When my uncle decided to put me down as his next of kin to deal with his stuff after his death I asked him to read the book. He is now cleaning up his apartment and got all his paperwork done for me. I had read the book and got a good laugh and so did he. I’m clearing out a lot of stuff myself at 58. He’ll be 80 this year and still very actively living.
Wow, good for him giving you a heads up and listening when you gave him that book. A lot of the time people just don't know where you start. And just to say about hoarding, it's acknowledged that there are underlying emotional issues for people who hoard, so they may need regular hired help along with counseling to get out of that situation. I've worked with so many people who want to change but just cannot until they can look at the emotional freeze that's keeping them stymied.
@@garlicgalore Good points. For years/decades I have stored stuff that belonged to my grandparents and mom who passed away, plus I kept too many baby items of my own kids. There is emotional attachment because the items feel like pieces of the person, or of a time period, even if logically I can see it’s too much, I don’t even look at it all. If I pared down I might actually be able to enjoy it.
Smart of you, with your uncle. He’s making your future job easier while also keeping active and having a project/goal which is good for him physically and mentally. 👍
As an Aussie lady in her 40's, I did the Swedish death clean 3 years ago when I got fed up with the junk I owned. I now have an amazing home I am proud to walk into every day and it takes no time to clean. Everything in its spot, and everything has a purpose or use. Life changing, for real!
I am single 70 and my home was great until one son decided to give up his rural rental and move home until he buys a place of his own and that is now looking out of reach for him. Imagine your house filled with two houses of furniture, imagine your tidy garage now filled with all his extra tools washing machine dryer 2 lawn mowers etc etc. The only true quiet free spaces are my bedroom, the bathroom and the toilet,, lol
0:15 It’s about valuing what matters in life, living simple, financial freedom, escaping the rat race, living life on your terms and doing what genuinely makes you happy
I'm trying to build financial freedom, presently educating myself about personal finance and investing.Please point Me in a direction of articles and books that are helpful. I've found it difficult to learn online
My mother did this in stages for over 10 years before she moved into long-term care. It did make life much easier for us. She was a very pragmatic and realistic person. Miss you Ma.
My mom died suddenly in February. I was the one to clean out her house, which was the house I grew up in. It was a big job, she was not a hoarder or anything, but she was very sentimental, and so am I. I was so happy to come across all the little drawings and cards my children had given her through the years-she kept almost all of them, and things from my childhood that I had forgot about but brought me great memories as I was going through her things. Did it make the job bigger? A bit, but on the other hand, I was so touched by the fact that she treasured all these little reminders of her children and grandchildren. If she had decluttered constantly, I'm sure all those things would have been gone, and I'm glad they weren't. I didn't keep them all, but I did bring some back to my kids and we had such great conversations and memories attached to these little cards and mementos. I know everyone seems to be on the "get rid of it" train these days, but as someone who has recently gone through this process, I am glad my mom hadn't thrown everything away. Just another perspective. Life is for living, and if you love something, even if it is full of silly sentiment, then keep it.
I agree with you 100%. It's all about what is important to you in your life. Keeping small items of sentiment is wonderful and can really bring you (and others) joy. When I speak of getting rid of items, I'm referring to those things that don't add value to your life and are actually causing you stress to keep. I'm really sorry about your Mum, but how wonderful that you discovered those lost memories.🥰 Thank you for sharing and thank you for watching!🙏
I keep all those special little cards and things as well. I can't throw them out. I have a little note my son wrote me when he was five, and it's so precious, but I keep them in a book, it's full of special tickets, notes, photos, etc like an album. only the very special stuff goes on there.
I am sorry for your loss. I lost my wonderful mother-in-law and then my dad within a month of each other last year. My mom and dad live with us, so their things are down to very minimal sentimental items. My mil on the other hand had a 2500 sq ft home that my husband grew up in. She was a collector of several different things, a ton of friends that gave her more collectibles to add to the collections over the years. Getting her house cleaned out was so draining. The few boxes of personal, family sentimental where the only things that stopped my husband in the process, but they ended up only a few boxes of items out of a whole household. It was so sad to see her things sold off or given away, but it was a lesson in how material and everyday things are not what family values in the end.
My mother died this year also. She held onto her things as treasure. It's been difficult for me at 76 getting stuff up out of the basement. I'm the youngest of the siblings. I've used two different thrift stores to give stuff to after we each take items we each want. I don't want to do that to my family. Plus I don't really like a lot of excessive stuff around.
My mother died two weeks ago. My dad is doing the clearing out of the house and came across a card I had given her in 1998 with a long letter about how thankful I was that she was my mom. Well, that was just what I needed yesterday as I was having a “bad day” missing her. Sometimes it IS the little things that are saved that bring great joy. Luckily I had managed to clear out quite a bit of the junk in three of their four bedrooms years ago. I could list what all was absolute junk but I’m sure many others here know what I’m talking about. The letter made up for all that.
My parents sent a list of any "valuable" items in their home to all the children (8) when the were in their sixties (my mother) and seventies (my father.) They asked each of us to note what was most important to each of us and send it back to them. That list was kept and often, they would gift an item to one of us. When they were gone, I had to go through the house myself, and often found, attached to the back or base of an item, masking tape with a sibling's name on it. It made it so easy to disperse the items to those who my parents specified. There were pieces that had no names on them and my brother and I, as executors of the will, had to determine to whom the items would go. But we still had the list, and that made it so much easier.
I'm going one step further. I'm making that list, but the smaller things, I'm putting into boxes with tags as to where it came from, why I treasured it, and who I would like it to go to if they don't want it. Hopefully, that will be all the boxes and clutter I have left when I go.
So grateful to find this. Autistic. Single. Sixty. Four grown kids. I really appreciate you. The video is so well edited and pleasing in every way. Very moving.
I was watching videos on organizing and I was actually browsing Amazon for containers and organizers etc, when it dawned on me that I was reshuffling the stuff that I hadn't worn or even remembered that I had. Once I started declutterring, I was left with a mountain of organizers, plastic totes, containers etc. I've got so much room in my house it's amazing!
Me too! I had so many empty plastic storage containers. It's amazing how you spend time and money on organising when you could just reduce the stuff you're organising.🤷♀️ Thanks so much for watching.🙏
Despite never having heard of Swedish death cleaning my mother has lived this way for the last 40 years. Yes it can make life simpler, but you need to be careful not to fall in the traps- you said it became a compulsion once you got to a certain stage, this is how it is with my mother-she is 86 years old but has nothing in her flat much over 2 years old. When I give her something or make her a garment, even if it is very useful it is a good bet by the time I go back to see her it has landed up in the charity shop. She finished up with many of my possessions when I went to university because she emigrated while I was away. When she came back from abroad she sent my stuff to the charity shop, because throwing things away or giving them away makes her feel good- not because they weren't useful or because I didn't want them back, she had already done this with most of her own possessions, so to get the buzz my stuff had to go. Often it is the act of getting rid of thigs that feels good-not the state they leave behind-so caution is indicated, because that is no more psychologically healthy than the clutter.
There is something else going on. If your mother threw out all of your stuff without warning you that is not a compulsion - it’s actually a form of theft. Why are you spending time making your mother clothing when you know that she doesn’t want it? You’re an adult, you can be reasonable. I don’t know, but this doesn’t sound like compulsive Swedish death cleaning, it just sounds like you and your mom aren’t behaving reasonably. Finally, there is nothing wrong with having nothing under 2 years old in your home, no matter your age. You sound judgmental, even though it’s possible that your mother has some sort of mental health issue. Instead of trying to get your mother some professional help, here you are complaining about her.
Exactly what I told my sons. They wanted me to toss things I really just couldn't and they got a little peeved when I wouldn't. They made me get rid of a long, sturdy desk that I regret now, because nobody picked it up from the curb, and the maintenance men broke it apart and threw it into the dumpster. Broke my heart, plus, I need it now and wish I could have it back.
My mother decluttered her pictures of me as a child as well as some of my own children. I know there's only so many things an older person can take care of but when she gave them to me it made me really depressed. She did it right before moving across the country. The only thing that made me feel better is at least she gave them to me instead of throwing them in the garbage.
@@erikareading My father’s mental health declined and he threw out a very precious box of family photos. I will forever regret not having asked him for that box before it was too late.
After having to clean out my mother and step father’s 3 bedroom house , alone, and my father’s 4 bedroom and office 😫 I now declutter 2-3 times a year. Living simpler is freeing!
Our Children aren't going to be left with a whole bunch of stuff to get rid of, We don't want to leave them with that. But I notice, as a person ages, they want less things around, that are messy or hard to keep up with. I learned this years ago, and just keep working at it. It makes a person feel so GOOD.
Hmmm....I have lots of garden gloves, but I go through them like you wouldn't believe. I got a lot of them for 90% off at after-summer sales, and now way am I getting rid of them.
I was relieved to see you mention "after one year of Swedish Death Cleaning." It makes me a bit more relaxed to understand that this is a lengthy process. I started it a few monthjs ago. My greatest challenge is finding places for my items to go, since I don't want to be responsible for sending them to a dump.
Yes! It is a lengthy process and I'm by no means an expert but I do think it's worth at least getting started. The rewards do come quite soon so that's motivation in itself. Thank you for watching.🙏😘
I've been decluttering for 3 years now, and still have a lot to go. Take your time. Don't rush it and regret getting rid of things you didn't really want to.
I decided to just let it go. If I don’t do it, it will go to the dump when I die and I will have simply transferred that effort, cost and guilt to someone else. Learn from it. Apologize for your ignorance. Let it go, and move on. I promise, once you let it go, you won’t ever think again about how you did it and you will feel liberated.
You took the words out of my mouth. I start, I quickly get overwhelmed, I quit. And my kids will resent me into eternity if I don’t purge this stuff during my lifetime. It’s a comfort to be reminded that it is a lengthy process.
I did a serious decluttering about 15 years ago (when we just called it "decluttering"). It helped me finish some projects too, like painting the baseboards and adding a shelf unit in the kitchen. It turned my dismal little house into a really delightful place.
New to your channel.....love it....the greatest gift my mother ever gave me was her swedish death cleaning, decluttering, etc. I was the only child so when she passed she made this so much easier both emotionally and physically...I still...9 years after the fact praise her efforts and 7 years ago I did my home and now am in maintenence mode. Looking forward to more of your videos. Let me say...18 months ago my husband was diagnosed with cancer which we are still battling...as a word to the wise...I am sooo grateful that I had decluttered all I did because it made life,, cleaning, etc. so much easier at a very difficult time in life. Keep that in mind friends....we never know..
