I have big plans for Saturday. I will dive into döstädning, otherwise known as Swedish death cleaning.
As the name implies, it's a Swedish tradition that involves decluttering and organizing before you die. Whether you want to do it in your 30s or wait until your 80s is up to you, but the idea is to simplify your life while you're still here and to simplify the lives of your loved ones after you're gone.
Another cool thing about Swedish death cleaning is that it can create a calm oasis in your home while benefiting your financial mindset.
Image source: Getty Images.
How Swedish death cleaning can save you money
Did you know that the average American home contains roughly 300,000 items? Some we need, some we don't, but much of it is stored away in the nooks and crannies of our homes. We don't necessarily consider how much money and energy we spend holding on to all those precious items, but whether we realize it or not, they cost us.
Whether you're hoping to make life easier for your loved ones after you've passed or you're sick of being surrounded by stuff, here are four ways Swedish death cleaning can make and save you money.
1. Reduced storage costs
As of 2025, 33% of Americans pay for self-storage, and another 18% plan to rent a unit in the future. Unsurprisingly, 42% of those renting a unit are baby boomers. Storage units come in all shapes, sizes, and price points. However, the average rental price for a standard unit ranges from $60 to $180 per month, and the average climate-controlled storage unit goes for $75 to $225 per month.
Let's say you spend $150 per month storing your items. That's $1,800 per year. But what if you get rid of anything you don't need and no longer need to pay for storage? And what if you put that money into an investment with an annual average return of 7%? Here's how much you'd have:
|
After This Many Years... |
Your Investment Would Be Worth... |
|---|---|
|
5 |
$10,351 |
|
10 |
$24,870 |
|
15 |
$45,232 |
|
20 |
$73,792 |
|
25 |
$113,848 |
Data Source: Author's calculations.
2. Greater freedom to move
The median single-family home in America measures a little over 2,200 square feet, which may make sense if you're raising a passel of children, but what if you're single or an empty nester? Are you staying in your home simply because you need someplace to house all your treasures?
That's square footage you're paying to heat, cool, clean, and maintain. And it may (or may not) be where you want to be anymore. The less stuff you have to drag along with you, the easier it is to move on to your next dream. Whether you've always wanted a little house on a nice piece of land or a condo in the heart of your favorite city, death cleaning leaves you with fewer belongings to lug around.
Swedish death cleaning means you don't have to think about where you're going to store all those knick-knacks and tchotchkes you've picked up over the years. All you have to move is yourself and items that are useful to you daily.
3. Selling and/or donating
You probably have dozens of items you no longer need or use that would be useful to someone else. Why not sell them online or even have a garage sale and get to meet the neighbors? You could walk away with enough money to do something fun or tuck the money away for a rainy day.
Anything you don't want to sell (or that doesn't sell) can be donated to your favorite charity. And if you itemize your taxes, you could save money by including the donations on your Schedule A.
4. Reduced clutter-related expenses
The fewer possessions you own, the less you'll spend on cleaning supplies, repairs, and replacements when they break. And as mentioned, if you decide you want to spend less on housing, you'll have more options regarding where you can move.
I'm not sure anyone enjoys thinking about their death, but I do know that we're all going to experience it. Swedish death cleaning is all about making those days and months following your death less of a hassle for your loved ones and making sure you remember to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
