Let’s face it — we’ve all got a good amount of stuff. That’s why Mari Kondo’s organizing method became so popular in the mid-2000s: she touched on the need of a consumer-driven society to simplify life. Her premise is simple: consider the items around you, and if they don’t spark joy, get rid of them. The reward, she promises, is a more breathable space to enjoy visually, emotionally, and functionally.

A few years later, Margareta Magnussons book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter continued to capitalize on the need for simplicity, hitting the New York Times Bestseller List and spawning a streaming series on Peacock. But while Mari Kondo’s KonMari Method focuses on you and what brings you joy in the moment, Magnusson’s concept is about planning for the future and not sticking our grieving loved ones with unwanted stuff when we pass on. In essence, our things will outlive us, so we need to plan!

Magnusson insists that the intention is not to deprive ourselves of things that make our lives pleasant or comfortable, but to pare down to the true essentials. This process makes it easier to clean your home, you feel calmer because you are not living in chaos, and you know that your family will not be as burdened with decluttering what you leave behind.

Creating a Roadmap for Your Belongings

Magnusson’s concept encourages you to create a plan for those special items that you would like to pass down. You can share your plan with loved ones, keep a list of the items and their significance, or even turn to online solutions to keep a record.

Heather Nickerson, CEO of Artifcts.com, was inspired to create her site in 2020 after her mother passed away unexpectedly. “Like most of us,” Heather said, “She had a lot of stuff.” Heather struggled to properly rehome her mother’s belongings, because she did not know the significance or sentimental value of them. The Artifcts platform is a place to capture, preserve, and share the history, stories, and value behind one’s belongings. Users can log information and even upload videos explaining the history of an object for posterity.

Tips from Swedish author Margareta Magnusson

  • While younger people should always be thinking about the practicality of their stuff, 65 is a great age to start seriously start taking inventory of your possessions. You are still physically able to tackle the work and have more time to invest in it.
  • Decluttering takes time- start now and do it gradually.
  • You may be surprised at how much you can eliminate. Over time, your needs change and your interests change, so the relationship with your stuff changes.
  • Start with the basement or the attic.
  • Go through larger items that take up the most space, first. You may not be as emotionally attached to pieces of furniture as you might be to smaller things like photographs and letters.
  • Make the process easier by sharing the journey with family and friends. Have a photo sorting party, for example.
  • Think of what you don’t want discovered when you’re gone and toss it!
  • Rethink your current purchases and buy less!

 Magnusson concludes: “Whether it’s sorting the family heirlooms from junk, downsizing to a smaller place, or setting up a system to help you stop misplacing your keys, this process gives us the chance to make the later years of our lives as comfortable and as stress-free as possible.”

Wesley Enhanced Living embraces the Scandinavian minimalist philosophy of paring down to focus on what truly matters to you. We do offer spacious apartments in a variety of sizes with ample closet space; but the beauty of the senior community lifestyle is that the entire campus is your living room, from our lounges, fitness, craft, and entertainments spaces to our lovely gardens, dining rooms, and bistros. To help with your transition, we offer a downsizing package and have partnered with a long list of service providers so that moving is a snap!

Visit us today at one of our five locations in the Greater Philadelphia area.