Just saw your post. I am in the same position with my husband receiving a 3-6 month life expectancy. He has gone through a lot of his stuff and find that I need to go through my clothes and books 📚 to clear the way for a less cluttered existence. I hope we get to maintenance mode soon.
My dad passed away from cancer … (luckily before Covid as the whole not breathing thing on top of low immunity etc is horrible). My mum got rid of 90% of his stuff in like two days (after the whole funeral was done etc), some “interesting” stuff went to my brother (interesting for him). My only tiny regret is that my mum took care of it a little too quickly… I wished I could keep something like his reading glasses or something… although I would have probably also decluttered them within like 10 years after his passing, but five years ago it made me feel a little sad (more sad)… so decluttering is great and all, but like a little slower is okay too. However my mum’s own stuff…. Hmmm even if I just mechanically pack it all into boxes without looking will take a while… although she is good at getting rid of stuff she doesn’t need. However whole bunch of paperwork took a long time… sort out paperwork while you are alive. I even showed my mother where I keep all my paperwork, just in case I pass away before her… I should probably write down my passwords somewhere as well… my dad’s stuff like iCloud and so on- we lost quite a few photos without knowing his password
My mum did a SDC when she was told she had heart disease at 72yrs but when she hadn’t gone on by 74, she started buying stuff again to replace the things she had given away! Not as much stuff but it still took me a lot of effort and time to clear her 1 bed flat when she passed at 92. I’m 60 and just started my SDC - it’s a great concept, especially, if like me, you don’t have kids to clear up after you. Thanks for the interesting video.
My mother was a hoarder. She had a lot of useless stuff she kept from her youth and before she got married. We had a full basement floor to ceiling full of stuff. When we needed to move her into a senior living facility it took my sister and I over eight months to clean out the house and repair it to be sold. I still have bitter feelings for what she put us through.
I am a new subscriber. I so needed to hear this I am 73 & started to declutter,but back sliding,holding back. You just gave me that boost to restart . During the height of covid I gave away 13 /33 gallon bags of dress clothes,some with tags still on them. I donated them to a Mission House for those that need clothing can come into the store & have free outfits, the director told me I will be clothing a lot of people, that to me was better than money. My other household items I donated to a community store & items sold & the money is put back into the community for the children for their trips, & craft making plus other things they need. I slacked off due to health issues. Now I am going to restart slowly due to health . Thank you so much Have a lovely day !
I'm 74, and a recovered shopoholic. Several years ago, I started making large monthly donations to the local Goodwill. At that time I hadnt heard of death cleaning, but was just sick of all the stuff around me, mainly clothes Id bought and never worn. This has been an interesting process, with imaginary "layers" of stuff, being donated each month without fail. Each layer could only be parted with after the last was gone, it seemed. My large house now has plenty of "negative space," which is pleasing to me, and the monthly donations continue, with a real sense of accomplishment. 🌺🌺🌺
My parents downsized and gave various items to my daughter. My mum was delighted to visit her for a meal and sit at her old table covered with her old tablecloth.
Have read the book and listened to many people extolling the bliss of doing it but you are the first that presented it in such a gentle way. Repeating the immediate benefits and being honest about it being a process. Beautifully done. Inspiring. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Thanks so much! It really is an ongoing process and not an overnight thing. The important part is just getting started IMO. I appreciate your comment 🙏😘
The problem is that the people who NEED to do this the most are the ones who won’t part with anything and tend toward hoarding. I pity those families that have to deal with it all. Watching you from Oregon and love your calm, beautiful channel.
Thank you! I've been to the US a few times (my husband is American) but have never had the chance to visit Oregon. I think I would really love it there with all the trees and natural beauty. Hopefully one day! x
I am one of those people! My uncle died and I've been left to deal with his monumental mess. I've now started SDC so that my children don't have to go through the same thing as me.
Like half my family are hoarders or have related issues. My parents had moderately hoarded housing. They did something like this. I'm doing something like this. It's not true that the people who need it won't do it
A key to sanity is controlling the inflow of items. I've learned to avoid "sets" which are designed to encourage consumers to spend "just a bit more" for extra items you don't need or use. You're left juggling extra possessions in an effort to access the items actually used then throwing away the unused portion/item of the set. Whether it's cookware, glassware, cosmetics/polish, tools, office supplies, cleaning supplies, linens/sheets, socks, food, etc. I buy the best quality of an item that I want/need and avoid extras of any kind.
this was so well done! I read the book and it fascinated me a few years ago. I am 64 and into so many hobbies and crafts and this past year I am feeling over whelmed by the amount of supplies and clutter in my house and brain. Your video has encouraged me to start Swedish death cleaning more for myself and calming my brain, but also for our only child who is 41 and she doesn't need this house of stuff ! enjoy your day and congratulations on your discovering the benefits of living with less. xolori
@@ItsMissRini please excuse what may be a strange question, but are you saying you are artistic or autistic? I apologize but as I am both of those I am interested in which one you are saying. Thank you for this great video!
@@pollyburroughs2027 I am Autistic. My next video is actually going to be specifically about this. Subscribe and get notifications (the bell thingy) so that you can check that one out too!
I did not know there were books. I have known about SDC for probably decades - though I don't remember where I heard about it. My mother's maternal grandfather came to America from Sweden, with his family, when he was 4 years old, so maybe that's why Swedish Death Cleanse stuck with me. After my bride passed in 2016, I did a de-hoarding of all the stuff she had accumulated over the course of her life. She was 10 years older than me, so she had a good head start. Following that, I did a Marie Kondo decluttering. And then another, and finally, a third. Some things and categories are more difficult emotionally to let go of than others. One of the side affects, maybe, is a sense of my own mortality. Whether it's from my wife's passing, or from the decluttering, or both - maybe neither - rarely is there a day when I don't think about the fact that I may not have a lot of time left on this earth. I have read about certain rock and roll stars who had vocalized the same thing in their lives; that they knew for sure that their time was limited, and sure enough. Is it a self-fulfilling prophesy? No idea. Seeing as I'm on the downhill to 68, will I make it that far? 78? Probably not much further than that; plus, with the way the world is going, I may not want to. But, I'm doing the best I can. The vast majority of my stuff has been decluttered. Really, all that's left is to try and put my affairs in order to make it easier for whoever is going to dispose of my life. A spreadsheet and explanatory letters to my executor(s) gives me peace of mind. I list accounts I have, account numbers, what they pay for, how to close out those accounts, and things like that. It's perhaps surprisingly detailed and should at least stave off the need for people do curse my name, after I'm gone.
What a beautiful looking woman you are, gloriously clear skin and I love the colour of your hair! Listening to you I already started looking round my lounge mentally and thinking right that can go and that…! Thank you for such wise and sensible words, bless you 🥰
I have been decluttering/minimizing for close to 15 years now. But only when I wrote my last will last year did I realise what I still had left that needed to be taken care of - mostly hobby stuff my family would not know how to proceed with, and digital stuff like pictures and contacts online. There somehow is never an end to the whole "getting your things in order"!
My partner has a list of my crafty friends and their contact info with instructions to call them if I die unexpectedly, they can take what they want and the rest can go to a thrift store. That tells him the how, but it is still a lot of work, so I am working to make it easier.
I awoke this morning overwhelmed on the eve of my 65th this summer. 43 years marriage, raised three productive and wonderful kids. Now a Grammy to two Joys five and seven. Moved cross country fifteen years ago. It’s been busy. Now it’s time for this. Love the idea of at least taking a year! Thank you for the encouragement just when I needed it! Yup I was left with my parents messes. Lord willing 😅 won’t do that to my kids!
I can’t wait to retire. 2/3 of my wardrobe could go. Suits, shoes, dresses. I’ll keep one or two for special occasions, but I’m so tired of having all those outfits. I’ve been giving my kids everything I think they’ll want. I found a whole box of their school report cards! Trust me, they wouldn’t want their children seeing those! To the shredder those went. 😁
That is so funny! I’m 64. My mom is 95. She had mine, too! And one that said I was lazy and not living up to my potential… ( well, that TEACHER was boring!) I read them, had a laugh, and tossed them. I’m blessed that my mom FINALLY has a touch of dementia! She doesn’t remember what junk I’ve thrown away, and doesn’t accuse me of stealing it yet! I tossed thirty five years of outdated tax returns. I just tore out the SSN # in the pages and shredded THAT. She did have her first “bad night”, where she didn’t remember where her art supplies were and accused me of taking her paintbrushes. Rather than be upset, I asked her which ones she needed, and replaced them from my stock. I brought her three tubes of different shades of bright red paint- her favorite color. This made her so happy she forgot to be mad about the “ missing” brushes, that it made me happy too!
@@jennifermarie8707I like shopping, so when my friends complain I go for them. I was a costume designer for local theater. I apply those principles to body type, color preference and budget. I’m always under budget, rarely buy a detested item( which I return or donate) and it makes ME very happy!
Hugs. My mum was a hoarder and we were left with an absolute nightmare when she went. It was cathartic cleaning everything away. It took a LOT of hard work, but it really helped us to move on.
Consider asking him to tell you the stories about the things that are special to him. It is the memory that makes things special. It might help him to decide which things are truly special and worth keeping. Or not, but it might be worth a try. I’ve cleaned out 3 houses, it’s a huge job.
Why should he getrid of his stuff .All the things he has are part of his life and all will hold memories that are special to him and him alone. He still has his life to live no matter how you conside he should. When the dear fellow pops his clogs just call in the clearance and you are done.In the meantime if he finds it too painful to sort everything then just leave him be.
My in laws have moved in with us. I am shocked at how much unnecessary clothing they insist on hanging on to. Early 90s, don't go anywhere , etc. Ho hum. I think that 60 pairs of underpants (many not used worn) is excessive.😂
Yes! I particularly love my bedroom clutter free. My wardrobe is breezy and easy to find things in. And i weed things out often. It feels so good but also feels good giving things away, knowing someone with less money can afford and enjoy them.👍😎🇨🇦
I haven’t read the book but I’m well aware of Swedish Death Cleaning. I’m on a minimalism journey and cannot think of anything more helpful to ease my anxiety and panic attacks than to declutter my home. It is a constant source of stress to me. I’ve been living with anxiety a good part of my life but I’ve realized in the last few years that now my home has added to it. My husband and I plan on downsizing and have already bought another home. I don’t want to take all of my belongings with me. So much is contained in boxes that we haven’t looked at since we moved to our current home 23 years ago. It makes absolutely no sense to me but my “better half” has trouble letting things go. I go through drawers, closets, etc. daily just to see what else I can let go. As I suffer with health problems as well it isn’t an easy task. We only have one son and I really don’t want to leave him with a house full of clutter to go through. All I want is a simple life.🙏 Thank you so much for sharing with us.🥰
I have a friend whom I share my house with, he is a hoarder, his mother was a hoarder. He is 73 years old, his whole families 'stuff' including over 150 years of dead relatives stuff. It does my head in! He is learning, by my example ( I tend to be a neat freak) to let go of things. If he brings stuff into the house, I say, "..and I suppose when you drop dead I am the one to figure out what to do with it?". We used to fight about it, but he is realising it isn't fair for someone else to deal with his stuff and actually goes through his own stuff and gets rid of it now! He buys multiples of things because they were cheap, I ask him now, "Will you live that long to use them up?" He replies, "Oh, probably not." and then returns them. I think it is paying off. Monkey see, monkey do. Great video.
