1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff production of I Heart Radio. Hey 2 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:09,879 Speaker 1: brain Stuff Lauren Vogue Obama here. Cleaning out the home 3 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: of a loved one who has recently died or entered 4 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: a nursing home is something most people dread, especially if 5 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: they have no idea what to do with all the 6 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: items their loved one has accumulated. Enter the Swedish death 7 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,240 Speaker 1: clean It may sound morbid, but it can actually lighten 8 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: the burden of grieving loved ones. Popularized in the book 9 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by eighty something 10 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: artist Margaretta Magnuson, Swedish death cleaning is basically decluttering in 11 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 1: your later years so that someone else doesn't have to 12 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: do it for you. Magnuson herself is Swedish but has 13 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: lived all over the world. Her book was an immediate 14 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: sensation in Sweden and garnered serious interest in the US 15 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: once it was published here in. In the book, Magnusson 16 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,639 Speaker 1: explains that the Swedes call it though staddening, a combination 17 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: of the words for death and cleaning. Though it's a 18 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: relatively recent concept. We spoke via email with and Charlotte 19 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: gavel Adams, Professor Merita of Swedish Studies at the University 20 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: of Washington. She explained that the word isn't listed in 21 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: any Swedish Academy dictionaries, and that she first heard of 22 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: the concept ten years ago from a man in his 23 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: seventies who was clearing out his artworks and books so 24 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: that his sons wouldn't have to do it when he 25 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,759 Speaker 1: passed away. She said, he's still alive, though he used 26 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: the word in a humorous tone. I think the Swedes 27 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 1: are as uncomfortable discussing death as Americans, and of course 28 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: we're not alone in that. According to a survey by 29 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: the Academy of Medical Sciences in England, six out of 30 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: ten people know little to nothing about those last hours 31 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: of life. In fact, one third of participants declined to 32 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: answer the questions, leading researchers to surmise that they're uncomfortable 33 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 1: or unwilling to talk about death. Even so, the concept 34 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: has clearly struck a nerve. Boston based professional organizer Riha 35 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: Becker added Swedish death cleaning to her list of services 36 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: after reading Magnusson's book. She said via email, I've worked 37 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: with so many relatives of people who never streamlined their belongings, 38 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: only to leave a massive amount of stuff to the 39 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: unfortunate next generation. Author and motivational speaker B. J. Gallagher 40 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: has been on the receiving end of this accumulated stuff 41 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: not once or twice, but three times in the last 42 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: eight years. One of those homes was her mother's residence, 43 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: where she lived for four decades. Gallagher said via email. 44 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: Along the way, I decided I wanted to start liquidating 45 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: my own estate before I become elderly and or incapacitated, 46 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 1: because I don't want my son to have the same 47 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: headache dealing with my household at the end of my life. 48 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: I decided that the greatest gift I can give my 49 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: son is the gift of no burden. So that's what 50 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: I've been doing the past couple of years, long before 51 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: I ever heard the term Swedish death cleaning. First on 52 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 1: the chopping block was her art, clothes, and jewelry, because 53 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: they all have significant value and aren't simple curbside donations, 54 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 1: she said, I've used eBay and social media to sell 55 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: these items with great success. I made thirty thousand dollars 56 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: last year selling my clothes, jewelry, and art, and it 57 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: feels so great to lighten up and clear out spaced 58 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: my closets and in the rooms of my house. Although 59 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 1: it might seem like an awkward conversation to have the 60 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: ironies that streamlining personal belongings during those golden years actually 61 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: improves the quality of life. Becker said. Some people feel 62 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 1: squeamish about the idea that they're essentially preparing their personal 63 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: environment for their eventual death, but it makes so much sense, 64 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: and once completed, the person who chooses to do Swedish 65 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: death cleaning can enjoy a simpler life, surrounded only by 66 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: the things they truly need or love. Still, it can 67 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:22,959 Speaker 1: be a difficult topic to broach with the loved one, 68 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 1: as no one wants to imply that Grandma or mom 69 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: has one foot in the grave. So if you think 70 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: the person in question might be somewhat rightfully put off 71 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: by the phrase death cleaning, take a different approach. But 72 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: we also spoke via email with Julie Bestry, a Chattanooga, 73 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: Tennessee based professional organizer. She said, when people contact me 74 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: about their parents wanting to suggest downsizing for them, I 75 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: always encourage them to position it from the perspective of 76 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: how it will improve their parents lives. Now rather than 77 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: their families or children's lives later. Accent how a less 78 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: cluttered environment means there are fewer things to dust, vacuum, 79 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: or make space to store. Perhaps mention a friend whose 80 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: parents had excess and fell, breaking a hip and recuperating 81 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: at home wasn't possible because the cluttered spaces left little 82 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: room to move about with a walker. Once your loved 83 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: ones are on board with a full house declutter, you 84 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: can offer to lend a hand on a gradual basis, 85 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: or use the surfaces of a professional organizer. Then start slowly. 86 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: Becker said, my client chooses the room that's bugging them 87 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 1: the most. We handle every item while the client makes decisions, 88 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: and then we move on to the next room. This 89 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: process may sound time consuming, but we can often complete 90 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: an entire room in two to four hours. Here are 91 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: a few other tips for successful death cleaning from professional organizers. First, 92 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 1: dispose of anything that could be hurtful or embarrassing. I 93 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,159 Speaker 1: can say from personal experience cleaning out family members homes 94 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: that finding a loved one's sex aids is awkward. Then 95 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: bring other friends or relatives and on the action, ask 96 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: them what items of value they want and write it 97 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: down or note it in the will. This will limit 98 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 1: hurt feelings and fighting after your loved one is passed on. 99 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: They may even decide to distribute the items before passing, 100 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 1: and finally consider packing a throwaway box items that can't 101 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: be parted with for sentimental reasons, but that no one 102 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: else will have a use for. When all of a 103 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: sudden done, a few people are likely to feel that 104 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 1: they've lost anything other than a cloud hanging over their head. 105 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: Becker said, clients are always relieved to have thinned the herd. 106 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: They actually feel a lightness that they may have never 107 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: experienced before. As I like to say, it's only stuff. 108 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 1: Today's episode was written by Alia Hoyt and produced by 109 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: Tyler Clang. The brain Stuff is a production of I 110 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:34,599 Speaker 1: Heart Radio's How Stuff Works. For more on this and 111 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: lots of other neat topics, visit our home planet, how 112 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: Stuff Works dot com and for more podcasts from my 113 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: heart radio is thy heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 114 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.