X
TAP top app download banner
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
theAsianparent Philippines Logo
EnglishFilipino
Product Guide
Sign in
  • Money Tips
    • Savings
    • Insurance
    • Loans
    • Investments
    • Government Benefits
  • Building a BakuNation
  • Becoming a Parent
    • Trying to Conceive
    • Pregnancy
    • Delivery
    • Losing a Baby
    • Project Sidekicks
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler Years
    • Preschool Age
    • Kids
    • Preteen & Teen
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • News
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Health & Wellness
    • Diseases & Injuries
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
    • COVID-19
  • Education
    • Preschool
    • K-12
    • Special Education Needs
  • Lifestyle Section
    • Celebrities
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Home
    • Travel and Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
    • Money
  • Become a VIP
  • Press Room
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping

"Death cleaning" sounds morbid, but it's actually a great way of cleaning your home

3 min read
"Death cleaning" sounds morbid, but it's actually a great way of cleaning your home

If you're desperate to declutter your home, why not try "death cleaning"? It might sound morbid, but you'll be surprised at the results!

“Death cleaning,” or dostadning in Swedish, is literally just that. It’s cleaning up your home so that your loved ones won’t have to do it before you die.

However, you don’t necessarily need to be at death’s door if you want to do some death cleaning. All it takes is knowing the underlying philosophy that makes death cleaning an effective form of cleaning.

It’s about getting rid of unnecessary things

According to Swedish artist Margareta Magnusson, author of The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, the task can give you a lot of benefits that you’ll reap while you’re still alive.

She shares, “Generally people have too many things in their homes, I think it’s a good thing to get rid of things you don’t need.”

She adds that she always did it “because I want to have it nice around me, keep some order.”

“Don’t collect things you don’t want,” she shares. “One day when you’re not around anymore, your family would have to take care of all that stuff, and I don’t think that’s fair.”

Give away the things you don’t need

The key to death cleaning, Magnusson shares, is to keep the things that you love and get rid of the things that you don’t. She advocates giving the things you don’t want to your family and friends as gifts instead of simply throwing them away.

When it comes to old letters, photographs, and other sentimental objects, she recommends keeping those things in a “throw-away” box, which is a box that her family can throw away once she passes without worrying that it might contain some important documents.

Death cleaning isn’t just a way to prepare for your death, it can also be a good way for you to start getting more organized, especially if you’re facing a big change in your life, such as if you’re having a child, moving to a new home, or planning on starting your family.

Cleaning has a lot of benefits

Death cleaning sounds morbid, but its actually a great way of cleaning your home

In addition to getting your home organized, doing some cleaning can also help lower your stress levels. Getting your house in order can also give you some peace of mind, knowing that you’ve made your home more livable and better for your family.

Clutter decreases your productivity, and almost everyone knows how overwhelming it feels to suddenly notice a lot of clutter in your own home. That’s why it’s important to make cleaning and organizing an ongoing process in your home. Make cleaning and decluttering a habit, and you’ll see your house slowly becoming more organized each day.

Cleaning is also something important that you’ll need to teach your children since once they’re all grown up and have houses of their own, they should be capable of managing their households and making sure that everything’s in order.

Source: time.com

READ: 7 Tips to make cleaning your home less of a hassle

Partner Stories
The Effect of Pure Vitamin E on One’s Beauty and Immunity
The Effect of Pure Vitamin E on One’s Beauty and Immunity
Wish You Were Here: Family-friendly Outdoor Activities To Do In Hong Kong
Wish You Were Here: Family-friendly Outdoor Activities To Do In Hong Kong
Globe FamSURF199: Fast, affordable, and family-friendly internet connection
Globe FamSURF199: Fast, affordable, and family-friendly internet connection
IKEA celebrates the joys of motherhood
IKEA celebrates the joys of motherhood

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Jan Alwyn Batara

Become a Contributor

  • Home
  • /
  • Home
  • /
  • "Death cleaning" sounds morbid, but it's actually a great way of cleaning your home
Share:
  • “Tili is Basically a Mini Nico”: Solenn Heussaff on Raising a Creative Daughter, Fun Husbands, and Present Parenting

    “Tili is Basically a Mini Nico”: Solenn Heussaff on Raising a Creative Daughter, Fun Husbands, and Present Parenting

  • A Blooming Reminder of Love: Highlights from TAP Together’s First-Ever “Bloom with Big Love” Mother’s Day Event

    A Blooming Reminder of Love: Highlights from TAP Together’s First-Ever “Bloom with Big Love” Mother’s Day Event

  • Uniqlo x Anya Hindmarch is back this summer with must-have shirts and pouches — launching May 23!

    Uniqlo x Anya Hindmarch is back this summer with must-have shirts and pouches — launching May 23!

  • “Tili is Basically a Mini Nico”: Solenn Heussaff on Raising a Creative Daughter, Fun Husbands, and Present Parenting

    “Tili is Basically a Mini Nico”: Solenn Heussaff on Raising a Creative Daughter, Fun Husbands, and Present Parenting

  • A Blooming Reminder of Love: Highlights from TAP Together’s First-Ever “Bloom with Big Love” Mother’s Day Event

    A Blooming Reminder of Love: Highlights from TAP Together’s First-Ever “Bloom with Big Love” Mother’s Day Event

  • Uniqlo x Anya Hindmarch is back this summer with must-have shirts and pouches — launching May 23!

    Uniqlo x Anya Hindmarch is back this summer with must-have shirts and pouches — launching May 23!

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Money Tips
  • Building a BakuNation
  • Pregnancy
  • Parenting
  • Lifestyle Section
  • FAMILY & HOME
  • TAP Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
© Copyright theAsianparent 2025. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it