I really enjoyed this video. I also have been on a decluttering, Swedish death cleaning journey and it is so freeing. I began after we had lived in our caravan on a three month holiday. When we got home, I was amazed at all our stuff and the time it took to care for all that stuff. I'd managed with very little in the caravan and decided to go through my house and get rid of what I didn't need. It has taken time but as time went by it got so much easier. My husband is more of a hoarder than I am but he is mostly on board now. i like the minimalist lifestyle so much more and wish I hadn't waited until we retired to see how tied down we were with our stuff.
Thank you Miss Rini - I'm 62, small house, Autistic too, the kids left home years ago - and I had started to 'declutter' our home about 6 months ago. Hubby is just now getting on board with it and is going through all the accumulated stuff in his workshop. It's so good to get a sort of 'validation' for going through this process.
I started this about 8 months ago. A little here, a little there, to not be overwhelmed. What a joy it is to know I’m decluttering, making more “clean space” for our family to live in. Most importantly, not leaving all these “decisions of what to do with that item and that item” for our children, if something should happen to my husband and I.
I’ve been on a journey toward a more minimalist life since 2018, when the kids flew out the nest. I’ve donated and gifted an incredible amount of stuff and I don’t bring in stuff the way I use to.
I noticed about the time we hit 60 years old, my friends and I naturally started decluttering long held items. Speaking for myself, I was in no hurry to “complete” the task, feeling I still had lots of time to work on it. Since turning 70, I am finding that my health is declining and I have stepped up my efforts. For me, books, crafts and items to upcycle are areas where I’ve gone way too far in acquisition, currently I am currently actively “curating” my collections. After that I can concentrate on actively decluttering accidental acquisitions. Some of that stuff leaves as I notice it, but it isn’t my main focus. One thing I am doing is that I have three small boxes in my guest room closet, each with the name of someone I want to leave keepsakes to. As I come across items I want someone to have, I put it in “their” box. With the plan that when the box is full I’ll send it to them. I have no family nearby so I just can’t hand things over and they have no idea of what items I possess so they can’t ask.
Thanks for your video. Deciding what to keep and what to give away is an ongoing process! I find that I accumulate things without realizing it. I have to seasonally review what I have a decide whether I really want or need it. My adult children don’t really want a lot of sentimental things I have. I’ve been scanning old photos in case they later decide they’re interested. For myself, I don’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning and dusting!
I’ve been donating books to a local reading space at the shopping centre, where people can donate and borrow books, and just sit and read them on the spot, if they like. I enjoy thinking of people loving reading these books as much as I have.
I cleared out my parent’s house after my mom died and my dad moved into care. It really shocked me into understanding what we accumulate. It’s a journey, but I am more conscious of what I will leave behind. There are some things I just can’t bear to part with, but I’m working to reduce and to limit what I now buy.
Yes! The end of the 2nd world war was a boom time for buying stuff. People wanted to feel secure and safe again, they wanted to enjoy life. They bought or rented new homes and bought possessions galore. By the time the 60's came, people were realising they'd spent (or borrowed - on hire purchase ) a ton of money unnecessarily.
I'm interested in what you say here, Ive started doing flylady regime for my cleaning. A lot is decluttering. My daughter is autistic and I was explaining to her that I think it would be good for her. I feel less overwhelmed, calmer, free, enjoy my surroundings. I'm not autistic and I said I was sure she would benefit from less stuff. I do 15 minutes of decluttering a day focusing on one room a week, then rotate around
I think what you said about easing the burden on your loved ones is a measure of your love for those who will personally have to deal with your decline and death. Thank you for expressing the reality with gentle honesty.
OMGosh I enjoyed your video. I have been decluttering like crazy for the past two years. Not a hoarder but a lover of all things artistically interesting to me.......I still found myself stuck with many of the the knick knacks (art pieces) and I needed a swift kick to the sentimental parts of me to help me get over the hump of hanging onto art pieces (knick knacks) I was having difficulty letting go of and putting in the office to avoid dealing with those leftovers. Minimalism is not about denying yourself all the wonderful things available you may want and can access. It is about minimalizing what doesn't work for you without turning on your own and others humanness. We to are navigating towards gifts of experiences too. It is wonderful to live in a home that takes less housework, feels uncluttered, functions better and still shows personality of inhabitants. Just put all the knick knacks in the office into the donate bin, Thank you!
I had someone recommend this book on her experience, she was excited to share how much energy she had once she applied and decluttered her home. Thank you for sharing Rini ... will share it with my husband! 😅
WOW! I have been aware of this type of thinking, but I have not adopted it into my life. I am at this point now!! Thank you for your encouragement and inspiration. 😊
I really want to start doing this. I've been decluttering but finding it hard to go through mementos and especially my adult daughters childhood belongings. Another struggle is that we inherited all of our parents and other elderly relatives possessions which we need to give ourselves permission to let go.
Very nicely done, I'm sharing this thought with you, if you've ever stayed at a summer Cottage or cabin, how fun! For so many reasons, things like meals become so special and sought after and part of the fun is using your little cottage set of dishes that's there, or maybe choosing from just five or seven pieces of clothing hanging in the pine closet , an easy choice because there's pretty much one for each function but what I'm getting at is part of the beauty of staying at a summer cabin is just that there's not all that stuff there, just the things you really need, we leave all our stuff behind to get away! It's satisfying growing older and enjoying knowing more about ourselves and what we need and sometimes listening to a good video from a pretty clever woman from tazzy
Dear Rini, I just found this and I think you have summarised and explained the idea very succinctly. I have moved around a bit and have gradually gotten my stuff pared down to most essential items and a few sentimental keepsakes. Last is sorting a life time of photos into albums. I think this decluttering and organising becomes a progressive lifestyle of good habits that allows us to move on and enjoy the journey and, as you said, it is much easier to find things when you have less things. Thanks 🇦🇺
I love your magnetic personality and the love and kindness with which you tackled the subject of... well... essentially burdening the kids with the trash accumulated. Really really worthwhile video!
My sons have been helping me declutter. I lost my home during the 2008 recession, and now live in a 500 sf apartment, stacked with boxes so much that I cannot really use it the way it's supposed to be used. I've gotten rid of a lot, and I'm working on getting rid of more. I had bought bookcases and put books and treasured knick-knacks on them, but every day, I look at those shelves and see things that I don't need and don't really want anymore. I must have 100 books I will never read again, because new books are coming out all the time, and I have a computer full of e-books. I'm sentimental too, but I'm in my 70s now, and I don't want my kids to have to go through all this stuff, so I've started boxes of treasured things, mementos and pictures. I've labeled each with where they came from and why they are important to me. Those are the only boxes they will have to go through, and the rest can go. Even in those boxes, they can keep what they want and do what they want with the rest.
Thank you for this post Rini. I just retired and this is one of my projects for retirement. My mother was an 'artistic hoarder' and it took me 3 years of difficult work to clear out her house full of things. I pledged then that I won't do that to my kids, but oh my, old cultural habits are not easy to change. Thank you for your inspiring thoughts and words.
My Mum has always hoarded to a certain degree, but now in the throws of dementia, holds on to even things like cling film that the daily newspaper comes wrapped in. I dread going through her things when it’s time - and I have already done a few big declutters in my own home to help reduce what we have.
Same here. It was very distressing finding all this garbage when she was gone. All my life there was garbage hoarded in drawers and cupboards taking the space of what was actually used and had no home.
One of the greatest benefits of minimalism is how it minimizes cleaning and tidying. I love that! I also love that, thanks to minimalism and döstädning, I will never be that parent that's resented for leaving my children with a horde of clutter to dispose of after I'm gone.
Definitely the best video I've seen on this topic! In the States we have a relentless gift culture which fuels the economy, but also accounts for much of the useless stuff we have. If you can convince people not to exchange gifts with you, you can prevent the accumulation of so much. The hard part is getting them to agree and then stick to it!
I had an old inadequate kitchen. When we finally remodeled I told the contractor I wanted the extra tall cabinets and two big pantries. What a big mistake. I love kitchen things and yes before I knew it the cabinets were full. We’re only two people. I have now decluttered and all those upper shelves that are really out of anyone’s reach are empty. 😞
Beautifully said! I have spent countless hours, weeks and weeks, dealing with my mother’s possessions. It was incredible and very hard. I’m motivated not to do this to my family. It’s a great gift. By contrast, my mother in law had her home ready and all important documents were prepared and took the stress and guess work out of her estate and made the grieving process easier. That’s how I want to go.
I enjoyed your explanation and step by step process. I am going to begin this process. I think you explained it better than anyone else I’ve listened to regarding this topic. Thank you
I'm determined to declutter so my autistic son will not have to deal with it all one day. My mother recently passed and it's hard to let go of her things.. I'm doing it little by little and trying to save just the things that are truly meaningful to me. We've given sooooo much away in the last few years, but still a lot to go now that I have all my mother's things.
Thanks for this vlog. I'm very minimalist and do not attach sentiment to inanimate items. My husband, on the other hand, is sentimental about almost everything . We are now in our late 40s/early 50s, and have started to "inherit" various family members "treasures." I am always scheduling clean-out days for us throughout the year to keep a handle on possessions. It is very difficult, and therefore a process, for him to let go; whereas, I'm constantly donating/trying to donate stuff we don't need/use. It helps us to view things under the lens of we don't need/use it, but someone else would love it, so donating is a kindness and gives the possession a life it wouldn't have with us.
I’ve been declutterring in stages for around 10 years. Each time, I get better at letting go of things. I do still bring some things into our house that I do enjoy, but I try to be selective. It is so much easier to clean and keep things organized. It may sound like a lot of time that I have been at it, but I can’t bring myself to be an extreme minimalist., but I keep working towards that. I have come a long ways from my original “I might better keep this just in case I need it some day”. I am pretty much in the maintenance stage now. Literally pretty much every week I try to gather one or two items I can live without and put them in the trash can or a donate box. When it is sufficiently full, it goes out the door to the thrift store. I will be 72 Sunday (May 19), but I’m still a work in progress.
