Swedish Death Cleaning
When my space is cluttered, I have a harder time thinking and, thus, writing. I need a clear physical space before I can clear my mind and focus. If I am surrounded by stuff, my mind jumps back and forth between what I want to write and a deep need to put things away and “line up my pencils.”
That might be the reason why “Swedish Death Cleaning” appeals to me. The idea is not new; however, it came to my attention only after Margareta Magnusson’s book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Make Your Loved Ones’ Lives Easier and Your Own Life More Pleasant was released in the United States in 2017 (Simon & Schuster). I haven’t actually read her book, but I read about it; the COVID-19 Pandemic was the only hook that I needed to begin putting it into practice.
Plus, since I live in a 1,900 square-foot condo with a husband who has a robust amount of personal “stuff,” I can’t keep much anyway. Swedish Death Cleaning forces my hand in the nicest possible way.
For me, cleaning requires initial messiness as I drag stuff out of closets and make decisions. Goodwill or garbage? Local homeless shelter or local family member? I’ve shed clothes (especially “professional” garments that were great while I worked but are unnecessary in retirement). I’ve sorted and labeled old photos and stuffed them into envelopes for nieces, nephews, and my daughter. I’ve tossed chipped and ripped household goods.
But my books are different. They are off-limits to Swedish Death Cleaning.
Floor-to-ceiling bookcases are my realized dream. Books cram my bookcases—categories of favorite authors (Margaret Atwood, Barbara Kingsolver, John Irving, and Isabel Allende)…fiction (alphabetical, by author)…WWII…poetry…reference…music and art…travel—with each book being precious to me. Rarely, I part with a book at the local Little Free Library, but I also am known to pick up two (or three) from the LFL to bring back home.
Some people attract puppies who follow them home. I attract books.
So while I embrace and am practicing Swedish Death Cleaning, books are sacrosanct. In true hoarding style, I keep them close. That way, I can always wander into the upstairs loft where books command two walls, settle into my recliner with a book, and spend hours reading. After I die, someone else can figure out this part of my life.
How do you feel about Swedish Death Cleaning? Comment below!
