Swedish death cleaning

Swedish death cleaning

Swedish death cleaning (Swedish: döstädning) is a decluttering method historically practised in Sweden. It is a simple living practice that encourages people to get rid of belongings before death to spare loved ones from having to manage them.[1] As the practice has become more popular in the United States, it has been praised as practical and gratifying but also criticized as morbid.[2][3] The modern practice was popularised in the book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by the Swedish author Margareta Magnusson.[2][4][5] Magnusson, who died 12 March 2026, described this practice of tidying up as something to do "when you think the time is coming closer for you to leave the planet".[5]

The tradition inspired a 2023 TV show on Peacock streaming,[5] The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, produced by Amy Poehler.[6] In the show, three Swedish people help Americans declutter and detach from their belongings.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Degges-White, Suzanne (1 August 2023). "Death Cleaning: Embracing the Art of Döstädning". Psychology Today. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  2. 1 2 DiGiulio, Sarah (2 November 2017). "'Swedish death cleaning' is the newest decluttering trend". NBC News. Archived from the original on 1 May 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  3. ↑ Schmidt, Mackenzie (24 October 2017). "What Is Swedish Death Cleaning: Döstädning Trend Book". People.com. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  4. ↑ Magnusson, Margareta (3 January 2018). "'Death Cleaning' Is the New Marie Kondo. Should You Try It?". Time. Archived from the original on 9 February 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 Kornelis, Chris (13 March 2026). "Margareta Magnusson, 91, Dies; Wrote of Cleaning Up Before Dying". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  6. ↑ Bell, BreAnna (8 April 2022). "Amy Poehler and Peacock Are Bringing The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning to Life". People.com. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  7. ↑ Golby, Joel (6 July 2024). "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: a rare TV show that will change your life for the better". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
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