Forget Spring Cleaning—Here's Why You Should Embrace Swedish Death Cleaning Instead
While it may sound morbid, Swedish Death Cleaning isn’t just for those preparing for the end of life. It’s for anyone who wants to live with less stress, fewer distractions, and more peace.
Swedish Death Cleaning—known as döstädning in Sweden—may sound grim, but the philosophy behind it is deeply practical and liberating. Rooted in the Swedish ethos of simplicity and sustainability, this approach ensures that loved ones are not left with the burden of sorting through years of accumulated belongings. Instead, it allows us to take control of our own legacy way ahead of time, only keeping items that serve a purpose or bring joy.
In the same way decluttering isn’t just for spring cleaning or downsizing, Swedish Death Cleaning is beneficial for everyone. After all, what’s more motivating than decluttering your home now so your loved ones aren’t left with a mess when you pass away one day?
Expert Insight
As someone who considers herself tidy but struggles to find a system that sticks, I was curious to see if this method could truly transform my home—and my mindset.
So, I invited professional home organizer Hester Van Hien from Tidylicious into my two-bedroom apartment to guide me through the process.
What I learned was far more than just how to declutter and organize; it was about reshaping my relationship with my belongings and my home life in general.
The Problem with “Fake Tidiness”
I take pride in making my home look presentable. I love hosting dinner parties, finessing my interior design, and creating an inviting atmosphere.
At first glance, my home appears neat—clear surfaces, styled bookshelves, and a color-coordinated wardrobe. But open a drawer, and it’s a bit like that Monica scene in Friends. Every available space is a hidden storage zone. And while I use boxes to compartmentalize, nothing seems to stay organized for long.
My wardrobe, in particular, is a constant battle—I declutter quarterly, but somehow, it always overflows again. Seeing how many clothes I still had with the tags on, Hester encouraged me to remove any labels as soon as I buy something and know I’m keeping it, “it's yours! Not the shop's!” she exclaimed.
Hester quickly identified the issue: “Decluttering and organizing are different,” she explained. “Don’t try to organize before you’ve cleared out.”
That struck a chord. I had never really gotten to the root of the problem—I had just been rearranging my clutter without doing the most mentally exhausting part: decision-making of what to keep. Organizing and putting away nicely is simply the respite.
Decluttering V.S. Revealing What You Love
Decluttering isn’t about deprivation; it’s about curating a home filled with things that genuinely bring you joy or serve a purpose. Before we started, Hester asked me three key questions:
How do I want my home to feel?
What truly matters to me in life?
What kind of order would make my daily routine easier?
These questions helped shift my mindset. Instead of viewing decluttering as getting rid of things, I started seeing it as making space for what I genuinely love.
Having a home organizer is a collaborative process, but ultimately, Hester challenged me to take ownership and responsibility myself. We need to have agency when it comes to our home so that it ultimately works for our household and the personalities in it.
From Overwhelm to Order
Hester’s method follows a clear, structured approach:
Take everything out. Yes, everything. “You need to see what you own,” she insisted.
Sort into categories. Grouping similar items together prevents mix-ups in drawers and cupboards.
Declutter to the ‘sweet spot.’ Many people stop too soon—going further ensures a lasting effect.
Make decisions based on value, not guilt. Keeping things ‘just in case’ or because they were gifts creates unnecessary clutter.
Implement a sustainable system. Organization should fit your lifestyle, not just look good for a day.
The Emotional Side of Decluttering
Sorting through my wardrobe was eye-opening. As we worked, Hester noticed my hesitation every time I said “but”—as in, “I haven’t worn this in years, but… it was expensive.”
“People struggle with letting go because of guilt,” she explained. “They think, ‘I spent money on this’ or ‘It was a gift.’ But if something isn’t serving you, keeping it won’t change that.”
Worrying about waste is a big factor in clutter, Hester explains. But it shouldn’t stop you from decluttering when you can find ethical ways to rehome items such as local Facebook groups for free giveaways, charity donations and recycling.
Rather than leaving others to decide what’s important after you’re gone, you make those decisions now.
Letting go of old items often means letting go of old relationships, past versions of ourselves, and outdated identities. We form emotional attachments to things, but sometimes, holding onto them only holds us back. Swedish death cleaning—a philosophy that reminds us our belongings will eventually end up somewhere else—helped me recognize that it’s better to simplify now rather than burden myself (or others) later.
Like everything, decision-making is a muscle. The more you practice it, the stronger you get. And not everything needs to be functional—some things are worth keeping just because they’re beautiful.
Game-Changing Decluttering Hacks
I never realized how transformative it would be to have someone to bounce ideas off of and guide me through the decluttering process. It kept me accountable and ensured progress as it was easier to overcome my excuses and indecision.