I totally agree! I now just hung through my house to get rid of things. I feel soooo good just having less in my home. It like a weight has been lifted off my shoulder’s 😊
You inspired me so much that I am energized to begin decluttering again! I truly loved the vision you shared at the very end for the life your children will know that you and your husband have lived.. I shall keep that very vision in my heart, too, for my loved ones, as I resume this journey with a beautiful mindset!❤
I just found your channel and this is the best video I’ve seen on decluttering and Swedish death cleaning. Some of us get the impression that we don’t have much time left and we want to ease the burden on our loved ones. 😊
I grew up in the 60s in the 70s and back then minimalism is what we just called living. Back then you did not have the choices that you have today and you did not have the easy credit that you have today. So it basically didn’t exist because that’s how everyone lived.
With the exception of my grand piano, I've already given instructions when I die, to throw everything that was mine into a dumpster. After years of purchasing clothing, home decor items as well as larger pieces of furniture from thrift stores or second-hand private sellers or we've had the bigger furniture for years and years, there's probably not a single thing that my children would want or would need to keep as its all had its day. ;-) Someone is always coming up with a new term (i.e. Swedish Death Cleaning) for what we all should be doing throughout our lives if we don't want our 'stuff' to become a burden for others when we die. Every age seems to think they've developed a whole "new concept". 🤪 It's not new...just a different way to look at the same process.
thank you - I appreciate your approach and insight in the process of applying the principles of Swedish Death Cleaning - it seems doable and very beneficial
Just to say s bit about hoarding because I noticed it coming up in comments- it's acknowledged that there are underlying emotional issues for people who hoard, so they may need regular hired help along with Counseling to get out of that situation. And they have to want the change! In my business housecleaning I've worked with so many people who want to change but just cannot until they can look at the emotional freeze that's keeping them stymied. Without getting to the root of the hoarding need, I have just cleaned the same unhapoy mess over and over - it's a complicated situation and needs help without judgement. And it's natural to judge when we don't yet understand, so casting no shade there, either! Great video - like how you address hubby's emotional attachments with dufferent questions!
Thank you so much for sharing that. Yes, I agree. Hoarding is a clinical condition and requires professional help. This video (or any like it) would not be useful in that case. Thanks for watching!😊🙏
I love your comment. I used to have an awful trouble letting go of things as a result of my uncle burning most of our possessions after my dad died. The house we were living in came with his job so, when he passed away we were given a week to leave. We had to move in with my uncle and grandmother and my uncle, who didn't like us much, didn't want to "store our crap" as he put it. We were all in our teens then so it was traumatic to lose not only our only parent, but our belongings as well. It took me years to be able to let go of stuff, though I will never be a minimalist - it wouldn't work with my lifestyle anyway.
This is a breath of fresh air. We've minimalised already but there is always more. After watching your video I have requested the book from the library and am excited to get started again.
Loved loved loved your take on the subject! You also have a great way of bringing the idea across, even to people who might be new to this concept. I have been on this journey for the last couple of years. I retired about a year ago and have kicked in to full gear. Doing one more sweep of every single space in our home and eliminating excess and things that have become obsolete very ruthlessly. Our sons live in other countries/continents and the day will inevitable come that they will have to deal with the stuff we have left behind and this will make things as easy as possible for them. I have also created a digital file that I continously update with our personal information and all things relevant to our house. The last thing I have left is to go thru photos from all the places we have lived and travelled to. I will create photo books of our journey thru life together - just highlights not all. That will be a fun project and I plan on being ruthless. In the meantime many of my peers are stuffing their houses with craft supplies etc that they will not use up if they live to be a hundred. Wouldn't trade with them if you paid me! Serenity and peace of mind for the win! 🙂
Great video I have been doing the same and it is very freeing. Cleaning out other peoples homes is quite a burden (we have done it a few times) and we don’t want to put our kids in the same position.
You inspired me to get the audio version of the book. I’ve been in decluttering mode for a couple of years and still appreciate virtual support such as this! Many thanks!
For the people who believe that all their possessions are valuable and will bring money to your family once you're gone: Please look at an accounting sheet of an estate in probate. You will not believe how little things actually go for. Your family will be lucky to get pennies on the dollar, if they get anything at all. Be realistic and disperse your possessions you don't need while you are still alive because the estate disbursement process is brutal, costly, and unpleasant for everyone involved.
This popped up on my feed, and I found it very interesting. I'm currently incorporating inherited items into everyday life by swapping them for items I've owned for years. I'm not bothering to reduce the library. My heirs like to read and, when I've kicked off, they may enjoy the books of their ancestors.
I have been on a similar journey in California and concur with all the benefits you mention❤it’s a very freeing process and I keep finding things to declutter.
Working with a professional organizer can greatly enhance this process. An unbiased, experienced person who knows the essential questions to ask and who can coach you on conversations you need to have with family and loved ones is a great boon.
I have been doing this for quite a while now and feel the weight falling of my back being an artist I had a lot of clutter because I love beautiful objects But the more I let go the beautiful objects stand out more ..its a lovely development ..thank you for a great video with your lovely calm voice .
Yes, it’s a huge practical and emotional process!!😮 We had 3 processes like that with in one and a half years! My grand parents died, my husbands father died, and my parents moved from our childhood home. It was a way too big job, every time!
Miss Rini, I have been working on this in the past year, I so want to clear our home more and more, I have started and have taken a few boxes a month, in the past year. To Salvation Army to re sell for others. I keep finding more and more I can divest my home and life of. Yes so many reasons to do so. I am 66 years old and I don’t want to leave this mess for our kids to clean up after me. I want to just be free of the mess. I use less and less of the thins I have.. I just subscribed and I am delighted to meet you.
Spent all my life accumulating, then the last two years getting rid of. I cannot imagine my two sons getting stuck with all the stuff I had and still have when I pass. I just lost my brother who had barely any possessions and that was very difficult. It has given me new energy to get rid of much more. What a waste of money and time.
I have some things my mom had saved. They are now valuable or just treasure to me or other family members now 40 years later. But I need to do this now and sell the things I can and put it into paying off credit cards.
I have this book and have never read it, but I have decluttered quite a bit of our stuff. I'm 56 and my youngest child is now 14 and taller than I am, so we have let go of all that baby stuff and also the cluttery toys, thank goodness. I still need to get rid of a lot more to make my mind more at peace, but I'm not sure how well it will go with a packrat husband. If something was expensive, or a gift given by someone who's already passed on, or sentimental in any way, or if it MIGHT be useful in the future, he doesn't want to get rid of it. I try explaining all the benefits and reasons (which I already know after reading on minimalism so much), but its a struggle sometimes. I could let probably 40-50% of the stuff go without a blink, but you can't just do that when you have a family.
Oh I know exactly what you mean! My husband is like that and it is a constant struggle. He's much better than he used to be, but I think I could probably be a lot further along in the journey if he wasn't fighting me on it so much.😉
When my uncle decided to put me down as his next of kin to deal with his stuff after his death I asked him to read the book. He is now cleaning up his apartment and got all his paperwork done for me. I had read the book and got a good laugh and so did he. I’m clearing out a lot of stuff myself at 58. He’ll be 80 this year and still very actively living.
The book is a perfect gift for hoarders.
It's a perfect book for anyone!
Wow, good for him giving you a heads up and listening when you gave him that book. A lot of the time people just don't know where you start.
And just to say about hoarding, it's acknowledged that there are underlying emotional issues for people who hoard, so they may need regular hired help along with counseling to get out of that situation. I've worked with so many people who want to change but just cannot until they can look at the emotional freeze that's keeping them stymied.
@@garlicgalore Good points. For years/decades I have stored stuff that belonged to my grandparents and mom who passed away, plus I kept too many baby items of my own kids. There is emotional attachment because the items feel like pieces of the person, or of a time period, even if logically I can see it’s too much, I don’t even look at it all. If I pared down I might actually be able to enjoy it.
Smart of you, with your uncle. He’s making your future job easier while also keeping active and having a project/goal which is good for him physically and mentally. 👍
As an Aussie lady in her 40's, I did the Swedish death clean 3 years ago when I got fed up with the junk I owned.
I now have an amazing home I am proud to walk into every day and it takes no time to clean.
Everything in its spot, and everything has a purpose or use. Life changing, for real!
That's brilliant! Well done to you. It's an amazing feeling and a new lease on life when your home is so much reduced. Enjoy 🙂and thanks for watching!
@@ItsMissRini So glad to have found you, and thank you.
You summed it up so perfectly. Easy to take care of and clean. 😊
@@ironrose888 Thank you. Every week I donate at least 10 more things (big and small).
I am single 70 and my home was great until one son decided to give up his rural rental and move home until he buys a place of his own and that is now looking out of reach for him. Imagine your house filled with two houses of furniture, imagine your tidy garage now filled with all his extra tools washing machine dryer 2 lawn mowers etc etc. The only true quiet free spaces are my bedroom, the bathroom and the toilet,, lol
0:15 It’s about valuing what matters in life, living simple, financial freedom, escaping the rat race, living life on your terms and doing what genuinely makes you happy
My mom always did S.D.C it gives a sense of satisfaction and happiness. We need to reflect that into our lives too, Genuine happiness!
I'm trying to build financial freedom, presently educating myself about personal finance and investing.Please point Me in a direction of articles and books that are helpful. I've found it difficult to learn online
There are many options to explore, like stocks, ETFs etc. get a pro to guide yo in. that will make it easier
Thanks for replying, can you recommend any articles and Pro to guide me?
*Growwealthy* *with* *Rachel*
My mother did this in stages for over 10 years before she moved into long-term care. It did make life much easier for us. She was a very pragmatic and realistic person. Miss you Ma.
What a dear lady. Clearly she lives on through you. 🙏🕊️🪶
My mom died suddenly in February. I was the one to clean out her house, which was the house I grew up in. It was a big job, she was not a hoarder or anything, but she was very sentimental, and so am I. I was so happy to come across all the little drawings and cards my children had given her through the years-she kept almost all of them, and things from my childhood that I had forgot about but brought me great memories as I was going through her things. Did it make the job bigger? A bit, but on the other hand, I was so touched by the fact that she treasured all these little reminders of her children and grandchildren. If she had decluttered constantly, I'm sure all those things would have been gone, and I'm glad they weren't. I didn't keep them all, but I did bring some back to my kids and we had such great conversations and memories attached to these little cards and mementos. I know everyone seems to be on the "get rid of it" train these days, but as someone who has recently gone through this process, I am glad my mom hadn't thrown everything away. Just another perspective. Life is for living, and if you love something, even if it is full of silly sentiment, then keep it.
