throwing things away, giving things away and donating items. It always makes me feel so good when things are decluttered, organized and cleaned. I inherited beautiful things from my grandmother. I have traveled a lot and have items from all over the world so I have a lot to go through. I keep telling my children when the time comes if you're think there's so much you have to go through just imagine what it would be like if I didn't start this task.

[@tarynmaria_]

That is great that you have done so much decluttering! I agree that it's liberating - you keep what you love and the things you don't can go off to a better home! :)

[@amisklake5711]

I'm just wondering why we should declutter the hidden areas first? I'm a new subscriber. Thanks.

[@tarynmaria_]

Welcome!! I have two thoughts on this one and it really depends on your goals. If your goal is to have less stuff and get to the point of only keeping what you need, use and love then I say you can start with the hidden areas because that is where we often have the most stuff and can make a big impact. If your goal is to make your existing stuff accessible and have a quick win to stay motivated, then starting with an area you can see will really do that and you should start there ☺

[@celesteg1088]

My daughter has a real problem with squish mallows. 😂

[@tarynmaria_]

Yes - my son too!

[@jvallas]

Something I wish I'd hammered home to myself long ago: do it *_now._* I'm 76, and I've put off the declutter for so long that now that I'm actually doing it, I'm at a point where everything takes twice as long and causes twice as much pain or discomfort to be clearing out. Had I started earlier, it would just be done.

[@tarynmaria_]

It's ok - I always say it takes time - go at your own pace and honestly, the fact that you're thinking about it/starting means you're way ahead of most people!

[@jennyjenkins877]

Are you going to do more videos on this where you really show what you're decluttering and discuss the decision-making process?

[@tarynmaria_]

Great idea! I might have to film this one over time because I am doing this very slooowly!! I have about 2 large garbage bags of kids toys ready to go to the donation center now :)

[@munirasultana2313]

Loved your video 💟 A new Subscriber here 👍

[@tarynmaria_]

Thank you so much and I am glad you’re here!!

[@ninasan1524]

1. Let your loved ones know 2. Start with less personal items 3. Give your possessions gradually 4. Keep memories for yourself 5. Donate and sell the rest

[@tarynmaria_]

Thanks Nina!

[@freden9234]

I think you meant number four to be “keep memories for yourself”

[@ninasan1524]

@@freden9234 Oh that’s right. Thanks for pointing it out. 😊

[@jeaninekelly4271]

My kids are 33 and 31. I just had a bonfire with all the stuffed animals, books, and other stuff. I did it to myself over 30 years and now I am over having all this old crap hanging around. My kids are relieved.

[@tarynmaria_]

Wow! It’s so freeing to let go of stuff!

[@ritathainey-clement8222]

Bologna!!! I’m not dead YET!!

[@berenicemencias6635]

My house is cluttered with thomas the train sets, legos and wrestlers.. my boys are now 17 and 12 and they havent wanted to let go because they want to keep

[@tarynmaria_]

Yes! I have to donate my kids' toys when they aren't looking - they want to keep everything!!

[@nancygraham8940]

Give each boy a nice size tote. When it is full of stuff that’s it. You will be surprised at what they really don’t want!!

[@tarynmaria_]

Thanks Nancy!!@@nancygraham8940

[@wendyinegbenedo1307]

Loved your video!! I am new to your channel!!❤

[@tarynmaria_]

Yay I’m so glad you’re here!

[@elib7311]

Your attic became Monica’s secret hoarding closet (Friends) 😂😂

[@tarynmaria_]

Haha, right?! :)

[@ch-lara2384]

My way that the kids reduce stuffed animals 🧸 : If my kids want a new stuffed animal they have to give away the twice in weight. For that I have a weight list... With this method they now can reduce 🧸. And also they finally want less stuffed animals. But they still have a lot of it 🙃

[@tarynmaria_]

That’s a great idea!

[@nancynewman6592]

we all had allergies.... stuffed animals were 1-2 per kid :)

[@tarynmaria_]

Boo for allergies but yay for some control on the stuffed animals! We have way too many! :)

[@1whitecottagelife770]

One tip for whoever is starting on decluttering, declutter first, remove the trash, then the recycling, then remove the declutterred items from your house RIGHT AWAY, and only once you know what you're keeping, re-evaluate the need to buy more storage/organization containers/shelves/gadgets . I was left with a lot of containers, shoe racks etc empty. I'm having to give them away now

[@tarynmaria_]

Great tip! Thank you for sharing!

[@molee8863]

Very sound advice regarding decluttering first then assessing what organizational tools you'll need thereafter. I always try to shop my home first before purchasing anything.

[@theresalee9392]

❤

[@tarynmaria_]

Thank you!!

[@MMPutnam77]

Any thoughts for people who don't have children? I have a couple nephews but they don't want a lot of my stuff. So do I sell the rest?

[@tarynmaria_]

I think you could check with friends! And donating or selling other items would work well 😊

[@carmenlheureux5435]

Trust me, kids don’t want our stuff either.

