The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

I read something last week about Swedish Death Cleaning.

Huh??

Yes quite.

I thought Marie Kondo’s decluttering method was a bit full on but this new practice makes that look fairly tame!

What is The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning?

This new craze is based around a book called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by a lady who, it’s fair to say, is in her twilight years.

Margareta Magnusson is aged somewhere between 80 and 100 and has written a guide for purging your home of excess belongings (that you don’t need or cherish) in preparation for leaving this mortal plane.

Her motto (one of many it must be said) is:

‘If you don’t love it, lose it.

If you don’t use it, lose it.’

Although the book focusses on the elderly and their families, Swedish death cleaning can be used whatever your age; to help you declutter your life.

Principles of Swedish Death Cleaning

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning isn’t a new concept by any means though.

Back in 1880, the esteemed designer William Morris famously said:

‘If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.’

William Morris

So although ‘The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning’ may be this season’s new ‘buzzword’, the words ‘bandwagon’ and ‘jumping’ also spring to mind.

William Morris was heading up that trend years ago. And his designs are still as relevant today as they were when he designed them. I have used his wallpaper in our downstairs loo!

Talking of useful and beautiful, I spotted some gorgeous things in HomeSense last week.

They — and their sister store TK Maxx — will be selling a range of handmade baskets made by remote communities in Western Uganda, this October.

Beautiful, Useful and Altruistic

Traditional weaving techniques have been rediscovered to create the range; which is part of HomeSense’s initiative to help disadvantaged families in Uganda.

The baskets have been beautifully made using local materials — William Morris would definitely approve — and they come in a wide range of contemporary shapes, bright colours and designs. 

Best of all, as well as being useful and beautiful, the income received from the sale of two pieces is enough to pay for one Ugandan child to go to school for a whole term.

It’s lovely to see unique artisanal pieces like this in a high-street store.

So many things are mass produced these days, it’s really cheering to see things that have been crafted by hand; using traditional methods.

William Morris founded the arts and crafts movement, so I think he’d love this initiative.

He’d also probably agree that if things are beautiful, useful and the proceeds of sale are for a good cause, that’s surely the best combination of all.

And — unlike The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning — definitely worth keeping