I agree with you 100%. It's all about what is important to you in your life. Keeping small items of sentiment is wonderful and can really bring you (and others) joy. When I speak of getting rid of items, I'm referring to those things that don't add value to your life and are actually causing you stress to keep. I'm really sorry about your Mum, but how wonderful that you discovered those lost memories.🥰 Thank you for sharing and thank you for watching!🙏
I keep all those special little cards and things as well. I can't throw them out. I have a little note my son wrote me when he was five, and it's so precious, but I keep them in a book, it's full of special tickets, notes, photos, etc like an album. only the very special stuff goes on there.
I am sorry for your loss. I lost my wonderful mother-in-law and then my dad within a month of each other last year. My mom and dad live with us, so their things are down to very minimal sentimental items. My mil on the other hand had a 2500 sq ft home that my husband grew up in. She was a collector of several different things, a ton of friends that gave her more collectibles to add to the collections over the years. Getting her house cleaned out was so draining. The few boxes of personal, family sentimental where the only things that stopped my husband in the process, but they ended up only a few boxes of items out of a whole household. It was so sad to see her things sold off or given away, but it was a lesson in how material and everyday things are not what family values in the end.
My mother died this year also. She held onto her things as treasure. It's been difficult for me at 76 getting stuff up out of the basement. I'm the youngest of the siblings. I've used two different thrift stores to give stuff to after we each take items we each want. I don't want to do that to my family. Plus I don't really like a lot of excessive stuff around.
My mother died two weeks ago. My dad is doing the clearing out of the house and came across a card I had given her in 1998 with a long letter about how thankful I was that she was my mom. Well, that was just what I needed yesterday as I was having a “bad day” missing her. Sometimes it IS the little things that are saved that bring great joy. Luckily I had managed to clear out quite a bit of the junk in three of their four bedrooms years ago. I could list what all was absolute junk but I’m sure many others here know what I’m talking about. The letter made up for all that.
My parents sent a list of any "valuable" items in their home to all the children (8) when the were in their sixties (my mother) and seventies (my father.) They asked each of us to note what was most important to each of us and send it back to them. That list was kept and often, they would gift an item to one of us. When they were gone, I had to go through the house myself, and often found, attached to the back or base of an item, masking tape with a sibling's name on it. It made it so easy to disperse the items to those who my parents specified. There were pieces that had no names on them and my brother and I, as executors of the will, had to determine to whom the items would go. But we still had the list, and that made it so much easier.
I have given all the items to my children so they can enjoy and not associate my death with them.
I'm going one step further. I'm making that list, but the smaller things, I'm putting into boxes with tags as to where it came from, why I treasured it, and who I would like it to go to if they don't want it. Hopefully, that will be all the boxes and clutter I have left when I go.
"Give each other experiences, not gifts." Great concept. ❤
So grateful to find this. Autistic. Single. Sixty. Four grown kids. I really appreciate you. The video is so well edited and pleasing in every way. Very moving.
I was watching videos on organizing and I was actually browsing Amazon for containers and organizers etc, when it dawned on me that I was reshuffling the stuff that I hadn't worn or even remembered that I had. Once I started declutterring, I was left with a mountain of organizers, plastic totes, containers etc. I've got so much room in my house it's amazing!
Me too! I had so many empty plastic storage containers. It's amazing how you spend time and money on organising when you could just reduce the stuff you're organising.🤷♀️ Thanks so much for watching.🙏
Cool!
That's wonderful!
Despite never having heard of Swedish death cleaning my mother has lived this way for the last 40 years. Yes it can make life simpler, but you need to be careful not to fall in the traps- you said it became a compulsion once you got to a certain stage, this is how it is with my mother-she is 86 years old but has nothing in her flat much over 2 years old.
When I give her something or make her a garment, even if it is very useful it is a good bet by the time I go back to see her it has landed up in the charity shop.
She finished up with many of my possessions when I went to university because she emigrated while I was away. When she came back from abroad she sent my stuff to the charity shop, because throwing things away or giving them away makes her feel good- not because they weren't useful or because I didn't want them back, she had already done this with most of her own possessions, so to get the buzz my stuff had to go.
Often it is the act of getting rid of thigs that feels good-not the state they leave behind-so caution is indicated, because that is no more psychologically healthy than the clutter.
There is something else going on. If your mother threw out all of your stuff without warning you that is not a compulsion - it’s actually a form of theft. Why are you spending time making your mother clothing when you know that she doesn’t want it? You’re an adult, you can be reasonable. I don’t know, but this doesn’t sound like compulsive Swedish death cleaning, it just sounds like you and your mom aren’t behaving reasonably. Finally, there is nothing wrong with having nothing under 2 years old in your home, no matter your age. You sound judgmental, even though it’s possible that your mother has some sort of mental health issue. Instead of trying to get your mother some professional help, here you are complaining about her.
Exactly what I told my sons. They wanted me to toss things I really just couldn't and they got a little peeved when I wouldn't. They made me get rid of a long, sturdy desk that I regret now, because nobody picked it up from the curb, and the maintenance men broke it apart and threw it into the dumpster. Broke my heart, plus, I need it now and wish I could have it back.
My mother decluttered her pictures of me as a child as well as some of my own children. I know there's only so many things an older person can take care of but when she gave them to me it made me really depressed. She did it right before moving across the country. The only thing that made me feel better is at least she gave them to me instead of throwing them in the garbage.
Interesting point.
@@erikareading My father’s mental health declined and he threw out a very precious box of family photos. I will forever regret not having asked him for that box before it was too late.
After having to clean out my mother and step father’s 3 bedroom house , alone, and my father’s 4 bedroom and office 😫 I now declutter 2-3 times a year. Living simpler is freeing!
Our Children aren't going to be left with a whole bunch of stuff to get rid of, We don't want to leave them with that. But I notice, as a person ages, they want less things around, that are messy or hard to keep up with. I learned this years ago, and just keep working at it. It makes a person feel so GOOD.
Yes, I'm in my 70s now, and just dusting and caring for all this stuff is too much for me. I just want my life to be streamlined and easy.
Husband came in with 10 pairs of gardening gloves on sale… I had him return them!!! Good sign!!!
Hmmm....I have lots of garden gloves, but I go through them like you wouldn't believe. I got a lot of them for 90% off at after-summer sales, and now way am I getting rid of them.
@@OldLadyInFL Same here. I don't see a point of getting rid of useful items that one uses on a regular basis.
I was relieved to see you mention "after one year of Swedish Death Cleaning." It makes me a bit more relaxed to understand that this is a lengthy process. I started it a few monthjs ago. My greatest challenge is finding places for my items to go, since I don't want to be responsible for sending them to a dump.
Yes! It is a lengthy process and I'm by no means an expert but I do think it's worth at least getting started. The rewards do come quite soon so that's motivation in itself. Thank you for watching.🙏😘
This is my dilemma too. I try and donate or recycle as much as possible but it is a challenge.
I've been decluttering for 3 years now, and still have a lot to go. Take your time. Don't rush it and regret getting rid of things you didn't really want to.
I decided to just let it go. If I don’t do it, it will go to the dump when I die and I will have simply transferred that effort, cost and guilt to someone else. Learn from it. Apologize for your ignorance. Let it go, and move on. I promise, once you let it go, you won’t ever think again about how you did it and you will feel liberated.
You took the words out of my mouth. I start, I quickly get overwhelmed, I quit. And my kids will resent me into eternity if I don’t purge this stuff during my lifetime. It’s a comfort to be reminded that it is a lengthy process.
I did a serious decluttering about 15 years ago (when we just called it "decluttering"). It helped me finish some projects too, like painting the baseboards and adding a shelf unit in the kitchen. It turned my dismal little house into a really delightful place.
Getting rid of 90% was best decision we ever made!
New to your channel.....love it....the greatest gift my mother ever gave me was her swedish death cleaning, decluttering, etc. I was the only child so when she passed she made this so much easier both emotionally and physically...I still...9 years after the fact praise her efforts and 7 years ago I did my home and now am in maintenence mode. Looking forward to more of your videos. Let me say...18 months ago my husband was diagnosed with cancer which we are still battling...as a word to the wise...I am sooo grateful that I had decluttered all I did because it made life,, cleaning, etc. so much easier at a very difficult time in life. Keep that in mind friends....we never know..
I'm so sorry to hear about your husband.xx Well done for getting ahead of the decluttering. Thanks for watching!
Just saw your post.
I am in the same position with my husband receiving a 3-6 month life expectancy.
He has gone through a lot of his stuff and find that I need to go through my clothes and books 📚 to clear the way for a less cluttered existence.
I hope we get to maintenance mode soon.
My dad passed away from cancer … (luckily before Covid as the whole not breathing thing on top of low immunity etc is horrible). My mum got rid of 90% of his stuff in like two days (after the whole funeral was done etc), some “interesting” stuff went to my brother (interesting for him). My only tiny regret is that my mum took care of it a little too quickly… I wished I could keep something like his reading glasses or something… although I would have probably also decluttered them within like 10 years after his passing, but five years ago it made me feel a little sad (more sad)… so decluttering is great and all, but like a little slower is okay too. However my mum’s own stuff…. Hmmm even if I just mechanically pack it all into boxes without looking will take a while… although she is good at getting rid of stuff she doesn’t need. However whole bunch of paperwork took a long time… sort out paperwork while you are alive. I even showed my mother where I keep all my paperwork, just in case I pass away before her… I should probably write down my passwords somewhere as well… my dad’s stuff like iCloud and so on- we lost quite a few photos without knowing his password
My mum did a SDC when she was told she had heart disease at 72yrs but when she hadn’t gone on by 74, she started buying stuff again to replace the things she had given away! Not as much stuff but it still took me a lot of effort and time to clear her 1 bed flat when she passed at 92. I’m 60 and just started my SDC - it’s a great concept, especially, if like me, you don’t have kids to clear up after you. Thanks for the interesting video.
My mother was a hoarder. She had a lot of useless stuff she kept from her youth and before she got married. We had a full basement floor to ceiling full of stuff. When we needed to move her into a senior living facility it took my sister and I over eight months to clean out the house and repair it to be sold. I still have bitter feelings for what she put us through.