[@tarynmaria_]

Yes! I also feel like 75% of my stuff is theirs, ha!@@carmenlheureux5435

[@MMPutnam77]

@@tarynmaria_ Goo idea. I didn't think of friends or even children of friends. Neighbors, etc. If we decide to move, I can even ask the new owners if they want to keep anything.

[@MMPutnam77]

@@carmenlheureux5435 I got a lot of my mom's stuff already because she did the SDC before she moved. I took a lot of stuff without thinking.

[@emcarver8983]

I'm starting it now. I'm 77

[@tarynmaria_]

Wishing you luck with the cleaning!

[@yvonnemercury5443]

God bless you

[@lorig.7127]

Don't keep those tea cups your uncle gave you in a box hidden away Use them, honor them, enjoy them.

[@tarynmaria_]

Thank you! 😊

[@molee8863]

I've come to that conclusion as well. Use the things that are passed down to you instead of keeping them in a box forgotten in a basement, attic or storage unit 😊. Every time a use my mom's China I always think of her. How better to honor her.

[@sleuththewild]

Just Kondo everything you own, all at once! You generally don't need all this stuff as you age, plus, it can cause accidents when you aren't in command of all your faculties, and there is a danger of leaving it to someone else to clean up. Does it give you joy? Get rid of all of it that doesn't, but no need to do it one item at a time. This is where Kondo intersects with death cleaning: if it doesn't give you joy, it certainly won't give joy to anyone who's stuck with it..

[@tarynmaria_]

Thank you for sharing!

[@raykincaid]

I disagree with this definition of death cleaning. Sorting through things for your heirs is only a small part of it. It's more about lightening your own burden so you LIVE without the weight of so many things. And that makes your remaining life - long or short - so much easier and better.

[@tarynmaria_]

I think it's all of it! Including decluttering your things your family won't need after you're gone.

[@more5347]

this is sort of like not painting your house the colour you love because the next people who buy it might not like your colours. you can live in a boring beige house, or you can live with the colours and stuff you love. I chose to keep my stuff. on the other hand, I don't have all those items you mentioned. stuffed animals, kids sports crap, and all the assorted other stuff.

[@anda1anda2]

I am not good at selling anything. If I cannot donate it or garbage it, I have trouble.

[@tarynmaria_]

I dislike selling things personally, it doesn't often work out!

[@rebeccarendle3706]

Minimalism is basically the same as essentialism.. and neither have "rules" .. they are concepts that help you leave a better, less stressful life... with keep what you "need and/or love/sparks joy"... The Americans, discovering these concepts eg through Con Marie, suddenly needed and made "rules".. because the US is an "all or nothing" society and a society of excess, where they see everything "black or white".. In Europe, a lot of what the American Society considers "minimalist or essentialism" is just our "normal way of life" in Europe. Swedish Death Cleaning is NOT ONLY keeping the "things your family will want".. but it is getting rid of stuff that they don't want, so they don't have to deal with all your crap. But you should of course keep things you love and bring you joy even if they don't want it. But make sure your kids know they do NOT have to inherit it and keep it if they don't want to. Keep inventory low, so you have what you want, but no more than that. My kids know they do not have to keep anything from my. I have 2 vertical filing boxes for my kids.. one has files for each year age 0 to 18 with pictures, drawings, cards etc they treasure. The other has lumpy stuff eg baby clothes, toys, crafts, christening candle etc. We go through it 1x a year and they declutter to make space for more/newer stuff. I have one memory box.. most my important things are out as decor eg in 2 small glass cabinets on living room or on shelves and walls (painings, statues). I only ask my kids.. if I suddenly die, keep all my photos. You are young and not bothered now, but when you have kids, hit your 40s-50s you will be interested in family and ancestors etc.

[@tarynmaria_]

Thanks Rebecca!

[@zirania6895]

The accurate name is not Do stadning or as it would be in swedish Dö städning. Its Döds städning. Dö is die. Död is dead or death.

[@gretarank2784]

sad to say a lot of things we treasure the kids don't want to be bothered with. When my MIL died the grandkids/ great grands didn't want much of her things

[@tarynmaria_]

Yeah, I think I need to start writing down things for the kids so that they will maybe have an understanding of what I'm leaving. I might try that.

[@susanaskew6738]

ok. I am going to be super critical. I cannot believe you have so much stuff in the first place. Maybe instead of buying new stuff start a saving policy for your kids or give your money to charity?

[@tarynmaria_]

Yes, we definitely aren't buying new stuff! With three kids over the last 15 years a lot has been accumulated. We don't even buy toys for the kids unless it's their birthday or a holiday (and never have) but we also have a ton of hand me down toys from friends and family!

[@annpinheiro2918]

Pig all these years you did not clean and now doing dearh cleaning

[@tarynmaria_]

Hope everything is ok with you!

[@rebeccaa3087]

What a classy reply taryn 😊

[@rebeccaa3087]

I would have taken it personally. Great example of controlling your emotions .well done ! Ps I love your videos and raw honesty

[@Pansorie]

My 9 and 5 year olds are obsessed with stuffies. And every single one is played with and has sentimental value. I honestly have no clue how they manage it, but they do. 🫠

[@tarynmaria_]

☺❤