Hester not only provided support but also shared practical strategies that truly helped me reshape my space:
Store items vertically instead of stacking them. This keeps everything visible at a glance, making decisions faster and easier. Ask yourself: “Can I see everything without moving other things?”
Use dividers. Separating categories prevents the “junk drawer” effect where you throw everything inside.
Stop piling things up. Layers of clutter hide what you own and make it harder to find things, wasting time and energy.
Store large items in deep cupboards instead of cluttering them with small objects.
Sub-categorize to make large categories manageable. For example, books can be broken down into fiction, gardening, cookbooks, etc.
Don’t mix categories! Otherwise, you’ll always just chuck random things in. You need to be strict.
Invest in matching hangers to create a tidier, more uniform look in your wardrobe.
Ditch the ‘keep the box to sell it’ habit. Keeping empty boxes is just hoarding in disguise!
Take off packaging once you buy something and know you’re keeping it—it’s yours, not the shop’s!
Curate your décor by only keeping ornaments that hold sentimental or aesthetic value. Ask yourself, ‘does this spark joy?’
Use the ‘last used’ test—if you can’t remember using it, let it go.
Sort items into four piles – keep, donate, sell, recycle and have an ‘exit strategy.’ Unwanted items shouldn’t linger. Set up a system to remove them quickly, either by donating, recycling or throwing away.
Finding Joy in What Remains
Swedish Death Cleaning isn’t about minimalism—it’s about meaning. It’s about surrounding yourself with things that enhance your life. Some items are beautiful, some are practical and some are just sentimental. It’s okay to keep things, as long as they serve a purpose or bring joy.
Hester encouraged me to create a personal box—a collection of deeply personal items that mean something only to me. This aligns with the Swedish Death Cleaning philosophy: rather than leaving others to decide what’s important after you’re gone, you make those decisions now.
You can even leave a note on the box instructing that it should be thrown away after you pass, relieving loved ones of any guesswork and enabling them to respect your privacy.
The Exit Strategy
Decluttering doesn’t stop once you decide what to let go of—you need an “exit strategy.” The quicker and easier it is to remove unwanted items, the less likely they’ll linger in your home.
Make donations convenient, set up a sell-and-donate pile, and don’t second-guess your decisions once an item is out of sight. And only give items to loved ones if you think they really need them—or will want them—otherwise, you’re just adding to their clutter, too. “Family members and friends often find it difficult to say no to a hand-me-down from someone they love, so think carefully before giving something away to them,” Hester encouraged.
The Joy of Empty Space
Perhaps the most surprising revelation? It’s okay to have empty space. Not every shelf, drawer, or surface needs to be filled. Sometimes, the greatest luxury is simply having room to breathe.
Plus, when you have empty space, you never know what’s going to come into your life to fill it!
The Real Impact of a Tidy Home
Hester encouraged me to take ownership of my home, rather than outsourcing decisions. She pushed me to ask, “Can I see everything without moving other things?” and “Is this item adding ease or frustration to my life?”
Decluttering also shifted my mindset away from “special occasion thinking.” Every day should feel special. If an item isn’t practical or doesn’t bring joy, it’s not worth keeping.
Another game-changer? Eliminating seasonal wardrobes. Hester inspired me to store all my clothes together so I could see my entire wardrobe at once. No more packing things away for months, only to forget about them.
It’s not about preparing for death—it’s about fully embracing life, with only the things that make it better.
During our session, I also had a lightbulb moment—I was treating my clothes worse than a shop would. When I worked in retail, I carefully folded and displayed items beautifully. Why wasn’t I doing the same for myself in my own wardrobe?
I finally started asking myself: Is it annoying? Is it practical? Does it make my life easier? If an item adds frustration—like a bag with an awkward opening or a blouse with sleeves I can’t function in—it’s not worth keeping.
Since my session with Hester, I’ve felt a surprising emotional shift. My home feels lighter—but so does my mind. I no longer feel suffocated by stuff. I don’t waste time rummaging through cluttered drawers; I can now delight in my Marie Kondo-inspired ‘joy-sparking’ wardrobe.
Outwardly, I care so deeply about how my home looks, yet I failed to extend that same care and compassion to my inner world—the part of me that truly shapes my everyday life, more than the fleeting praise of dinner party guests.
And most importantly, I’ve developed a sense of ownership over my space, realizing that I deserve a home that is both functional and beautifully presented—even if it’s only me opening the drawers.
If you’ve ever struggled to maintain a clutter-free home, I highly recommend giving Swedish Death Cleaning a try. It’s not about preparing for death—it’s about fully embracing life, with only the things that make it better.
Follow Hester on Instagram for more decluttering tips at @tidylicious_home or on tidylicious.com