I'm so sorry. Thank you for sharing that.😘
I am a new subscriber. I so needed to hear this I am 73 & started to declutter,but back sliding,holding back. You just gave me that boost to restart . During the height of covid I gave away 13 /33 gallon bags of dress clothes,some with tags still on them. I donated them to a Mission House for those that need clothing can come into the store & have free outfits, the director told me I will be clothing a lot of people, that to me was better than money. My other household items I donated to a community store & items sold & the money is put back into the community for the children for their trips, & craft making plus other things they need. I slacked off due to health issues. Now I am going to restart slowly due to health . Thank you so much Have a lovely day !
Thank you so much for watching and for sharing your story xx
Lovely and inspiring
I'm 74, and a recovered shopoholic. Several years ago, I started making large monthly donations to the local Goodwill. At that time I hadnt heard of death cleaning, but was just sick of all the stuff around me, mainly clothes Id bought and never worn. This has been an interesting process, with imaginary "layers" of stuff, being donated each month without fail. Each layer could only be parted with after the last was gone, it seemed. My large house now has plenty of "negative space," which is pleasing to me, and the monthly donations continue, with a real sense of accomplishment. 🌺🌺🌺
Well done! Sounds like you are really on top of it and enjoying the rewards too.👏
❤❤❤
My parents downsized and gave various items to my daughter. My mum was delighted to visit her for a meal and sit at her old table covered with her old tablecloth.
That's so lovely!💕
Downsizing enough to get rid of the storage unit is probably the best place to start.
Have read the book and listened to many people extolling the bliss of doing it but you are the first that presented it in such a gentle way. Repeating the immediate benefits and being honest about it being a process. Beautifully done. Inspiring. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Thanks so much! It really is an ongoing process and not an overnight thing. The important part is just getting started IMO. I appreciate your comment 🙏😘
The problem is that the people who NEED to do this the most are the ones who won’t part with anything and tend toward hoarding. I pity those families that have to deal with it all. Watching you from Oregon and love your calm, beautiful channel.
Thank you! I've been to the US a few times (my husband is American) but have never had the chance to visit Oregon. I think I would really love it there with all the trees and natural beauty. Hopefully one day! x
I am one of those people! My uncle died and I've been left to deal with his monumental mess. I've now started SDC so that my children don't have to go through the same thing as me.
Like half my family are hoarders or have related issues. My parents had moderately hoarded housing. They did something like this. I'm doing something like this. It's not true that the people who need it won't do it
A key to sanity is controlling the inflow of items. I've learned to avoid "sets" which are designed to encourage consumers to spend "just a bit more" for extra items you don't need or use. You're left juggling extra possessions in an effort to access the items actually used then throwing away the unused portion/item of the set. Whether it's cookware, glassware, cosmetics/polish, tools, office supplies, cleaning supplies, linens/sheets, socks, food, etc. I buy the best quality of an item that I want/need and avoid extras of any kind.
Excellent tips! Thanks so much for watching.
this was so well done! I read the book and it fascinated me a few years ago. I am 64 and into so many hobbies and crafts and this past year I am feeling over whelmed by the amount of supplies and clutter in my house and brain. Your video has encouraged me to start Swedish death cleaning more for myself and calming my brain, but also for our only child who is 41 and she doesn't need this house of stuff ! enjoy your day and congratulations on your discovering the benefits of living with less. xolori
Thanks so much Lori! Start with baby steps, you will soon see the wonderful results and be encouraged to continue. Good luck xx
@@ItsMissRini please excuse what may be a strange question, but are you saying you are artistic or autistic? I apologize but as I am both of those I am interested in which one you are saying. Thank you for this great video!
@@pollyburroughs2027 I am Autistic. My next video is actually going to be specifically about this. Subscribe and get notifications (the bell thingy) so that you can check that one out too!
@@ItsMissRini Thank you for your kind reply!
The less you have the less you have to put away or find a place for it to live. Your home is less cluttered & most importantly it frees your mind.
I did not know there were books. I have known about SDC for probably decades - though I don't remember where I heard about it. My mother's maternal grandfather came to America from Sweden, with his family, when he was 4 years old, so maybe that's why Swedish Death Cleanse stuck with me.
After my bride passed in 2016, I did a de-hoarding of all the stuff she had accumulated over the course of her life. She was 10 years older than me, so she had a good head start.
Following that, I did a Marie Kondo decluttering. And then another, and finally, a third. Some things and categories are more difficult emotionally to let go of than others.
One of the side affects, maybe, is a sense of my own mortality. Whether it's from my wife's passing, or from the decluttering, or both - maybe neither - rarely is there a day when I don't think about the fact that I may not have a lot of time left on this earth.
I have read about certain rock and roll stars who had vocalized the same thing in their lives; that they knew for sure that their time was limited, and sure enough. Is it a self-fulfilling prophesy? No idea.
Seeing as I'm on the downhill to 68, will I make it that far? 78? Probably not much further than that; plus, with the way the world is going, I may not want to.
But, I'm doing the best I can. The vast majority of my stuff has been decluttered. Really, all that's left is to try and put my affairs in order to make it easier for whoever is going to dispose of my life.
A spreadsheet and explanatory letters to my executor(s) gives me peace of mind. I list accounts I have, account numbers, what they pay for, how to close out those accounts, and things like that. It's perhaps surprisingly detailed and should at least stave off the need for people do curse my name, after I'm gone.
Just curious, did you ever have children?
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I have the same thoughts.
I’m your age but you sound like you really have your s*** together! Especially in the financial matters. Kudos to you!
These are great ideas! You gave me somethings to think about and put in place.
The reality is we leave everything behind when we die
What a beautiful looking woman you are, gloriously clear skin and I love the colour of your hair! Listening to you I already started looking round my lounge mentally and thinking right that can go and that…! Thank you for such wise and sensible words, bless you 🥰
Oh thank you very much!🙏 What a lovely thing to say.😊 I'm so glad this resonated with you. Good luck on your journey and thanks for watching!😘
I have been decluttering/minimizing for close to 15 years now. But only when I wrote my last will last year did I realise what I still had left that needed to be taken care of - mostly hobby stuff my family would not know how to proceed with, and digital stuff like pictures and contacts online. There somehow is never an end to the whole "getting your things in order"!
My partner has a list of my crafty friends and their contact info with instructions to call them if I die unexpectedly, they can take what they want and the rest can go to a thrift store. That tells him the how, but it is still a lot of work, so I am working to make it easier.
@@kathychatterton5623 half my inheritance is yarn, wool and spindles!
I awoke this morning overwhelmed on the eve of my 65th this summer. 43 years marriage, raised three productive and wonderful kids. Now a Grammy to two Joys five and seven. Moved cross country fifteen years ago. It’s been busy. Now it’s time for this. Love the idea of at least taking a year! Thank you for the encouragement just when I needed it! Yup I was left with my parents messes. Lord willing 😅 won’t do that to my kids!
Wow, thanks for sharing! Yes, take your time with it, it's a process. Thank you for watching. 😘🙏
I can’t wait to retire. 2/3 of my wardrobe could go. Suits, shoes, dresses. I’ll keep one or two for special occasions, but I’m so tired of having all those outfits. I’ve been giving my kids everything I think they’ll want. I found a whole box of their school report cards! Trust me, they wouldn’t want their children seeing those! To the shredder those went. 😁
I hate the idea of having to buy clothes for conferences or other events. I'd almost rather not go than have to shop.
That is so funny! I’m 64. My mom is 95. She had mine, too! And one that said I was lazy and not living up to my potential… ( well, that TEACHER was boring!)
I read them, had a laugh, and tossed them.
I’m blessed that my mom FINALLY has a touch of dementia! She doesn’t remember what junk I’ve thrown away, and doesn’t accuse me of stealing it yet!
I tossed thirty five years of outdated tax returns.
I just tore out the SSN # in the pages and shredded THAT.
She did have her first “bad night”, where she didn’t remember where her art supplies were and accused me of taking her paintbrushes. Rather than be upset, I asked her which ones she needed, and replaced them from my stock. I brought her three tubes of different shades of bright red paint- her favorite color.
This made her so happy she forgot to be mad about the “ missing” brushes, that it made me happy too!
@@jennifermarie8707I like shopping, so when my friends complain I go for them. I was a costume designer for local theater. I apply those principles to body type, color preference and budget.
I’m always under budget, rarely buy a detested item( which I return or donate) and it makes ME very happy!
I love this topic!!!
Since watching 10 mins ago I’ve thrown 3 things away!!!
Small steps, I can’t wait to see how my house feels after 6 months!!! 😃
That's awesome! What a great start in just 10 minutes. I can imagine your progress in 6 months.😍 Keep going!👏👏
Cute!
I wish my dad would do this. But, he's gonna want every single item examined, considered and worshiped forever. Oh, dad.
Hugs. My mum was a hoarder and we were left with an absolute nightmare when she went. It was cathartic cleaning everything away. It took a LOT of hard work, but it really helped us to move on.
Consider asking him to tell you the stories about the things that are special to him. It is the memory that makes things special. It might help him to decide which things are truly special and worth keeping. Or not, but it might be worth a try. I’ve cleaned out 3 houses, it’s a huge job.
Why should he getrid of his stuff .All the things he has are part of his life and all will hold memories that are special to him and him alone. He still has his life to live no matter how you conside he should. When the dear fellow pops his clogs just call in the clearance and you are done.In the meantime if he finds it too painful to sort everything then just leave him be.
Just make sure he leaves you enough money to hire a company to clear out his place. All you need to do is book them. It’s easy. Stop complaining.
My in laws have moved in with us. I am shocked at how much unnecessary clothing they insist on hanging on to. Early 90s, don't go anywhere , etc. Ho hum. I think that 60 pairs of underpants (many not used worn) is excessive.😂
Yes! I particularly love my bedroom clutter free. My wardrobe is breezy and easy to find things in. And i weed things out often. It feels so good but also feels good giving things away, knowing someone with less money can afford and enjoy them.👍😎🇨🇦
100% There are so many great feelings about reducing things.
I haven’t read the book but I’m well aware of Swedish Death Cleaning. I’m on a minimalism journey and cannot think of anything more helpful to ease my anxiety and panic attacks than to declutter my home. It is a constant source of stress to me. I’ve been living with anxiety a good part of my life but I’ve realized in the last few years that now my home has added to it. My husband and I plan on downsizing and have already bought another home. I don’t want to take all of my belongings with me. So much is contained in boxes that we haven’t looked at since we moved to our current home 23 years ago. It makes absolutely no sense to me but my “better half” has trouble letting things go. I go through drawers, closets, etc. daily just to see what else I can let go. As I suffer with health problems as well it isn’t an easy task. We only have one son and I really don’t want to leave him with a house full of clutter to go through. All I want is a simple life.🙏 Thank you so much for sharing with us.🥰
I did a massive clean 4 years ago before moving into an 800 sf home. Now I basically maintain and it feels so good.
sentimental items i take a picture of them and put on flash drive.
