‘Less is more’ has been taken to the next level with a new decluttering trend hitting our homes.
First, it was minimalism. Now, it’s dostadning – an interesting combination of the Swedish words death and cleaning.
While the name doesn’t sound all that appealing, Swedish death cleaning is becoming the best thing we’ve stolen from the Swedish culture since ABBA. (Oh, and those awesome meatballs from IKEA.)
So, what is Swedish death cleaning? And should you be getting on board this intriguing bandwagon?
What is Swedish death cleaning?
While the literal translation of dostadning is ‘death cleaning’, the practice isn’t as morbid as you might think.
Put simply, Swedish death cleaning is the method of decluttering and organising your belongings, holding onto the things that make you happy, and allowing your life to run more smoothly.
It’s aimed at people over the age of 50 who may like to organise their stuff so that when they pass, their friends and family don’t have the time-consuming job of sorting through all the things they accumulated over the years. Seriously Wayne, no one wants to sort through your old Playboys.
But it’s not just for people on the other side of the hill. No, those trendy youngsters couldn’t possibly let this one slide by. People of all ages are embracing Swedish death cleaning to declutter their homes and simplify their lives.
Swedish death cleaning isn’t just for over-50s looking to downsize.
Benefits of Swedish Death Cleaning
Ditching the clutter isn’t just a step closer to a trendy interior. Swedish death cleaning is about more than how your home looks; it also encourages a happier, healthier life.
It Can Reduce Stress
A cluttered home can create a feeling of loss of control, leading to stress and anxiety. Having too much stuff in your environment can be a distraction, and your mind can feel busy and overworked. In a tidy and organised home, you’re better able to relax.
It Can Improve Productivity
Excess clutter can be distracting in more ways than one. Not only does the excessive stimuli make it tricky to focus on the task at hand, but actually starting a task can be difficult if you can’t find that important document among all your stuff.
It Can Improve Your Health
Objects collect dust. The more stuff you have sitting around your home, the more difficult it is to thoroughly clean and remove dust, debris, and other allergens. A decent declutter and clean can reduce allergy and asthma triggers, as well as the risk of trips, injuries, and attracting pests.
Swedish death cleaning gives you a tidy home and a tidy mind (and, you know, less risk of mice and cockroaches – always a plus). Check out the ‘Hygge’ and Minimalism style right here.
Swedish Death Cleaning How-To
If you want to clear your clutter and embrace an organised and simple lifestyle, follow these Swedish death cleaning steps:
1. Create a Plan
Don’t just start throwing things away on the spur of the moment. You’ll likely get tired, overwhelmed, and discouraged. Before you start decluttering, create a clutter-clearing plan. Clear your schedule for an entire weekend, and organise help if you need it.
2. Do One Room at a Time
Jumping from space to space is only going to lead to a time-consuming and half-assed job. Clear one room, one cupboard and one drawer at a time to ensure a thorough job. Definitely check out our simple guide to a spring clean!
3. Remove It ASAP
No, bagging your stuff and leaving it in the garage isn’t good enough. Get your clutter out of your home as soon as possible by putting it into a self-storage unit.
Not totally committed to saying goodbye to your excess stuff? Learn how to fake the minimalist look with these handy hacks. Or, get a free quote from our friendly National Storage team today.