That works well for a lot of people. I like to touch things, so I have kept a few sentimental family items.
I have a friend whom I share my house with, he is a hoarder, his mother was a hoarder. He is 73 years old, his whole families 'stuff' including over 150 years of dead relatives stuff. It does my head in! He is learning, by my example ( I tend to be a neat freak) to let go of things. If he brings stuff into the house, I say, "..and I suppose when you drop dead I am the one to figure out what to do with it?". We used to fight about it, but he is realising it isn't fair for someone else to deal with his stuff and actually goes through his own stuff and gets rid of it now! He buys multiples of things because they were cheap, I ask him now, "Will you live that long to use them up?" He replies, "Oh, probably not." and then returns them. I think it is paying off. Monkey see, monkey do. Great video.
That's awesome! Thank you for sharing that.🙏
I really enjoyed this video. I also have been on a decluttering, Swedish death cleaning journey and it is so freeing. I began after we had lived in our caravan on a three month holiday. When we got home, I was amazed at all our stuff and the time it took to care for all that stuff. I'd managed with very little in the caravan and decided to go through my house and get rid of what I didn't need. It has taken time but as time went by it got so much easier. My husband is more of a hoarder than I am but he is mostly on board now. i like the minimalist lifestyle so much more and wish I hadn't waited until we retired to see how tied down we were with our stuff.
Thanks for sharing Denise! I completely relate and wish we'd done it earlier too. xx
Thank you Miss Rini - I'm 62, small house, Autistic too, the kids left home years ago - and I had started to 'declutter' our home about 6 months ago. Hubby is just now getting on board with it and is going through all the accumulated stuff in his workshop. It's so good to get a sort of 'validation' for going through this process.
I started this about 8 months ago. A little here, a little there, to not be overwhelmed. What a joy it is to know I’m decluttering, making more “clean space” for our family to live in. Most importantly, not leaving all these “decisions of what to do with that item and that item” for our children, if something should happen to my husband and I.
I’ve been on a journey toward a more minimalist life since 2018, when the kids flew out the nest. I’ve donated and gifted an incredible amount of stuff and I don’t bring in stuff the way I use to.
I noticed about the time we hit 60 years old, my friends and I naturally started decluttering long held items. Speaking for myself, I was in no hurry to “complete” the task, feeling I still had lots of time to work on it. Since turning 70, I am finding that my health is declining and I have stepped up my efforts. For me, books, crafts and items to upcycle are areas where I’ve gone way too far in acquisition, currently I am currently actively “curating” my collections. After that I can concentrate on actively decluttering accidental acquisitions. Some of that stuff leaves as I notice it, but it isn’t my main focus. One thing I am doing is that I have three small boxes in my guest room closet, each with the name of someone I want to leave keepsakes to. As I come across items I want someone to have, I put it in “their” box. With the plan that when the box is full I’ll send it to them. I have no family nearby so I just can’t hand things over and they have no idea of what items I possess so they can’t ask.
Thanks for sharing! I love the box idea. What a great way to allocate precious items.🥰
Thanks for your video. Deciding what to keep and what to give away is an ongoing process! I find that I accumulate things without realizing it. I have to seasonally review what I have a decide whether I really want or need it. My adult children don’t really want a lot of sentimental things I have. I’ve been scanning old photos in case they later decide they’re interested. For myself, I don’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning and dusting!
I love your calm delivery. So much better than hyper people! I will subscribe now 😊
Thank you ☺🙏
I’ve been donating books to a local reading space at the shopping centre, where people can donate and borrow books, and just sit and read them on the spot, if they like. I enjoy thinking of people loving reading these books as much as I have.
Love that!
I love books & make good use of the local library. When I buy a book, I give it to the library unless I think I will want to re-read.
I cleared out my parent’s house after my mom died and my dad moved into care. It really shocked me into understanding what we accumulate. It’s a journey, but I am more conscious of what I will leave behind. There are some things I just can’t bear to part with, but I’m working to reduce and to limit what I now buy.
Both minimalism and the bizarre life long struggles of abundance emerged from the vibrant era of the '60s.
Yes! The end of the 2nd world war was a boom time for buying stuff. People wanted to feel secure and safe again, they wanted to enjoy life. They bought or rented new homes and bought possessions galore. By the time the 60's came, people were realising they'd spent (or borrowed - on hire purchase ) a ton of money unnecessarily.
Been doing this & giving things that I love to people that I thought would enjoy them as much as me instead of leaving them in a will.
Love this! Then you actually get to see them enjoy it 😊
I'm interested in what you say here, Ive started doing flylady regime for my cleaning. A lot is decluttering. My daughter is autistic and I was explaining to her that I think it would be good for her. I feel less overwhelmed, calmer, free, enjoy my surroundings. I'm not autistic and I said I was sure she would benefit from less stuff. I do 15 minutes of decluttering a day focusing on one room a week, then rotate around
It really does help with feeling calmer. I find I'm more relaxed in my home. Good luck on your journey and thanks for watching 🙏
I think what you said about easing the burden on your loved ones is a measure of your love for those who will personally have to deal with your decline and death. Thank you for expressing the reality with gentle honesty.
Yes, I agree: it is an expression of love. Thank you for watching!
OMGosh I enjoyed your video. I have been decluttering like crazy for the past two years. Not a hoarder but a lover of all things artistically interesting to me.......I still found myself stuck with many of the the knick knacks (art pieces) and I needed a swift kick to the sentimental parts of me to help me get over the hump of hanging onto art pieces (knick knacks) I was having difficulty letting go of and putting in the office to avoid dealing with those leftovers. Minimalism is not about denying yourself all the wonderful things available you may want and can access. It is about minimalizing what doesn't work for you without turning on your own and others humanness. We to are navigating towards gifts of experiences too. It is wonderful to live in a home that takes less housework, feels uncluttered, functions better and still shows personality of inhabitants. Just put all the knick knacks in the office into the donate bin, Thank you!
Yes! You absolutely got that right: minimalism is not about denying yourself. Thank you so much for watching. x
I had someone recommend this book on her experience, she was excited to share how much energy she had once she applied and decluttered her home. Thank you for sharing Rini ... will share it with my husband! 😅
You're welcome! It's really made such a difference in my life. Thank you for sharing.🙏
WOW! I have been aware of this type of thinking, but I have not adopted it into my life. I am at this point now!! Thank you for your encouragement and inspiration. 😊
You are so welcome!
I really want to start doing this. I've been decluttering but finding it hard to go through mementos and especially my adult daughters childhood belongings. Another struggle is that we inherited all of our parents and other elderly relatives possessions which we need to give ourselves permission to let go.
Yes, that can be really hard when you've had things handed down to you! Lots of guilt and obligation. I do know that feeling.
Honestly your kids don't want their kiddie stuff back. They want good adult things if you have any.
Very nicely done, I'm sharing this thought with you, if you've ever stayed at a summer Cottage or cabin, how fun! For so many reasons, things like meals become so special and sought after and part of the fun is using your little cottage set of dishes that's there, or maybe choosing from just five or seven pieces of clothing hanging in the pine closet , an easy choice because there's pretty much one for each function but what I'm getting at is part of the beauty of staying at a summer cabin is just that there's not all that stuff there, just the things you really need, we leave all our stuff behind to get away! It's satisfying growing older and enjoying knowing more about ourselves and what we need and sometimes listening to a good video from a pretty clever woman from tazzy
Oh thank you so much.😘🙏 What a great thought. I feel like reducing our stuff is a bit like a holiday too - literally getting away from it all!😁
Dear Rini, I just found this and I think you have summarised and explained the idea very succinctly. I have moved around a bit and have gradually gotten my stuff pared down to most essential items and a few sentimental keepsakes. Last is sorting a life time of photos into albums. I think this decluttering and organising becomes a progressive lifestyle of good habits that allows us to move on and enjoy the journey and, as you said, it is much easier to find things when you have less things. Thanks 🇦🇺
Wonderful! Well done.👏Thank you for watching 🙏
I love your magnetic personality and the love and kindness with which you tackled the subject of... well... essentially burdening the kids with the trash accumulated. Really really worthwhile video!
Wow, thank you!🙏😊
My sons have been helping me declutter. I lost my home during the 2008 recession, and now live in a 500 sf apartment, stacked with boxes so much that I cannot really use it the way it's supposed to be used. I've gotten rid of a lot, and I'm working on getting rid of more. I had bought bookcases and put books and treasured knick-knacks on them, but every day, I look at those shelves and see things that I don't need and don't really want anymore. I must have 100 books I will never read again, because new books are coming out all the time, and I have a computer full of e-books. I'm sentimental too, but I'm in my 70s now, and I don't want my kids to have to go through all this stuff, so I've started boxes of treasured things, mementos and pictures. I've labeled each with where they came from and why they are important to me. Those are the only boxes they will have to go through, and the rest can go. Even in those boxes, they can keep what they want and do what they want with the rest.
Thank you for this post Rini. I just retired and this is one of my projects for retirement. My mother was an 'artistic hoarder' and it took me 3 years of difficult work to clear out her house full of things. I pledged then that I won't do that to my kids, but oh my, old cultural habits are not easy to change. Thank you for your inspiring thoughts and words.
You are so welcome!
I have read this book and after a year I have moved from a three bedroom home into a motor home. I’m still decluttering my sentimental items
I retired and I gave my children their things I collected over their childhood and donated lots,
Wow! That's amazing. Thanks for watching.🙏
My Mum has always hoarded to a certain degree, but now in the throws of dementia, holds on to even things like cling film that the daily newspaper comes wrapped in. I dread going through her things when it’s time - and I have already done a few big declutters in my own home to help reduce what we have.
Same here. It was very distressing finding all this garbage when she was gone. All my life there was garbage hoarded in drawers and cupboards taking the space of what was actually used and had no home.
One of the greatest benefits of minimalism is how it minimizes cleaning and tidying. I love that! I also love that, thanks to minimalism and döstädning, I will never be that parent that's resented for leaving my children with a horde of clutter to dispose of after I'm gone.
Love this! One of the best things you can do in life IMO. Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm inspired.🥰
Definitely the best video I've seen on this topic!
In the States we have a relentless gift culture which fuels the economy, but also accounts for much of the useless stuff we have. If you can convince people not to exchange gifts with you, you can prevent the accumulation of so much. The hard part is getting them to agree and then stick to it!
Absolutely! I'm currently editing a video which deals with exactly this (it's about accumulating stuff). Thanks so much for watching 🙏
I had an old inadequate kitchen. When we finally remodeled I told the contractor I wanted the extra tall cabinets and two big pantries. What a big mistake. I love kitchen things and yes before I knew it the cabinets were full. We’re only two people. I have now decluttered and all those upper shelves that are really out of anyone’s reach are empty. 😞
Beautifully said! I have spent countless hours, weeks and weeks, dealing with my mother’s possessions. It was incredible and very hard. I’m motivated not to do this to my family. It’s a great gift. By contrast, my mother in law had her home ready and all important documents were prepared and took the stress and guess work out of her estate and made the grieving process easier. That’s how I want to go.
I try to declutter ongoing, have said, this is my gift to my son when I'm gone. It's not fair to them, they have families, working, etc.
It's an expression of love isn't it?❤️ Thanks for watching 🙏
A new viewer to this channel. What a lovely presentation of this topic.
Thank you and welcome.☺
I enjoyed your explanation and step by step process. I am going to begin this process. I think you explained it better than anyone else I’ve listened to regarding this topic. Thank you
Glad it was helpful! Best of luck to you on your decluttering journey.xx
I'm determined to declutter so my autistic son will not have to deal with it all one day. My mother recently passed and it's hard to let go of her things.. I'm doing it little by little and trying to save just the things that are truly meaningful to me. We've given sooooo much away in the last few years, but still a lot to go now that I have all my mother's things.
Enjoyed this, cleaning today in Co Mayo , Ireland 🇮🇪! Thank you💐
Hello from County Clare. Hope the cleaning went well.
Hi from Portugal but I’m a Wexican :)
Thank you. I have head of this before, but you make it more real and something my wife and I need to embrace at 77 and 81 (me)
Thanks for this vlog. I'm very minimalist and do not attach sentiment to inanimate items. My husband, on the other hand, is sentimental about almost everything . We are now in our late 40s/early 50s, and have started to "inherit" various family members "treasures." I am always scheduling clean-out days for us throughout the year to keep a handle on possessions. It is very difficult, and therefore a process, for him to let go; whereas, I'm constantly donating/trying to donate stuff we don't need/use. It helps us to view things under the lens of we don't need/use it, but someone else would love it, so donating is a kindness and gives the possession a life it wouldn't have with us.
Absolutely agree with you! I think of it as being "kind" to the object too 🥰. Thanks for watching.
I’ve been declutterring in stages for around 10 years. Each time, I get better at letting go of things. I do still bring some things into our house that I do enjoy, but I try to be selective. It is so much easier to clean and keep things organized. It may sound like a lot of time that I have been at it, but I can’t bring myself to be an extreme minimalist., but I keep working towards that. I have come a long ways from my original “I might better keep this just in case I need it some day”. I am pretty much in the maintenance stage now. Literally pretty much every week I try to gather one or two items I can live without and put them in the trash can or a donate box. When it is sufficiently full, it goes out the door to the thrift store. I will be 72 Sunday (May 19), but I’m still a work in progress.
I totally agree! I now just hung through my house to get rid of things. I feel soooo good just having less in my home. It like a weight has been lifted off my shoulder’s 😊
You inspired me so much that I am energized to begin decluttering again! I truly loved the vision you shared at the very end for the life your children will know that you and your husband have lived..
I shall keep that very vision in my heart, too, for my loved ones, as I resume this journey with a beautiful mindset!❤
I just found your channel and this is the best video I’ve seen on decluttering and Swedish death cleaning. Some of us get the impression that we don’t have much time left and we want to ease the burden on our loved ones. 😊
I grew up in the 60s in the 70s and back then minimalism is what we just called living. Back then you did not have the choices that you have today and you did not have the easy credit that you have today. So it basically didn’t exist because that’s how everyone lived.
With the exception of my grand piano, I've already given instructions when I die, to throw everything that was mine into a dumpster. After years of purchasing clothing, home decor items as well as larger pieces of furniture from thrift stores or second-hand private sellers or we've had the bigger furniture for years and years, there's probably not a single thing that my children would want or would need to keep as its all had its day. ;-)
Someone is always coming up with a new term (i.e. Swedish Death Cleaning) for what we all should be doing throughout our lives if we don't want our 'stuff' to become a burden for others when we die. Every age seems to think they've developed a whole "new concept". 🤪 It's not new...just a different way to look at the same process.
thank you - I appreciate your approach and insight in the process of applying the principles of Swedish Death Cleaning - it seems doable and very beneficial
Just to say s bit about hoarding because I noticed it coming up in comments- it's acknowledged that there are underlying emotional issues for people who hoard, so they may need regular hired help along with Counseling to get out of that situation. And they have to want the change!
In my business housecleaning I've worked with so many people who want to change but just cannot until they can look at the emotional freeze that's keeping them stymied. Without getting to the root of the hoarding need, I have just cleaned the same unhapoy mess over and over - it's a complicated situation and needs help without judgement. And it's natural to judge when we don't yet understand, so casting no shade there, either!
Great video - like how you address hubby's emotional attachments with dufferent questions!
Thank you so much for sharing that. Yes, I agree. Hoarding is a clinical condition and requires professional help. This video (or any like it) would not be useful in that case. Thanks for watching!😊🙏
I love your comment.
I used to have an awful trouble letting go of things as a result of my uncle burning most of our possessions after my dad died.
The house we were living in came with his job so, when he passed away we were given a week to leave.
We had to move in with my uncle and grandmother and my uncle, who didn't like us much, didn't want to "store our crap" as he put it.
We were all in our teens then so it was traumatic to lose not only our only parent, but our belongings as well.
It took me years to be able to let go of stuff, though I will never be a minimalist - it wouldn't work with my lifestyle anyway.
This is a breath of fresh air. We've minimalised already but there is always more. After watching your video I have requested the book from the library and am excited to get started again.
Loved loved loved your take on the subject! You also have a great way of bringing the idea across, even to people who might be new to this concept. I have been on this journey for the last couple of years. I retired about a year ago and have kicked in to full gear. Doing one more sweep of every single space in our home and eliminating excess and things that have become obsolete very ruthlessly. Our sons live in other countries/continents and the day will inevitable come that they will have to deal with the stuff we have left behind and this will make things as easy as possible for them. I have also created a digital file that I continously update with our personal information and all things relevant to our house. The last thing I have left is to go thru photos from all the places we have lived and travelled to. I will create photo books of our journey thru life together - just highlights not all. That will be a fun project and I plan on being ruthless. In the meantime many of my peers are stuffing their houses with craft supplies etc that they will not use up if they live to be a hundred. Wouldn't trade with them if you paid me! Serenity and peace of mind for the win! 🙂
I love your idea for the photo books! You sound like you are on top of it all. Thank you so much for watching.
Great video I have been doing the same and it is very freeing. Cleaning out other peoples homes is quite a burden (we have done it a few times) and we don’t want to put our kids in the same position.
So true!
You inspired me to get the audio version of the book. I’ve been in decluttering mode for a couple of years and still appreciate virtual support such as this! Many thanks!
You got this!
@@ItsMissRini Thank you!
For the people who believe that all their possessions are valuable and will bring money to your family once you're gone: Please look at an accounting sheet of an estate in probate. You will not believe how little things actually go for. Your family will be lucky to get pennies on the dollar, if they get anything at all. Be realistic and disperse your possessions you don't need while you are still alive because the estate disbursement process is brutal, costly, and unpleasant for everyone involved.
Excellent point! You are so right. It's quite sad how little things are really worth financially.
This popped up on my feed, and I found it very interesting. I'm currently incorporating inherited items into everyday life by swapping them for items I've owned for years. I'm not bothering to reduce the library. My heirs like to read and, when I've kicked off, they may enjoy the books of their ancestors.
I have been on a similar journey in California and concur with all the benefits you mention❤it’s a very freeing process and I keep finding things to declutter.
Working with a professional organizer can greatly enhance this process. An unbiased, experienced person who knows the essential questions to ask and who can coach you on conversations you need to have with family and loved ones is a great boon.
I have been doing this for quite a while now and feel the weight falling of my back being an artist I had a lot of clutter because I love beautiful objects But the more I let go the beautiful objects stand out more ..its a lovely development ..thank you for a great video with your lovely calm voice .
Thank you for sharing your experience and for watching my video. I do appreciate it!🙏😘
Yes, it’s a huge practical and emotional process!!😮
We had 3 processes like that with in one and a half years!
My grand parents died, my husbands father died, and my parents moved from our childhood home.
It was a way too big job, every time!
And I think you only realise when you have to deal with it, right? Thanks for watching.🙏😊
Miss Rini, I have been working on this in the past year, I so want to clear our home more and more, I have started and have taken a few boxes a month, in the past year. To Salvation Army to re sell for others. I keep finding more and more I can divest my home and life of. Yes so many reasons to do so. I am 66 years old and I don’t want to leave this mess for our kids to clean up after me. I want to just be free of the mess. I use less and less of the thins I have.. I just subscribed and I am delighted to meet you.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and thank you so much for subscribing! I'm happy to have you here :)
Spent all my life accumulating, then the last two years getting rid of. I cannot imagine my two sons getting stuck with all the stuff I had and still have when I pass. I just lost my brother who had barely any possessions and that was very difficult. It has given me new energy to get rid of much more. What a waste of money and time.
Well done, you’ve fone a massive good job! I had started , then stopped. You had inspired me to get back to it 👍🏼
This is helpful in so many ways for all ages.
Thank you for posting this on TH-cam.
You're very welcome!😊
I have some things my mom had saved. They are now valuable or just treasure to me or other family members now 40 years later. But I need to do this now and sell the things I can and put it into paying off credit cards.
I have this book and have never read it, but I have decluttered quite a bit of our stuff. I'm 56 and my youngest child is now 14 and taller than I am, so we have let go of all that baby stuff and also the cluttery toys, thank goodness. I still need to get rid of a lot more to make my mind more at peace, but I'm not sure how well it will go with a packrat husband. If something was expensive, or a gift given by someone who's already passed on, or sentimental in any way, or if it MIGHT be useful in the future, he doesn't want to get rid of it. I try explaining all the benefits and reasons (which I already know after reading on minimalism so much), but its a struggle sometimes. I could let probably 40-50% of the stuff go without a blink, but you can't just do that when you have a family.
Oh I know exactly what you mean! My husband is like that and it is a constant struggle. He's much better than he used to be, but I think I could probably be a lot further along in the journey if he wasn't fighting me on it so much.😉